Konektado makes hiphop heard

by Robbie Pangilinan




Konektado (www.konektado.com), a movement that aims to bridge gaps in the world through hiphop music, supports the Fliptop Battle Event to ensure that the true voice and pulse of Philippines’ hiphop scene is heard and felt.



On May 15 at the Guerilla Radio, Pasig City, Fliptop conducts the world’s largest rap cipher to capture the attention of hiphop fans and supporters all over the world and in the hopes of making it to the Guinness Records.



Mike Swift, founder of Konektado and the first Filipino in the USA to own a record label, said that this event is a revolution and a protest against the declining Philippine Hiphop Awards that once gave hope to the least respected genre in the Pinoy music scene—hiphop music.



The Philippine Hiphop Awards figured in controversies that it is only after the money and not the advancement of the art of music. The people behind the awards also failed to explain the logistics and criteria of the citations given, and did not have an open communication with the nominees and awardees. This communication gap alarmed supporters of hiphop music in the country.



“Years of ignoring the voice of Pinoy hiphop artists and fans’ cries and suggestions led to this strike against the well-sponsored event. The strike led by Konektado has caught the attention of hiphop advocates nationwide to join the protest. We just want to alarm those who care about the future of this art to wake up and dig for the truth about what really happened to the Philippine Hiphop Awards,” explained Swift, who was born in the Philippines but grew up in New York City and has made a name in the US music industry.



The alternative Fliptop Battle is projected to be the modern day version of People’s Power in the Philippines’ hiphop history. It aims to celebrate the true essence of Pinoy hiphop and will hopefully be featured in KRS ONE’s Temple of Hiphop for the celebration of Hiphop Appreciation Week worldwide.



Swift, who co-founded the independent Head Bop Music in 1998, hopes that the Fliptop Battle will give birth to hiphop heroes and leaders. #