(In which he continues to amaze me.)
***
I was watching the tribute for Francis Magalona on "Eat Bulaga" when my sister came. After Doggie "welcomed" her, she sat on the nearest sofa and looked at the TV.
"Why did you have your hair cut short? Didn't you consider that you'll be styling it when you have your recital?" I asked.
"It's so hot nowadays," she answered and stood up to look at herself in the mirror. she stroked her hair which flowed some centimeters below the level of her chin. "Besides, it's still ok to have a short hair and wear a gown."
"Yeah, but don't you think it is still more elegant to have your long hair styled? I heard from Mama that you bought a really beautiful gown. i thought you were also thinking of having a really nice hairstyle to match it," I said, without taking my eyes off the show. "Anyway, Francis M.'s dead."
"Oh?" she exclaimed. Well, she uttered that word very calmly. But you have to understand that she usually exclaims in an as-if-I-really-care manner. I just knew it's an exclamation.
"Yeah."
"When?"
"Yesterday. 12 noon.'
"Yesterday? But why are they paying tribute to him today? Isn't it a bit late?"
"Duh?! Were you expecting them to pay tribute to him right after they received the news about this death? A TV program isn't that flexible."
"So they learned the news during the show?"
"Yes. They suddenly called for a commercial break in the middle of 'Sa Pula, Sa Puti'. After loads of commercials, they came back with Vic Sotto announcing that Francis M. passed away."
"Were they able to finish the program?"
"Yeah."
"How?"
"Like how they're supposed to do it. 'The show must go on', they said."
"Hmmm..."
"And yesterday, someone won the one million-peso jackpot plus 30 000 pesos is 'Taktak mo o Tatakbo' (another segment of the show)"
"Really? Cool! Anyway, did you know that Francis Magalona is included in the CCP's (Cultural Center of the Philippines) dictionary of Filipino music?"
I didn't know that. Well, I guess it's my sister's turn to give me some information after asking some weird questions.
"He deserves it," I said. "He really is an icon of Pinoy rap. Plus the fact that he's proud of his race made him one of a kind."
That's very impressive. In my opinion, most rappers nowadays don't show real artistry in their music. Some just use foreign music as background and some translate English songs. Worse, some rappers make music with so much stuff about sex and is rich in profanities. They sing about how they're way better than other rappers and how rock and rockers suck. Francis M., I believe, is different. He makes music to show his pride for his country and to influence his fellows to share the same pride. When most Filipinos would rather embrace foreign ideas and patronize foreign things, it's good to have people like Francis M. who use music to inspire others, enlighten minds and show people what Filipino artists can do and what contemporary Pinoy music is all about. In his songs, he discusses poverty, inequality, crab mentality, drug addiction and colonial mentality. His music isn't something for the ears only. It feeds your being and it tells you to look around and see what change you could bring.
The last tribute was a song from Tito, Vic and Joey. They sang a song which I am really familiar with the lyrics. I hear it being sung by drunken young boys of our place in karaoke during weekends. I find the song really good but I always forget to download it. So when Mama and I went to the market to buy dinner, I told her that we'd drop by an internet café. Besides, I need to edit the course outline that my boss asked me to do. After I finished the document and sent it to my boss' e-mail, I searched You Tube for the song. I typed the words which, I believe, make up the title and found out that it was Francis M.'s song. You see, I am not a die-hard fan of his. I just know some of his famous songs. And when I learned that that wonderful song was also his, I couldn't help but go "Wow!"
Kaleidoscope World
So many faces, so many races
Different voices, different choices
Some are mad, while others laugh
Some live alone with no better half
Others grieve while others curse
And others mourn behind a big black hearse
Some are pure an some half-bred
Some are sober and some are wasted
Some are rich because of fate and
Some are poor with no food on their plate
Some stand out while others blend
Some are fat ad stout and some are thin
Some are friends and some are foes
Some have some while some have most
Every color, every hue
Is represented by me and you
Take a slide in the slope
Take a look in the kaleidoscope
Spinnin' round, make it twirl
In this kaleidoscope world
Some are great and some are few
Others lie while others tell the truth
Some say poems and some do sing
Others sing through their guitar strings
Some know it all while act dumb
Let the bass line strum to the bang of the drum
Some can swim while some will sink
And some will find their minds and think
Others walk while other run
You can't talk peace and have a gun
Some are hurt and start to cry
Don't ask me how, don't ask me why
Some are friends and some are foes
Some have some while some have most
Every color, every hue
Is represented by me and you
Take a slide in the slope
Take a look in the kaleidoscope
Spinnin' round, make it twirl
In this kaleidoscope world
