Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Turbulence x Filamfunk spotted at EVILMONITO.COM


Marquiss and Chrizo doing the radio drill at H-Town's show



Lyrical Empire: Metro Manila Emcees
Overcome
Challenges in a Multilingual Nation

by Mark Villegas



"On a drizzly, humid July afternoon I squeeze into an overflowing train headed for Las PiƱas, a city in southern Metro Manila. I hop from the train onto the Philippines’ most ubiquitous forms of transportation, the jeepney, a functioning relic of the United States military ostentatiously stylized with distinct Filipino flavor—bright paint, shiny chrome, and customized body kits. Like the other commuters, I cover my mouth and nose with a handkerchief as we battle the Metro’s pollution and traffic.

I am on my way to interview the Turbulence Productions crew, a small, independent group of emcees, beat producers, and entrepreneurs who rank as one of the most respected hip hop crews in the Philippines.

As someone who has been immersed in hip hop and who documents Filipino American involvement in the cultural cipher, I, like many other Filipino Americans, carried my own biases about hip hop in the Philippines. I believed because the Philippines is a poor country whose people are obsessed with mimicking catchy American pop songs, the quality of hip hop in the country must be sub-par.


I had it all twisted.."



CONTINUE READING HERE.





NOTES: Kudos to Mark V of Filamfunk -- heard the premiere of his short film LYRICAL EMPIRE: HIPHOP IN METRO MANILA was amazing! Kudos to you and your eye for telling a story untold in your side of the world. We are proud to have cross paths with your vision and see my team fit into the direction you're taking. Proud that you stuck it out for us and the talent Pinas is breeding.

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