They’ve revealed your societal “sharks” with ‘Pating sa Kadiliman.’ Now, music and multimedia art collective Bawal Clan and hip hop group Owfuck drops ‘Ligaw,’ their second single from Ligtas (Safe), their highly anticipated collaborative project.
Hidden Leaf Soundsystem, who are Pope Fiction and Yung Bawal, produced the track, a modernist ode to the J Dilla sound, a drawback to the boom bap vibe.
“While I was working on [this track], Pope started getting ideas of his own to add,” Yung Bawal explains the project sonically. “Went on from there ‘til it ended up sounding how it does now with a biggie sample in the hook. [It] reminds me off ‘Nikes On My Feet’ by Mac Miller, the way it’s chopped up.”
Dropping hot bars are Owfuck’s Astro, Lexus and Paul Cassimir, and Bawal Clan’s Ankhten Brown, Rjay Ty, Lex Luthor, and Nuevo.
‘Naglalakad, naglalakbay, nagsusunog ng kilay’
…sa kwarto na tahimik, nabibingi sa ingay. We might all be able to relate to the first few lines of the song as we face difficulties of being cooped up in our homes because of the enhanced community quarantine. However, ‘Ligaw’ talks about coping with struggles beyond the pandemic.
“Sumasabay lang kahit ano pang pagsubok na dumarating (About going with the flow, no matter what challenge arises),” Astro points out what writing this track is for him. “Pinapakita dito kung paano ko ginawang inspirasyon ang pagkakamali. (This song shows how I turn mistakes into inspiration.)”
“Because of the hardships in the real world today, one must accept [that] it’s cold,” Bawal Clan collectively claims. “But remember anything is possible. Continue your course and don’t stray.”
In this single, the artists highlight how problems do not just make us stronger but more just, how music knows no class or status, and how patience and hardwork is rewarded by strength and wisdom.
“Your biggest responsibility is to yourself,” reminds Bawal Clan. “Now as you listen to this track, remember we’re in this fight with you.”
‘Nang nagising ang natulog, tila triple ang lakas’
‘Ligaw’ is the second of three singles to be released by Bawal Clan and Owfuck before dropping their new album, Ligtas.
‘Pating Sa Kadiliman,’ first single released on Friday, 17 April 2020, talks about the ominous presence of unknown threats around us: predators and menaces — sharks — that present themselves in different ways, shapes and forms.
The song enumerates them all: the judgmental, the close-minded, those who are fake, even those who only think about themselves, those in power who are abusive, arrogant and manipulative, and the unjust system in general. The message of this single also goes beyond besting all of these and explores the idea that survival goes beyond luck and pride; it entails skill, hard work, and being a person of goodwill and integrity despite the lurking dangers.
‘Pating Sa Kadiliman’ was recently featured on Spotify’s New Music Fridays and Apple Music’s Local & Regional Releases.
‘Dala-dala ang grupo, di ko ‘to pwedeng iwanan’
What was supposed to be a one-off recording ended up being an entire project. With the incredible dynamics shared by the two groups, it was inevitable for them to work on something great together. This includes working on something “more conscious-themed songs,” like ‘Ligaw.’
Bawal Clan shines as a collective mix of music and multimedia arts specialists that have come together to express their creativity and represent hip-hop from the Philippines in an outside-of-the-box way that individuality is honored. Owfuck, on the other hand, is a group from Tondo, Manila who has been in the music industry as underground and well respected artists for 7 years.
Listen to ‘Pating sa Kadiliman’ on Spotify and on Apple Music.
Official hashtags: #LIGTAS #BCXOF
For more updates, visit:
Bawal Clan
Facebook: facebook.com/BAWALCLAN
Twitter: @bawalclan
Youtube: BAWAL CLAN
Instagram: @bawalclan
Owfuck
Facebook: facebook.com/owfvckgang
Instagram: @owfuckk
Youtube: OWFUCK CHANNEL
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