MUSIC IS LIFE: WHO'S FIRING SHOTS

DON G - Live Forever

Some pains are forever. Some real ones are fake, and some fake ones make it, some real ones don't. Pain is the only sure thing in life, alongside death and taxes. Pain is sacrifice, consequently sacrifice is love. Some pains in life, and love, are forever. Dongalo Wreckords silence before another storm is personified through one of their longest standing soldier, Don G. The complexity of Don G as an artist who developed himself amidst all the odds of repping Dongalo is amazing. From Dongalo being one of the most shitted on camps and seeing that, and overcoming his own personal life challenges, Don G has emerged as one of my favorites.

Don G ressurects gangsta rap in the Philippines with both vengeance and freshness. The last time I saw gangsta rap repped proper here was Death Threat's "WANTED" CD -- after that it was a toss up between it being too raw, too sugar coated, too fabricated and too unreal. Don G of Gulpe de Gulat, now a label head himself via Shots Fired Entertainment, shows a brilliance, honor and integrity of a soldier coming home from war. The battles might be over, but the war is an advantage in his heart. In the brink of releasing his highly anticipated mixtape, Pagsara ng Pinto under Dongalo/Shots Fired, he gives everyone a peak into his life's door -- and listening to it brings you to a place between being broken and found. His lyrics only reminds me of what Ice Cube would sound like with Big L's rhyme schemes.

Pagsara ng Pinto, in my eyes and ears is as anticipated as Marquiss' GRAE. Don G's ear for beats is amazing -- all the beats he picked for this release fits all his song topics. His rhymes will hurt you, will make you squint, and will melt faces in shock and affirmation and you will end up saying "shit, why didn't I think of it like that." His mixtape is a perfect marriage of hiphop and the streets. He speaks codes, and respects the streets' affairs; which in return earns him his stripes.

This musical offering from Don G has been done for 2 years now, some of them might've already leaked, but this only means the people's anticipation can't be contained anymore. I want to see this album touch lives, as much as you don't want to believe it, there are alot of gangs in the Philippines, this gives these cats the soundtrack to they lives.

Don G once told me that because of what he has gone through the past few years, he almost gave up on his music, and through everything he had gone through he realized that at one point, this music isn't his anymore but for the people who have adored his realness. Some pains aren't meant to be lived through, this early in life; and some people consider him lucky with what he has. We all lose at one point in our lives and sometimes these instances makes us want to close doors -- Pagsara ng Pinto is a fragile chapter of what Don G's future music will become. Come and listen to a future legends shadow of his truth.

Some of us live in shadows, some shadows make so much noise.

This noise, is not quite to close doors.

NOTES: "Pagsara ng Pinto" & other Shots Fired Entertainment merchandise will be available to hoods nationwide, or you can place orders on Don G's Friendster Page and Shots Fired hotline +639055065199. His product is also available through FEDEX Office Malate; FEDEX Valenzuela Building, Las Pinas City; GIZMOS 13B STARMALL Las Pinas City; SALBAKUTA Hoodgear Store in Victory Mall, Caloocan; and soon to open stores. Will keep you posted. Don G appeared in a Turbulence Sampler a couple of years back with the song Patawad.