There’s a new rap group that’s going viral on YouTube today. And that would be HOOD 047, who’s currently on a tear on YouTube as their party-hearty music video for “Wasted” racks up millions of views.

As of this writing, said music video for “Wasted” (released just over a month ago) currently stands at 8.3 million views.

Not bad for the Olongapo City-based rap group whose main members include J emm Dahon (Michael Gerondio Zapata), Kushin (Richard Olamit) and KL (Lheanard King Buenaventura Implica).

And Kushin, KL and J emm Dahon is just at the tip of who HOOD 047 is.

More often than not, when coming up with new jams and rhymes, Hood 047 will always feature additional collaborators that are part of the bigger ‘hood.’

And these include Guthrie Nikolao, Aeron J (Aeron Joshua Basila), CHAOS (Mark Anthony Lachica), Gico (Rowen Ace De Guia), IDEA (Christian Lorence M. Navat), Sintido (Jonathan Lorenzo), Shrlyanne (Shirley Anne Interino), KARAYOM (Romar John E. Pedrozo) and Shonji K (Jaime Barreyro Sta. Elena III), Mackydawg (Mark Anthony Arneo)

“We are always doing collaborations with our friends and fellow rappers,” said KL (in Tagalog). “That’s just the way for Hood zero-four-seven,” he added.

True enough, for the viral hit “Wasted,” Kushin, KL and J emm are accompanied by Hood fam members Aeron J and Guthrie Nikolao. All five are groovin’ on the mid-tempo rap track that’s been making a name for of Hood 047

But for the music video of “Wasted” that’s currently going viral, most of Hood 047, and their friends, have come in force to add to the party atmosphere of the video.  

But there’s more to “Wasted” than the title suggests.

“Actually, hindi sya party-party lang,” explained Kushin.

“Bawat verse sa ‘Wasted’ meron siyang kanya-kanyang saloobin. Example, for Aeron J, about sa tropa yan dahil matagal ng hindi nagkikita dahil sa Pandemic. It’s about missing your friends.” (Aeron J is based in Canada but is currently in Manila to support the track).

“For J emm na parang kuya ng lahat, nagpapayo yan at nagpapasalamat sa mga lines nya dun sa track.”

Kushin adds, “for me, na nawalan na ng tiwala sa mga babae, dahil sa ilang beses nang nabigo sa pag-ibig. Si Guthrie, niloko naman.”

Kushin explains that the theme of “Wasted” is “about gathering sa isang simpleng inuman at party para makapag kwentuhan ng mga pinagdaanan ng bawat isa.”

Formed back in 2008 in Olongapo City, and just like every rap-loving music fan, HOOD 047 is influenced by recent greats such as Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Jay Park, Ty Dolla $, Chris Brown, and Bone Thugs and Harmony and local acts such as Ron Henley, Loonie, Curse One and BB Clan.

KL reveals the dynamic in the group and reveals how important everybody is in Hood 047.

“Mahalaga ang team namin na HOOD 047 dahil sagrado ang samahan nito at pamilya ang turingan ng bawat isa.”

The group agrees that they can be individual rap artists but are “stronger when together.”

And that credo is doing wonders for HOOD 047.

Right now, besides “Wasted,” two other tracks namely “Alak Pa” and “OW CITY” are doing exceptionally well too. For “Alak Pa” – a track the features J emm Dahon, KL, Gico, IDEA and Sintido -- the music video already has 3.6 million views on YouTube. Meanwhile “OW CITY” besides having the core Hood 047, also featuring has that features  Fragile Kidz and Karayom, has well over 1.2 million views. 

In all, HOOD 047 is blowing up and going viral. And with good reason, based on these tracks.

Hood 047 is a Viva Records is a rap and Hip-hop music artist.