MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Pinoy hip-hop has been going strong since the early ‘90s but the past few years has seen it rise to become a chart-dominating force in the Philippines. According to Spotify data, the once-niche genre is at a major turning point, emerging to become a mainstream staple for many in the Philippines.
Since early 2018 to date, streams of Pinoy hip-hop artists on Spotify have grown nearly three times with more Pinoy hip-hop artists like Matthaios, Skusta Clee and PDL hitting the number one spot on the Philippines Top 50 charts. Today, the genre’s growing popularity isn’t just limited to the charts. Spotify’s flagship Pinoy hip-hop playlist Kalye Hip-Hop has seen a more than 50% increase in streams this year alone. With more than 520K followers today, Spotify’s Kalye Hip-Hop playlist has become one of the top local playlists in the Philippines each week.
Today, Spotify introduces four new and rebranded playlists dedicated to the Pinoy hip-hop genre featuring everything from the classics that fans know and love to what’s trending and popular. Available to all Free and Premium users, Spotify is the one-stop destination for music fans to enjoy the very best of Pinoy hip-hop.
A closer look at Spotify’s Pinoy Hip-Hop playlists:
- Kalye Hip-Hop – The flagship playlist that features the very best of Pinoy hip-hop
- Bago Sa Rap – The latest and newest Pinoy hip-hop tracks
- Dugong Hip-Hop – Essential Pinoy hip-hop tracks from back in the day featuring pioneers like Francis M., Gloc 9, and more
- Pinas Vibes – Groove to the smooth vocals of Pinoy R&B tunes
“The Philippines has such a vibrant music scene with many emerging young talents, especially on the Pinoy hip-hop front. With the launch of our dedicated Pinoy hip-hop playlists, we hope to help more music fans discover the growing sounds of the genre, as well as help both established and emerging artists reach more fans in the Philippines and beyond,” says Kossy Ng, Head of Music, Southeast Asia, Spotify.
Kossy continues “Spotify has always championed Filipino music and culture, paying close attention to what resonates locally. Since the launch of our dedicated OPM music hub in 2015, OPM streams on the platform have continued to grow year on year. In fact, between June 2015 and September 2020, OPM’s share of listening on Spotify increased by more than 100%. As Pinoy hip-hop continues to grow, we’re excited to be driving the next phase for this genre and celebrating its culture with fans.”
Spotify has also partnered with some of the hottest Pinoy hip-hop artists to launch exclusive content on the Kalye Hip-Hop playlist, bringing them closer to their fans. Available in the next few days , fans will be treated to exclusive videos from Matthaios, ALLMO$T, Karencitta, Nik Makino, VVS Collective and Peaceful Gemini who will be sharing more on what hip-hop means to them, their inspirations, and more.
For many, Pinoy hip-hop is a window into everyday life in the Philippines. Matthaios, the artist behind viral hit “Catriona” which has amassed more than 37 million streams on Spotify shares, “I am inspired by my everyday life, when I create lyrics, I’m telling the stories that I experience with my friends. I want my songs to be relatable to people.”
Commenting on what makes him proud to be a Pinoy hip-hop artist, Matthaios says “Pinoy rap has become such a hit because of the talents and dedication of amazing hip-hop artists, from the OGs to the new school—and to be called one of them is such an achievement. As the genre continues to grow, I’m thrilled to be partnering with Spotify to bring my music to the masses and reach more fans.”
Celebrating Pinoy hip-hop’s roots on the streets, Spotify has also created a video now available on Spotify Asia’s Instagram page, that brings to life the streets and communities that have inspired and shaped the sounds of today’s top hip-hop acts in the Philippines.
For promising new rapper Peaceful Gemini, the creative impact of one’s surroundings can’t be overstated. “The environment I am in has had such a huge impact on my creative process. When I moved to Malate in Manila from Las Piñas, that’s where I explored the local underground hip-hop scene and started my career as a rapper. Some of the beats I’ve created were inspired by the sound of the streets I used to pass by every day.” says Peaceful Gemini. Peaceful Gemini is also one of Spotify’s RADAR artists in the Philippines, Spotify’s global emerging artist program that launched earlier this year.
To discover more about Pinoy hip-hop artists and their music, head over to Kalye Hip-Hop on Spotify.
