"Thinking Man's Hiphop"

 

They say every great achievement starts with an inspired thought. In some form or fashion, we put these thoughts into motion when we fixate on them long enough. No matter where you are in life, sometimes you just know you’re bound to get what you set your mind on.

In Philippine hip-hop music, it’s no different. Touted as the underdog genre in the local music scene, it seems like for many years hip-hop’s ultimate breakthrough has eluded its many patrons. In the midst of its drought, there are still eager parties waiting in the wings for its success to happen. There are still packs die-hard fans who wish it would happen. Many think the genre is bound to shine through in due time. Then there are those who believe and take action, slugging out endless days tirelessly for Hip-Hop’s sake.

Enter "Thinking Man’s Hip-Hop". Oddly enough, the title of this album was relatively a "no-brainer". At a time when misconceptions rule the layman’s idea of Hip-Hop as pro-womanizing, pro-violence, pro-indulgence and unintelligent, this album could give you 2nd thoughts. No, this is not at all preachy nor is it conscious and definitely not underground nor mainstream neither. This is far from political. The album is just a result of the minds that actually took the time to think of something new and exciting. Everything was done in good taste. It encourages you to be the thinking man as opposed to the layman.

"Thinking Man’s Hip-Hop" promises not to take the fun out of the genre while not taking the intelligence out of it as well. The brand of music consists of many of the country’s most driven hip-hop artists all served up in this hot 17-track feast. Chrizo of Turbulence Productions provides the beats for the entire project pairing up with the likes of Mike Swift, J-Hon, Nimbus 9, Loonie, Ill-J, God’s Will, Marquiss, Luzon, B-Roc, Killa-Stormz and plenty more. This is a true treat for rhyme and beat enthusiasts.

It begins with the song "Ako ay Hip-Hop" by God’s Will which showcases just how much conviction and dedication a lot of relatively unheard artists have towards their craft despite the odds. For a dose of nostalgia, "Ms. Musika" by KillaStormz and B-Roc equates music to a long term relationship and its many ups and downs. Then we have songs like "All the world together" and "I rock right" which simply packs a lot of lyrical and beat-making prowess. "Kamay na Grasa" by Luzon tells a story about certain perils faced by OFWs and how living abroad isn’t always peaches and cream. "Let’s get it on" features the re-emergence of the Seedz, a group formed during the 90’s as a sub-unit of the Madd Poets, recording their 1st track in quite some time.

"Thinking Man’s Hip-Hop" is for everyone. It manages to stay relevant letting people know what the voices of today’s Filipino hip-hop is saying. The beauty of it is it is just the tip of the iceberg as it represents only a minor percentage of Philippine talent in the Hip-Hop scene as a whole. Grab yourself a copy and give it a good ear.