Rap is FrancisM

Francis Magalona
1964-2009

yesterday, Philippines' Master Rapper passed away due to multiple organ failure and pneumonia.
he fought leukemia for 7mos.
he left his wife, 8 kids & countless people whom he helped.
he also left a great legacy in which we (Filipinos) would surely remember him -
to be nationalistic.

i have never met Francis personally nor i ever get the chance to see him randomly.
i was in my 4th Grade when his first album was released.
Mga Kababayan, a very nationalistic song, was a big hit and i admit, i memorized it by heart
(and can still sing along with it w/o any mistakes).
but Cold Summer Nights (from the same album) left the biggest mark.
the lyrics is so simple; the message is very straight-forward; and the melody is easy to remember.
up until now, amongst the many songs he composed & albums released,
it remains my all-time favorite Francis M song.

Kaleidoscope World was released during my senior year in high school.
apart from Eraserheads' Cutterpillow,
my brother would play this song endlessly going to and from school.
Girl be Mine, on the other hand,
left its mark on me when me & my college barkada would sing nothing but this song.
it was our bonding song, apart from The Freshman by Verve Pipe.

later on, he did collaborations with two of the premiered bands in the country -
Eraserheads with Superproxy and  Parokya ni Edgar with Kaleidoscope World.

before he became the country's pioneer of rap music, he was an actor.
i would never forget Bagets 2.
he was my 2nd favorite amongst the cast (next to JC Bonnin).

i admit, as i grew older, my taste for music also expanded.
i wasn't a faithful listener or an avid fan.
but i grow up while he was making a mark on the entertainment business in the country.

yesterday, my brother texted me that he passed away (since i woke up an hour past noon).
it was saddening.
it was heart-breaking.
i may not know him personally but it hit me similarly when i lost my grandparents.
death is very much real.
it is inevitable.

Francis M brought rap to the Philippines.
he also was the first artist to had tattoes, breaking the stigma & conservative belief about it.
Rap is Francis M and a whole lot more.
more importanly, he was nationalistic; a patriot.
we all know he had gone to a much better place now.

thank you for changing the music industry in the country.
thank you for being a part of my life as a student.
most of all, thank you for showing us what patriotism means.
rest in peace, Kiko.
we surely would miss YO!


> http://www.happybattle.net
> http://francismagalona.multiply.com
> http://piamagalona.multiply.com