From the word itself, alternative, replacement or another possibility which were rap can also benefit. So it’s not only Gangsta, Lyrical, RNB that can stem from hip-hop music. There’s this rap style called Alternative Rap. Know them Alternative Rappers in Pinoy Hiphop and why they differ from the rest of the cliche rap groups.
The history behind this sub-genre
Let’s first tackle the history behind this sub-genre. Its existence started way back in the 1980s and they are mostly originated from the East Coast groups / East Coast hip-hop, New York City. If 90s kid ka malamang narinig mo song ng The Fugees, Ready or NotÂ
From that track alone, you would think it’s somehow hip-hop but totally different at the same time. They say also majority ng nakikinig ‘neto before is alternative rock listeners, too but alternative rock paved its way to mainstream like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters to name a few and defeated the mainstream of alternative rap.
The 90s talaga ung generation na may sense mga music before, classic. Even I indulged in some of these hits in the radio. While rockers are hitting it hard in the mainstream, dito rin sumagasa ang Gangsta Rap in the 90s. West Coast Gangsta Rap it is! Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and N.W.A na sinabayan ng East Coast Hardcore Rap ng Wu-Tang Clan, NAS, The Notorious B.I.G, and Mobb Deep (will be discussed more in a separate article). Dahil dito ung alternative rap ay naging underground na.
But Gangsta Rap also lay-lowed somehow in the year 2000s and then Alternative Rap became popular again thanks to crossover acts of artists like Outkast and Kanye West. (Hey Yaaaaaa, Hey Yaaaa)
Alternative Rap is also listened to by pop audiences so here we see the emergence of The Black Eyed Peas, Gorillaz and the music of N.E.R.D (Chad Hugo, Pharrell Williams, and Sheldon ‘Shay’ Haley)with digital beats that along created them catchy hooks in their tracks. I bet you couldn’t go wrong with BEP right? So from that perspective alone, we sure you can now define what Alternative Rap is.
Alternative rappers in Pinoy Hip-hop
In the PH hip-hop scene, you can connect Pamilia D in this. Pamilia Dimagiba consists of Young Galaxy, 8th Messenger, KD the Encyclopedik, Shadowblyde, Mad Frick. If you can hear them spit parang nasa gitna sila ng Conscious Rap, Hardcore, and Lyrical, pede pa nga may hint ng Gospel as I believe they would include some spiritual-ish in some of their tracks but they are known mostly in the Hardcore Rap sub-genre. Then thanks to some innovations by DJ Arbie Won aka the Beatraveler, they made music that gained instant respect.
Another Pinoy hip-hop group that also falls into this category is Southeast Cartel. Based in Toronto, Ontario (Canada). Franchizze, VZN, Raygee, RYDN, Barkly Biggzz, Pipoy, Keith Skillz, Check One are the ill rappers that are behind the group. They combine English and Tagalog language in their tracks and is inspired by both old school and new school music and this what makes them unique compared to other rap groups. Dun palang sa Pare Ayos Lang na track, may kakaibang vibe na agad sa group especially when you get the chance to listen to their album, Black Sheep. Apart from the alternative rap style in their tracks, you can also hear conscious rap, lyrical or even hardcore. We never heard of any group that combines these elements smoothly with awesome hooks and content. Their talent alone will make you proud as a Filipino.
PHS Card: https://therealphs.com/south-east-cartel/
Composes of graph artists, skaters, and rappers that made the Kartell’em rap group name. We recommend you listen to their track “You Can’t Do It” so you can have a better feel on how they spit them rhymes. You wouldn’t think this group raps at all at first look but damn when they begin laying down their verses and shit, you’d be mesmerized in their talents. We became an instant fan of their music.
PHS Card: https://therealphs.com/kartellem-pinoy-hiphop-superstar/
They got some heavy hitters in this Pinoy rap group. Rjay Ty, Alex Omiunu who are former Lyrically Deranged Poets (also known as LDP) with Abra, Nuevo formerly called NIMBUS 9 from Turbulence Productions, Oj River if you heard him from Bugoy’s track, Parang Mafia, DZ SVG, formerly known as MC DZ, known in the daytime as Dino Kilates. These are some of the names you’ll find in Bawal Clan, not to mention U.S. rap talents that are also embedded in the rap group which makes them a powerful Pinoy rap group honing unique rap styles.
PHS Card: https://therealphs.com/bawal-clan/
Who’s your favorite Pinoy alternative rapper or rap group? Drop us a line below this article or comment on our Facebook page.