It was a big win for Malaysian hip hop at the Anugerah Juara Lagu 35 (AJL35), one of the country’s biggest annual music competitions.
Kaka Azraff, Noki, and Loca B’s collaborative track, “Gila” (“Crazy”) bested 11 other songs and became only the second hip hop song to win the competition’s top award in its 35-year history. The first hip hop track that nabbed the award was Joe Flizzow and SonaOne’s “Apa Khabar” in 2014.
“Gila” is composed and written by Noki of K-Clique, Loca B, and Ezra Kong. It was also the first time Kaka Azraff, Noki, and Loca B competed at AJL. The artists took home RM50,000 (roughly US$12,100) and a trophy.
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Released in 2020 under Black Hat Cat Records, “Gila” is all about the “crazy world that we live in today, the fear of stepping out to the outside world is real. We are protected only by our sanity… [It] depicts that story of fear, despair, hope, and perseverance.”
Translated to “Champion of Song Award,” AJL airs every year on TV3, the most-watched television in Malaysia.
Watch the live performance of “Gila” at AJL35 below:
Watch the music video below:
