Filipino rappers and hip-hop artists join HipHopDX Asia's 'The Regionals'
By John Legaspi
Warner Music’s first-ever Pan-Asia cypher series aims to foster cultural collaboration between the most talented rappers from the East and the best hip-hop producers from the West
Music artists Arkho, Jon Protégé, JRLDM, Loonie, and Mhot are set to showcase what Filipino rap and hip-hop music is all about as they join the Pan-Asia cypher series dubbed “The Regionals.”
Launched by HipHopDX Asia, Warner Music’s label agnostic Asian hip-hop media platform, the series is the first of its kind in Asia, inviting top hip-hop emcees from different Eastern markets to jump on beats by some of the most prominent hip-hop producers from the West.
“Freestyle cyphers are a cornerstone of hip-hop culture,” David Stouck, vice resident, A&R Asia, Warner Music, says. “‘The Regionals’ provide the first-ever cypher series to elevate and celebrate the best-in-class emcees from the East, in close collaboration with Grammy Award-winning producers from the West. Asiatic Records is delighted to leverage its global distribution networks, which tap into vast audiences worldwide, to support HipHopDX Asia in launching this ground-breaking initiative.”
Apart from Filipino music artists, Taiwan’s Julia Wu, Karencici, Kumachan, and Nickthereal, as well as Vietnam’s B-wine, Blacka, Gonzo, and Tlinh are going to be part of the project. The producers for the cyphers in the corresponding markets are Grammy Award winners Illmind, Hit-Boy, and 9th Wonder.
“Asian hip-hop music is rapidly growing in popularity. We’ve been very pleased to observe how communities throughout the region have thrived through the acculturation of hip-hop, while still holding fast to their own local cultures,” Eddy Lim, Regional director of HipHopDX Asia, says. “There’s so much amazing talent here in the region, and the world needs to take more notice. For Asian rap to go global, more alliances and collaborations between rappers from different markets are needed. ‘The Regionals’ is our way of showing everyone else what Asia has got."
The first round of cyphers from the different markets will be released on Sept. 2 (The Regionals Philippines), Sept. 23 (The Regionals Taipei), and Sept. 30 (The Regionals Vietnam) on all major DSPs. Visit @hiphopdx.asia on Instagram to know more.
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