Loonie - Unreleased Verses (Produced by DJ Crazee Bangin)
I've been a fan of Stick Figgas since day one. When people didn't like local dialect in they're local rap songs to now that we've actually broken 75% of that mentality down, I've been a Stick Figgas fan. Loonie's upcoming debut CD comes with high anticipation -- read and build insight as we deliver to you questions and answers from the mind of one of the most insightful emcees we have in this decade. Loonie, idol -- hehehehe. Loving the answers man, thank you.
First and foremost, kindly clear this rumor about you going crazy?
It's not a rumor. I am crazy. Better lock your doors. Hahaha
Where were you and what were you doing the day that Francis M died?
In Cebu. I just had come off work. It was high noon and I was very tired and sleepy. While waiting for a cab, my mom broke the bad news to me thru txt and I hadn't believed it completely 'til 4 more text messages confirmed the worst. I still couldn't believe it. Then it was all over TV. He was just texting me a week before that and then he was suddenly gone. It was sad and surreal. The last message he gave me was: "Tuloy ang rebolusyon anak." And that's where I get the fire in me everytime I perform or write songs.
I heard you signed a deal and will put out an album for a major release soon, whats the story behind it and why put this album, The Ones Who Never Made It out first before that major release?
I haven't signed anything yet. Details about that project is still confidential. It's gonna be finished hopefully this March. The songs there are actually more commercially tangible and the production has been beefed up and I will be working with a couple of different artists from different genres of our local music scene. That album is fully laid out and carefully planned compared to The Ones Who Never Made it which I've likened to unborn fetuses; Songs which were never really planned and songs that won't get heard by normal people on the radio. TOWNMI is for the day one fans and supporters. It's me at my rawest form. A collector's item. In short, The Ones Who Never Made It are the songs that will never make it on that major release. So it's just like a chin check before the actual right hook to the jaw.
Its as if you've prepared for every angle of what hiphop has to offer, so at this point in your career as a lyricist & emcee, is there things that still shock you? If NO, what about Pinoy Hiphop irritates you and if YES, please eleborate?
Nothing shocks me anymore. It gets boring sometimes. And I'm here to change that. Style biters piss me off because they don't even recognize the architect of the style they're using. They even have the guts to try and diss me just to get my attention. It's flattering but it's annoying.
You have a song called "Ayokong Bumoto" -- and it is the season for the elections, and with what initially happened in Maguindanao -- whats your take on the coming elections? Is it important or less important. And as a voice of the youth, what do you think voting means?
I've never voted for anyone ever. Ayokong Bumoto is a song I did to make people think again. I'm not trying to cause civil unrest by boycotting the upcoming elections. These are just the feelings of a normal Filipino. There's always corruption and bloodshed. Everyone has their own hidden agenda. I don't blame them for their greed though. I'd be a hypocrite if I said I won't do the same if I was in their shoes. Humans are born corrupt and that's why I aspired to become a rapper instead of a politician. I don't want to put myself in a position where I'll have an opportunity to steal from hardworking Filipinos or lie to my country. And I think I speak for everyone when I say I'm tired of the same old same old. No song can change that. "Ayokong Bumoto" is just that. A song. People can take it however they want. I'm just letting them know that I don't give a damn about politics. Unless someone pays me a shitload of money to do a campaign jingle for them. Hahahaha
What do you think of radio airplays? Is it less important? Is having viral marketing online better? Especially for you -- off of the strength of your hits online and how much worldwide praises you've already gotten despite not having a radio single.
It's better if you're visible or audible everywhere. Internet, radio, TV, live shows. The more media the better. The internet is really a wonderful thing. It's God's gift to mankind. But the feeling of an artist hearing his own song on the radio is priceless. So I think it's just as important as online marketing. Virals are basically just hype compared to solid radio singles that people can really relate to. Maybe it would take a couple more years before the internet pushes CD's and the radio into extinction.
First and foremost, kindly clear this rumor about you going crazy?
It's not a rumor. I am crazy. Better lock your doors. Hahaha
Where were you and what were you doing the day that Francis M died?
In Cebu. I just had come off work. It was high noon and I was very tired and sleepy. While waiting for a cab, my mom broke the bad news to me thru txt and I hadn't believed it completely 'til 4 more text messages confirmed the worst. I still couldn't believe it. Then it was all over TV. He was just texting me a week before that and then he was suddenly gone. It was sad and surreal. The last message he gave me was: "Tuloy ang rebolusyon anak." And that's where I get the fire in me everytime I perform or write songs.
I heard you signed a deal and will put out an album for a major release soon, whats the story behind it and why put this album, The Ones Who Never Made It out first before that major release?
I haven't signed anything yet. Details about that project is still confidential. It's gonna be finished hopefully this March. The songs there are actually more commercially tangible and the production has been beefed up and I will be working with a couple of different artists from different genres of our local music scene. That album is fully laid out and carefully planned compared to The Ones Who Never Made it which I've likened to unborn fetuses; Songs which were never really planned and songs that won't get heard by normal people on the radio. TOWNMI is for the day one fans and supporters. It's me at my rawest form. A collector's item. In short, The Ones Who Never Made It are the songs that will never make it on that major release. So it's just like a chin check before the actual right hook to the jaw.
Its as if you've prepared for every angle of what hiphop has to offer, so at this point in your career as a lyricist & emcee, is there things that still shock you? If NO, what about Pinoy Hiphop irritates you and if YES, please eleborate?
Nothing shocks me anymore. It gets boring sometimes. And I'm here to change that. Style biters piss me off because they don't even recognize the architect of the style they're using. They even have the guts to try and diss me just to get my attention. It's flattering but it's annoying.
You have a song called "Ayokong Bumoto" -- and it is the season for the elections, and with what initially happened in Maguindanao -- whats your take on the coming elections? Is it important or less important. And as a voice of the youth, what do you think voting means?
I've never voted for anyone ever. Ayokong Bumoto is a song I did to make people think again. I'm not trying to cause civil unrest by boycotting the upcoming elections. These are just the feelings of a normal Filipino. There's always corruption and bloodshed. Everyone has their own hidden agenda. I don't blame them for their greed though. I'd be a hypocrite if I said I won't do the same if I was in their shoes. Humans are born corrupt and that's why I aspired to become a rapper instead of a politician. I don't want to put myself in a position where I'll have an opportunity to steal from hardworking Filipinos or lie to my country. And I think I speak for everyone when I say I'm tired of the same old same old. No song can change that. "Ayokong Bumoto" is just that. A song. People can take it however they want. I'm just letting them know that I don't give a damn about politics. Unless someone pays me a shitload of money to do a campaign jingle for them. Hahahaha
What do you think of radio airplays? Is it less important? Is having viral marketing online better? Especially for you -- off of the strength of your hits online and how much worldwide praises you've already gotten despite not having a radio single.
It's better if you're visible or audible everywhere. Internet, radio, TV, live shows. The more media the better. The internet is really a wonderful thing. It's God's gift to mankind. But the feeling of an artist hearing his own song on the radio is priceless. So I think it's just as important as online marketing. Virals are basically just hype compared to solid radio singles that people can really relate to. Maybe it would take a couple more years before the internet pushes CD's and the radio into extinction.
Loonie feat. Toney Chrome, Ron Henley, Mike Kosa
Jskeelz - Dito Sa Maynila (Produced by One Thedd)
I've seen you come into your own over the years. You've shown that you can grow up and rise to the occassion several times. You withstood beefs within your own backyard -- what inspires you to move forward? What pressures are there in your goal to reach a summit of experience? What motivates you?
People around me inspire me to move forward. My real friends and my family. Where would I be without them? There are a lot of pressures but I take them on as challenges. So the secret to handling it is to be like a duck. Smooth and unruffled on top but paddling like crazy underneath. Hate motivates me more than anything else. I thrive in negativity because somehow, I always turn it into something positive. It's like fuel to the fire for me.
Whats your favorite Turbulence song? album?
I love a lot of Turb songs man. NY to PI, Ikaanim na Misteryo, Booked Me A Flight among others. The B-Sides Album, Thinking Man's Hip-hop and Nimbus 9's Philippine Phenom are all classics for me. I salute you guys for making quality music all throughout the years and being relevant to the local scene year in and year out.
If in time you were asked to teach a course on the life of Francis Magalona -- which five songs will you use to help students learn more about him?
Francis treats his songs like his sons/daughters. He doesn't play favorites but these are the five songs that I feel are very special to him through the years that I've been with the King.
1. Wag Kang Tumawa - This is one of his favorite songs off "Happy Battle". We are going to do a remake of this on the Stick Figgas' second album. Here he shows his brilliant songwriting skills as he drops knowledge in oxymoronic fashion.
2. Baliktad Ang Mundo - Another underrated classic of a song from "Happy Battle". While we were at a hotel in Cebu back in 2008. Francis was saying how he liked this song so much and that he had even a verse in datkilab (baliktad). But labels said people weren't ready for that at that time so they took the verse out. But he let me hear it and I was amazed at his creativity and how he was so ahead of his time back then.
3. Reach For The Stars - He told me his verse here is his favorite. The version that was released featured PKSO in it but he had a solo version of it and he always performs this song when he have gigs at Zirkoh and Klownz.
Francism feat. Loonie - The Light (Chrizo Remix)
4. The Light - This is one song we did for DJ Arbiewon's United Freestyles. When he was at the hospital he was texting me about this song telling me that it was special to him and that it brought tears to his eyes everytime he listened to it during that difficult time.
5. 3 Stars And A Sun - I think this is his favorite song that he made. He's very proud of this song and it's one of my favorites as well.
What is the advantage of performing with a band?
There's only one thing better than music and that is live music. The energy level is more intense and people seem to take you more seriously in contrast to performing with a minus one. And I just love the sound of live drum rolls. It revs me up everytime.
Are we ever going to hear you rap an entire verse in your native dialect?
Actually I rapped a few lines in Cebuano on the opening song of The Ones Who Never Made It. The song is called "Walang Babala". Sometimes I try to write more verses in Bisaya vernacular. I've got a couple of 16's and one of these days me and Syke and gonna try to do something with it.
When you caught a glimpse of our video Beyond Beyond, what did you think about it and to you, what does Beyond Beyond mean?
Really inspiring stuff and nice visuals man. Beyond Beyond for me is like the next level after the highest. It's like seeing beyond the observable universe. Even beyond to what the Hubble Space Telescope can see.
Whats the best and worst compliment you've recieved as an artist?
I take all compliments as positive whether bad or good. That means I affected the listener somehow and I got a reaction from them.
Are we ever going to hear you rap an entire verse in your native dialect?
Actually I rapped a few lines in Cebuano on the opening song of The Ones Who Never Made It. The song is called "Walang Babala". Sometimes I try to write more verses in Bisaya vernacular. I've got a couple of 16's and one of these days me and Syke and gonna try to do something with it.
When you caught a glimpse of our video Beyond Beyond, what did you think about it and to you, what does Beyond Beyond mean?
Really inspiring stuff and nice visuals man. Beyond Beyond for me is like the next level after the highest. It's like seeing beyond the observable universe. Even beyond to what the Hubble Space Telescope can see.
Whats the best and worst compliment you've recieved as an artist?
I take all compliments as positive whether bad or good. That means I affected the listener somehow and I got a reaction from them.
LOONIE VS RON HENLEY
With your solo career in line to bloom, where does this leave Stick Figgas as a group? What are the next few steps people can expect from the group?
Stick Figgas is officially a band already. We added Chano on drums, Jopz on guitars and R2 on bass. We still do gigs regularly so it's not like a hiatus for the group. We're just more concentrated on recording material for our individual solo efforts. Ron Henley is set to release a solo project next year and maybe after we have written enough songs we'll start recording on our 2nd album as a band. It's entitled "Take Two: A Tragic Comedy". It will be a double-disc offering and I'm very excited to start working on it with the rest of the band.
What do you still want to achieve and get from this hiphop shit?
I'm still waiting for my first million. But the respect and praises I get from people and fellow artists make it worth the wait.
If you had a million pesos to spend in a day and can only spend it on two things, what you buy?
I don't know man. Hmmmm off the top of my head maybe a car for me and a house for my family.
Who are you rooting for this year in the NBA? Any predictions?
I'm a big Lakers fan since Shaq's days. But I'd root for the Cavaliers this year if ever they face off in the finals. Though I'm predicting the Lakers would do a repeat, I'm not underestimating the Celtics. They're ahead of the rest right now. And Atlanta might surprise us this year too. 2k10 na lang tayo Bong! hahahaha thanks for the interview man. More power to you and yours.
I'd like to apologize for the people who've been waiting for The Ones Who Never Made It. It's coming really soon. We're working hard on it. Hopefully January it'll drop nationwide.
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