I was at the NU Rock Awards held last October 30, 2009 at the World Trade Center with a couple of musician friends. Halfway through the event, there was a serious moment when they showed a video presentation about the people in music who passed away in the span of the year. We saw flashing on the large video screen, images of the legendary bassist Dondi Ledesma, front women Tara Bosch of Saffron Speedway, Annabel Bosch of Analog, and the Eguid family. I was so deeply mesmerized by the images I was seeing that I suddenly found myself snapped back to reality when one of my friends nudged and whispered to me, “Ba’t parang wala si FrancisM?”
I couldn’t believe how I could have missed that. How could I possibly forget about the death of one of my biggest heroes? The question bothered me so much that I started to get frustrated and angry, both at myself and at the screen before me. I thought to myself, did they really forget about Francis Magalona? I looked around to see if anyone else was wondering the same thing. But before I could deduce anything, the lights began to dim and “Kaleidoscope World” started to play. And finally, there on the screen were the images of the Master Rapper, seemingly larger than life. The crowd became unusually quiet. I looked around again, and this time I could clearly see a few eyes around me welling, because their tears were reflecting the light coming from the screen. I admit I became a tad teary-eyed myself. The presentation ended with the photo of FrancisM where his back was turned and facing us, both arms raised, proudly showing off a tattoo of the three stars and the sun on his nape. If I were to pick any image that could encapsulate Francis Magalona and what he stood for, I feel it is that picture which represents him best.
How could i possibly forget his influence on me? I remember when “Mga Kababayan Ko” hit the airwaves. It was the first Tagalog song I memorized from start to finish. Back in grade school, I along with four of my classmates, would huddle on a bench during recess and try to best each other by rapping along to his album, “Yo!” on the cassette player. By the end of the week, we pretty much got the entire classroom memorizing. I remember we rendered the tape unplayable after more than a month of repeatedly doing the same thing. We didn’t know it yet, but the seeds of patriotism were being planted inside us right then and there.
How could I possibly forget his songs? “Meron Akong Ano”, “The Man from Manila”, “Ito ang Gusto Ko”, and the track that peeled away the indifference that covered my eyes, “Three Stars and the Sun”, are all ingrained into my memory. When it seemed that the only themes that rappers wanted to talk about were sex, drugs and “gangsta”, FrancisM chose to ride against the tide by talking about his roots, his country and his people. Unlike any other rapper during that era, his lyrics were simply devoid of gimmickry. His words provoked without being confrontational. And the stories he told, they hit closer to home. Perhaps that’s why his songs can still be heard playing on the radio, while those of the rest seemingly faded away as easily as they came. Nowadays, largely because of his exceptionality and excellence, FrancisM has become the high standard by which every Filipino rap artist is measured.
How could I possibly forget his grace? Though I never had the chance to actually meet the man, I’ve been fortunate enough to talk with people who were fortunate enough to know him personally. It may seem too good to be true, but I’ve never heard them talk a single bad thing about him. They said that FrancisM will give you his undivided attention whenever you speak to him. They said that FrancisM would go out of his way to spend time with you or help you out. They said thatFrancisM was always willing to impart any piece of knowledge or advice you may need to help you get your legs sturdy, be it in life or in career. If people who knew him were an indication, it would be easy for me to say that Francis Magalona was a genuinely unselfish man.
How could I possibly forget how he changed my life? As a boy, the tiny flicker of patriotism i felt for my country was fanned into flame by his words that proudly declared his unwavering belief in the Filipino. “Blessed is the man whose land and heart are one”, went one of his songs. No truer words spoken have struck a chord within me the way those did. It may seem foolish and arrogant, but listening to his songs gives me the hope, the pride and the strength to make me believe that I too can make a difference.
It’s sad that Francis Magalona passed away so early. I remember feeling numb with disbelief on the afternoon of February 6, 2009, when I heard them announce his death on TV. I still feel a pang whenever it crosses my mind that I will never hear a new song from him again. I console myself with the thought that maybe his death was God’s way of telling us that FrancisM has done enough, and that it’s time for the rest of us to pick up where he left off. That we should finally do our part. That we need to take responsiblity and find the strength within, in order for us to live our lives with dignity and worth as Filipinos.
One of the things I wish I could have done in my life is to have met the man in person so I can thank him for showing me the way, for giving me something to believe in, and for the hope that he generously shared with each and every single one of his countrymen. His songs will forever be my reminder that words and music have the power to affect people’s lives, and all it takes for that to happen is to just listen. May his soul rest in peace, the one and only Master Rapper, the Philippines’ very own, my hero, Francis Magalona.
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