A 2-song collaboration turns into an album

Gloc-9, Abaddon team up on fun rap record

IT BEGAN with two songs — “Dating Gawi” and “Bonethugs” — which were a way to explore the creativity that emerges when two rap artists collaborate. Then Gloc-9 suggested to Abaddon that they may be able to come up with enough material for a full album.

Thus Project A was born, the title referencing the A shared by Abaddon’s name and Gloc-9’s real name, Aristotle Pollisco. The album contains 11 tracks, 10 of which are singles and one of which is an acoustic version of their song “Halimaw.”

The album was produced by Cursebox. and many of the tracks feature artists in the rap scene who are their good friends. The most notable are members of the group Shockra, of which Abaddon is a part, namely Astro, Smugglaz, Hero, Arvy T, and Tuglaks.

“Talagang nag-experiment po talaga ako. ’Di po ’to ’yong normal na Abaddon na tulad ng ginagawa ko dating kanta. Gumawa po talaga ako ng pakanta, as in ’di na siya rap. (I really experimented here. It’s not the normal Abaddon like what I did in my previous tracks. I made actual songs that aren’t rap),” said Abaddon, whose real name is Venzon Malubay.

“Nag-challenge talaga ako ng sarili ko kasi pagkakataon ko ito na makasama ko si master (I really challenged myself because it was my chance to work with master),” he added.

As the “master,” Gloc-9 expressed that their collaboration was built on “mutual respect and creative trust.”

“I was at a point where I was also looking for inspiration to write. With the help of artists like Venzon, I slowly found my rhythm again,” he said, adding that he doesn’t write as much as he used to.

Because he is well known in the rap scene, Filipinos already have an idea of what to expect from a Gloc-9 album.

He explained that “because there’s that Abaddon factor, you can get surprised” by the album.

“Para akong nakikinig ng artist na bago ko pa lang narinig (It’s like I’m listening to an artist I’ve never heard before), which is very refreshing for me,” Gloc-9 said.

One of the tracks to look out for is “Ambag,” which features members of the Shockra supergroup and pays tribute to one of their members who recently passed away, Inozent One.

Project A is out now on all digital music streaming platforms. — Brontë H. Lacsamana