A notebook on rap battle event, Unibersikulo 7.

A notebook on rap battle event, Unibersikulo 7.

by rick olivares photo by nina sandejas

Last Saturday, August 10, I attended my first ever Fliptop Filipino Rap Battle League event, titled Unibersikulo 7, at the Tiu Theater at the Makati Central Square. I had previously seen a lot of the videos from previous events on YouTube and have been enthralled, shocked, and even amused with these battle raps.

This isn’t my first time to see something like this. Having lived abroad, especially in the United States, I’ve seen this before, but it brings me pride to see a local rap battle league thriving.

How so? 

Fliptop has close to an astounding four million subscribers on its YouTube channel. And the events play to packed audiences. Unibersikulo 7 was no different. 

Over four hundred paying fans packed the Tiu Theater. Before the show started, I counted 30 ladies in the audience (two who came by themselves). By the time the show got underway, there were more than double. Fascinating when you try to consider their strata depending on how they dress and the company they keep.

Conversely, Fliptop’s brother company, indie hip hop label, Uprising Records, is doing well. To date, the label has released 17 albums in a six-year span and are doing well. 

I wondered if there is a correlation between those who go to the Fliptop events or subscribe to the videos and those who buys the Uprising albums. Uprising/Fliptop’s big boss Alaric Yuson already told me there isn’t. It doesn’t necessarily follow that a fan of hip hop means that he will buy the cd or those who watch the battle raps are fans of the music.

Nevertheless, I did some asking around before the show started around 10:20pm. The 20 fans I asked are more likely to buy an event shirt than a compact disc of the music. Some reasoned there is Spotify or YouTube. And get this -- not everyone is a diehard fan of rap or hip hop. Some view the event as a form of entertainment. 

And tickets to Unibersikulo aren’t exactly cheap -- Php500 if you buy the ticket before the event and Php750 at the gate. 

However, every one of the 20 folks I asked knew who the rappers were. When Tipsy D stood at the back, he was literally swamped by fans asking for a photo. It was the same with the other MCs, DJs, and rappers. 

The various subcultures that make up this rich and diverse local music scene have its differences and similarities. It has its own look, feel, a certain style of clothing (though not necessary because there are crossover fans. Quite a few came to Unibersikulo wearing shirts that sported metal bands. Despite missing two duels, Unibersikulo 7 finished past 1pm. And no one left despite the time. 

I got to speak to one of the duelists that evening, Romano, who won his battle with Papew, with the judges scoring it, 5-0, in the former’s favor. Describing the strategy in winning these battle raps, Romano, who hails from Cabanatuan City, offered his take, “Hindi sapat na malakas yung delivery mo. Sabayan mo dapat ng may laman sa sasabihin mo. At pangatlo, kung kaya mo ibalik yung mga sinasabi ng kalaban mo, ay malaking bagay yun.”

I asked Numerhus (who lost his battle rap against CripLi) about participating in these battle raps, and he said, “Dapat handa ka makarinig ng hindi mo gusto. Kung hindi mo kaya, eh, hindi ito para sa ‘yo. Kasi kung anu ano sasabihin at fair game ang lahat pati histura mo at pamilya mo. Matapang ka rin dapat sa harapan ng mga tao. More or less, alam mon a dapat ang gusto mo sabihin. Kapag hindi baka mag-choke.”

It’s just a battle though and it shouldn’t be personal. But if you look at the people watching, they all had a good time. They know what a good zinger is and an even better comebacker. 

It’s one thing to see the battle raps on video and quite another to watch it live. I prefer the latter though because there is so much to see – the reaction of the opponent that is oft not captured on camera (unless the videographer pulls back), the reaction of the judges, and that of the crowd. The body language of everyone. Am not sure how much of YoungOne drinking vinegar (at least it seemed like vinegar) during his battle with K-Ram, but it was something. 

And for this first-timer to a live Pinoy battle rap league contest, it was truly memorable.

With Tipsy D

With Romano