OPM: Not So Original Pinoy Music?

Local artist would vehemently berate those who dare say that OPM (Original Pilipino Music) is dead.  Unfortunately, one would have reason to believe that it is.  Last week, ASAP revealed its 24K Gold and Platinum Awardees for 2012.  A quick glance of the list of winners would tell you familiar names in the industry and their all revival albums.  Perhaps with the massive influence of Western music that consistently defines what's popular and the emerging K-Pop culture, the local industry's best bet would be to bring back songs made popular during its glory days and give it an update version belted out by our best singers.  OPM ain't so original anymore.  Ironic!

But OPM is not only about what makes money.  It is also about the artists and musicians who continue to make original music even without the prospect of making huge bucks.  OPM is a celebration of local artist who wants to make good music.  Sounds so cheesy but it doesn't make it any less true.  And one artist made me realize this.  Amidst the bigger names in the industry, a newcomer has unexpectedly made waves in the mainstream scene.

Meet Abra (Raymond Abracosa), the pint size man behind the tagalog rap hit Gayuma.  His single has topped Myx's local and overall countdowns for several weeks already.  The video also now has over 9 million views.  Before making music, he made waves in the fliptop scene  and is considered to be one of the heavy weights of rap battling in the country.

I am really not a fan of local rappers.  Most of the rap artists that we have right now are plain irritating.  So seeing Abra's video in Myx for the first time was a breath of fresh air.  His pleasant voice gave me the chance to understand his powerful lyrics.  At first I thought the premise of the song is plain funny but the catchy refrain had me listening to it a second, third, fourth time ... until I just decided to put it on loop in iTunes.  I made some more research and I found out that he also has another equally compelling single called Abrakadabra.

Abra is only one of the many aspiring artist that are make brilliant original music.  Unfortunately, they are not given the much needed air play compared to other mainstream artists.  These are artists who produce their own music, market and promote it on their own without backing of a recording label.  And everyday, the list of these kinds of artists just grows.  So with that alone, I think OPM is far from dead.  Unfortunately, business and economics cant help but use their invisible hands.