HipHopDX Asia Premieres Historic 'The Regionals: Philippines’—Watch

HipHopDX Asia conducts its worldwide premiere of the first-of-its-kind cypher project “The Regionals” today (September 2) with its first installment, “The Regionals: Philippines.”

The project brings together some of the biggest and rising hip hop stars in Asia together with critically-acclaimed producers from the West, with three editions produced for the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taipei this year.

“The Regionals: Philippines” features rap stars JRLDM, Arkho, Mhot, Jon Protege, and Loonie going in on an !llmind beat exclusively produced for the project. The five rappers tag team in a track that highlights the cultural, linguistic, and social impact of the local hip hop scene, with verses in Tagalog, Bisaya, and English.

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Filipino cultural references are also sprinkled in the track, such as Loonie’s tribute to Filipino rap OG Francis Magalona, who passed away in 2009. Francis Magalona, also lovingly referred to as “Kiko” (a Filipino nickname for Francis), is credited as one of the most influential personas in shaping Filipino hip hop. Loonie raps, “Salamat Kuya Kiko, kami nang bahala muna rito” (Thank you Kuya [an honorific for ‘older brother’] Kiko, we’ll take care of things here).

The Taipei and Vietnam editions of “The Regionals” are slated to release on September 23 and 30, respectively. Follow HipHopDX Asia for more updates and exclusive features on the project’s artists and producers.

Watch the premiere of “The Regionals: Philippines” here:

Listen to “The Regionals: Philippines” on Spotify here:

Lyrics:

JRLDM:

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Tignan mo sila iyak pre

Di nila to kayang tangke

Libong gasolina to

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Limusin tang*** mo

Dati parang malabong sabaw to pre nung hinalo eh parang watusi one two three

Binibilang sa daliri kung ilan na bang iniwan kong wack don pre kase

Look me into my eyeball di yung tipikal mong idol

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I can rap shit sing shit mix shit sample

Tinanong ako ni ankol pinasagot ko ay rifle

pinutukan mala Johnny Sin ang magasin koy yagbol

619 ang hatol

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Misteryoso rumamble

Mga feeling kartel

Habol ng habol sa clout

Kahit na mag mukhang clown

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Tanginang mga mukha yan kala mo kayang kumalabit talaga pagka binabaan mo

naman ng isa

Sheeshh grr pow

Kala mo yata di koto kaya

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Jon Protege:

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Momma I love you but I’m on the come up

I put that on my brother

Fuck the fame but I aimed for the moon

And landed on a star but just some

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Rulers in our own right

If your dreams are big enough—won’t happen overnight

Hoping my soul isn’t crushed under the weight of mine

If my shoulders can’t lift them up

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Trying to shoot my shot, sweep them off their feet

They gon’ let you down easy

Gotta have faith in yourself ‘cause unless you believe

You deserve it you might never make it off them streets

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This language made me a black sheep

They said just make fire then pour gasoline

I’ve got enemies in the government

No beef in the rap scene

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Every verse is special

Documented my lessons ever since that first demo

But used to fear how they’d judge me

If this third world was all I’d ever known

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Let the sun set on my dark days

Lost battles, never lost faith

So much on my plate you might find me

Some place faraway with some tropical haze

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For my mental health, see through my lens

I just search for the right song

Kill my ego dead, leave the timing up to god

‘till he turns my mic off

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Feeling like Andre with these sixteens

So when that album drop better king me

Lived through all the pain, check my self-esteem

‘cause I don’t fuck with pride if it’s skin deep

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Arkho:

Killer ni sa mic

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I just do it murag Nike

Rap game ako wifey

Dem haters wanna doubt

Cz dili nila ma do akong na do

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Gamay pero solido ako crew

Turn that beef into a mill lata na Stew

Permanenting ga ubo’g Gorilla Glue

Tribu Bisaya gold chains

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Bawala mo taya gikan ni

Sa silong ma ala ala mo kaya

Tabang mo mga kagang

Check bag naka labang

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Bara pay gi atubang

Tabang mo mga kagang

Check ba’g naka labang

Bara pay gi atubang

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I wish I have fears

I wish I had tears

But no pain no glory

No struggle no story

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When I kill no sorry

I Go pro 360 basa

Mga panti bilin tulo ka pusti

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Mhot:

Yah! mahusay umestima, sa pagsulat ay dedikado

Nang sa eksenang to, gamit letra ko, maging prominente pa

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Sa bansang arkipelago, representa ko lagi Etivac

Ngayon ang plaka mala-tektonika, hmm, pang-kontinente na

Basta, sa gitgitan na nahubog, usad man na manaka-naka

Kalmado lang pag nasa baba, pagka sumasampa rat-a-tat

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Aakalaing bulkan na tulog, di mo tantsado ang babala

Magma-lalim na kulo sa loob, binubuga lang kapag lava’n na!

Mapanlinlang ang mukhang parang di pa malinaw ang muwang

Nagliligalig lang sa twing mga salita ang napagdidiskitahang laruan

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Di pangkaraniwang natural, kahit pa maging popular payuko ang lakad

San man tumayo paa sa lupa habang

Sa noo nakataob ang kadaupang-palad

Daming gumegeng-geng dyan, mas pinili ko sumimple parang umeednis lang

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Mata na singkit samantalang lintek ang tapang mala-Genghis Khan

Galing sa Asya, gamit sariling wika nais

Magpakikilala’t

Maibalandra sa iba’t-ibang lahi na parang embahada, ahh!

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Loonie:

Di nila ito inakala

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Lima sa mga pinakamatitikas at bihasa sa Pilipinas ay pinagsama sama

Pinagpala na makabilang sa mga hinirang na pinasahan sa bagsakan na mas

makasaysayan pa sa misa sa Limasawa

Hip-hop ay inasawa, miski minsan ay di nagsawa

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Naging tapat maging salat man o sagana, iisa ang kinasama

Di na sana pinaasa kung di naman pala tinadhana

Pinagana ko ang utak nung ang puso’y di na kinakaya

Dalawang dekadang trabaho dalawampung taon ang tiniis ko

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Loonie ano gagawin mo pag di ka na patok sa Pilipino?

Kahit pa ako ay magretiro di magtatapos ang benepisyo

Dahil ano pa man ang mauso, di malalaos ang lirisismo

Kung usapan ay ambagan aba iho

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Lagpas ng daang libo ang hawak kong resibo

Sinubukang palubugin ng mga katunggali ko

Buti na lamang ako ay naka submarino

Sa aklat ng mga alamat nakarehistro

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Basbasado na parang si Kristo

Pangarap ko’y nahanap ko na mismo

Salamat Kuya Kiko kami nang bahala muna rito

HipHopDX Asia Premieres Historic 'The Regionals: Philippines’—Watch

Lyrics:

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