The Mighty Hip-Hop Crew
Hip-hop, though always a dynamic force in music, has, until recently, been on a sort of downward spiral due to the watering down of creativity by cookie cutter local and international artists being perpetually played on the mainstream. And although most people would associate hip-hop with simply rapping and having hot chicks in the background of their music videos, a few heads strived to build a resurgence and revive how hip-hop should be perceived and approached. And some of these heads in particular gravitated towards each other and organically brought about the digital live hip-hop group Misc…)
Miscellaneous by definition means; consisting of several kinds and that’s exactly how Misc… as a group should be described, ala assorted musical nuts aka mixed/misc’d nuts if you please. A breath of fresh air to the local Hip-Hop scene these five likeminded yet unique individuals come together to uphold the roots of Hip-Hop and that Hip-Hop should be done all the way live. Misc… has been around since 2000, but its present day line-up has been making music, gigging and head-bobbin together since 2003. The group is comprised of Producers Tibbz and DJ Umph pushing buttons on the MPC’s, DJ Dtech on the wheels of steel cutting it up, and the deep lyrical flip-flopped skills of Delphi and Switch on the microphones. The sound of the group can be type casted as a throwback to 90’s Hip-Hop with a dash of funk, jazz and a certain live feel, vibe and/or element that is seldom seen. The beats can be layed back and laced with jazzy overtones, and the flows are melodic and inspired or sometimes the beats can be hard and raw, and the flows meant for mental battle, Misc… is comfortable in either end of the spectrum. So in jist “Bang your nut sacks to this”
The Beatraveler
Recognized as the man behind the first ever DJ -produced album here in the Philippines, DJ Arbie Won has no doubt played an integral part on shaping the sound of the local Hip-hop scene. Whether doing DJ gigs around the metro, or in the studio collaborating with other artists, DJ Arbie Won has maintained one general rule on his music career for more than a decade: Keepin' it fresh.
Starting out as a mobile DJ, he made his production debut in 1996 with the release of his group, the Urban Flow with their debut album. The same album went on to win the Best Rap album of 1997(Miss Pakipot). Since then, DJ Arbie Won has produced albums and singles for other artists as well and collaborating with other artists such as Kulay, Ogie Alcasid, Slapshock as well as compilations for Octo-Emi and the Recognize compilation for Warner Music. In 1999 and 2000, he was a finalist for the Philippine DJ Mixing Championships (DMC).
In 2004, he released the first ever DJ-produced album, called "United Freestyles 2" collaborating with Francis M, The Mastaplann, SVC, BB Clan and basically almost everyone who's part of the local hip-hop scene at that time. The same album garnered "Best Album of the Year", "Best Producer of the Year" and "Single of the Year (Taken In) for the 1st Phil. Hip-hop Awards. The album was also subsequently released in Japan in 2005, and had DJ Arbie Won promoting in key cities in Japan.
DJ Arbie Won's roots in the DJ'ing culture got him travelling across different genres of music. Inspired by the past and galvanized by the future, he has dropped sets for events such as the Absolut Launch, Miller Beer, Coca Cola, Oktoberfest, Pfizer, Manila Design Week, Abs-Cbn, Team Manila, and doing product showcases for Stanton DJ and the PALMM convention. He also contributed music scores for short films, promo videos and TV shows.
"Isang katerbang Mc's, isang Dj ang pakana"..-Ali of BB Clan
DJ Arbie Won has come a long way from his mobile days and house parties (although he still does it), now he's all set to dropped his new album, "United Freestyles vol.3". Pushing the envelope once again, this time collaborating with Nyko Maka, Nimbus 9, Beng Calma of Drip, and other surprise artists. "I had the idea of trying to be more behind the scenes and just get different artists on the record." says DJ Arbie Won. "Each song holds its own, each song has its own style, each tempo is not the same tempo throughout the album and lyrically everybody's not talking about the same thing. I produce, scratch, conceptualize and write some of the lyrics".. Coming off a stellar 2010, DJ Arbie Won is the Beatraveler is once again about to KEEP IT FRESH.
Hip-Hop Veteran, Heavy Duty
If you thought he was a veteran in the hip-hop industry before, you will be pleased to find that he bears his expertise with even further refinement this time around. From 3 albums with Sun Valley Crew to numerous guestings on popular albums/compilations/mixtapes to a healthy amount of awards/nominations, and 2 solo albums under his belt; ILL-J definitely has a thick resume not only in the hip hop industry, but the music industry overall. That being said, getting comfortable just isn’t his style. Rather, he chooses to keep breaking barriers.
He is currently promoting his sophomore album Logic for Reason, together with his recently formed band Iconic. ILL-J’s vision in forming a band was for his sound to escape from the norm and to infuse elements from other genres, while retaining the principal sound of hip-hop. Having made their mark during Nokia IAC’s major mall tours, it is an understatement to say that the MC and the band are a strong equation. ILL-J plus veteran keyboardist Ronni Dizon, the funky flavor of bassist Brian Sergio, the suave strums from guitarist Tim Cada, the hip-hop beats from drummer Dex Aguila, and the breakbeat hip-hop scratches of DJ Gugoo Umali = hip-hop veteran, heavy duty.
Universal Rock
"Born from spur-of-the-moment inspiration, the rock band Gaijin rolls forward with their antenna pointed straight to the sky, eager to recognize the sanctity of stereo. Inspiring each other to culture jam the sound waves and kidnap the temperature gauge. “Come with me, out on the Mindanao Sea. We’ll live together. We’re gonna live forever”…
Taken aback and awestruck by Manila’s potent live music scene, Jesse Grinter (Gaijin’s vocalist and guitarist) met bassist Raimund Marasigan back in early 2008, after taking in a show. Both quickly discovered they were of the exact same mindset, in relation to all things expressive and musical. A year passed by as the two kept in touch, all the while trading a few fanatical ideas back and forth.
In January 2009, the two decided to spontaneously pull the trigger and start a band. Shinji Tanaka (the Japanese proprietor of Sound Creation Studios, and resident recording wizard) was brought in to play the drums, and the proverbial stage was set. The trio wasted no time, playing their first show as Gaijin the very same night. The next year was spent in every imaginable live music venue across Manila, figuring out the angles and straightening the curves. As the only common language between the three band members is music, this leaves no other option – always be on the lookout for the elusive and inspirational moment of truth.
Heeding the call of documentation, the band was also using every available moment to begin - and ultimately finish - their debut album. While keeping true to the aesthetic of the classic power trio, the band refuses to acknowledge most rules. With the main one being, if it sounds good and it feels good, then play it - and keep it.
Beefy chords lined up in a row – detuned, overturned and mystified – all the while bringing the melodic. Shining effervescent, doing whatever it takes to expose every sonic color and invent new ones along the way. Making sure to take what’s been handed down over the ages and modify, like being inside the box with an outside the box mentality. Somehow skewed, alien and smart. After all, the wheel doesn’t need to be reinvented. The surprises lie within the music, and not without.
Indie-Dance DJs
“Trading guitars for turntables”
Diego Castillo and Diego Mapa are “The Diegos”. More known for their work playing guitars and rocking out Manila's band scene have now entered the clubs as a DJ duo. Yes, Castillo behind Sandwich's “Sugod” and Mapa of Pedicab's “Ang Pusa Mo” have been bottling up their love for DJ-ing and now are in full effect. They mix house, techno, big beat, indie dance, electro, disco, funk, new wave, old school hip-hop, rock n' roll, guilty pleasures, and essential classics. In a club setting, they believe all music could be danced in their on way and that all types of music can be thrown into one mix depending on the mood or vibe. Creating a one of kind atmosphere wherein no gaps will be made. In result, these party rockers punk-up the dance floor. In a Diegos set, it is not uncommon to hear something like Digitalism, Hot Chip to remixes from Soulwax, Switch to 70fs dance punk of Blondie, Clash and Gang of Four to kitsch hits from Michael Jackson to Madonna and ending up with Naughty by Nature. The Diegos turn their sets from organized beatmatching to chaos; resulting in a sweaty musical journey.
The Diegos already have been DJ-ing for Fluxxe, Zapped, Cubao X, Team Manila, Ascend, Attica, Heirarchy, Playboy Phlippines, Boracay and other events. They have also DJ'd alongside friends, mates and other infectious DJs and producers including Kiki Machine and Gigee of Fluxxe, Mark Zero, Sgt. Vez, Red-i Soundsystem, Soul Flower, Supreme Fist, Caliph8, Chie Castaneda of Future Cafe, Arbiewon, Mars Miranda, Local E, DJ Salamangkero, Neon 8, Silverfilter, Funk Avy and Erwin Edralin.
You would think that a rock band called Flying Ipis would have greasy-haired, heavily tattooed men as members, scaring their audiences with loud, angry, death metal music. The truth is, Flying Ipis was born in the corridors of an all-girl Filipino catholic high school in 1995, when a flying cockroach (“ipis” in Tagalog) drove them out of their first practice session.
Though college life took them to different places, after reuniting at their 10th-year high school reunion, they decided to relive their undiminished passion for rock n’ roll and they have not looked back since. Grittier, wiser, and now of legal age, they're back with a brand new invention: their own flavor of garage punk rock, fused with their kick-ass, fun-loving attitude!
With Deng Garcia on the mic, Ymi Castel on guitar, Iris Jumao-as on bass, and Gaki on drums, Flying Ipis has been infesting the Metro bar scene with their high soaring tempo and infectious riffs; evident in their catchy originals - “Sssikreto,” “Past is Past, Bitch!,” “This Song is About You,” “Uh Oh No” and “Lundagin Mo, Beybi.” Having been featured in Studio 23 Us Girls, Pulp Magazine, FHM, and bagging the NU In The Raw Artist Award at the last NU 107.5 Rock Awards 2010... the girls' spirits are higher than ever! So breathe in the manic music of the flying roaches! Jump! Dance! Scream! Fly!... Don’t be afraid.
