Music Reviews
Illmind, JRLDM, Jon Protege, Arkho, Mhot, Loonie – The Regionals: Philippines (Song And Music Video Review)
The Regionals cypher is here! How did the Philippines do? Here’s our review of the track and music video!
Dante Romero
September 07, 2022
The Regionals is a brand new cypher project from HipHopDX Asia. It features some of the most renowned emcees in Asia collaborating with esteemed producers from the West. For this year, the project will focus on three countries, namely the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taipei. The Philippine edition was released on September 2. So how exactly did we do? We’re going to talk about it now.
The song:
The lineup consists of emcees JRLDM, Jon Protege, Arkho, Mhot, and Loonie and producer Illmind. First, let’s discuss the lyrical content. What made the track work is that it was able to highlight each unique skill of the rappers involved: JRLDM with the melody, Jon Protégé with the complex English lines, Mhot with the metaphors, Arkho with the awe-inspiring Bisaya bars, and Loonie with the complex rhyme schemes. Each emcee also showcased their distinct flows, which makes the entire song such an addictive listen. It’s simply a buffet of great lyrical styles. The hook, which was performed by JRLDM, is everything you need it to be: catchy and hypes you up for the verses. As for who had the best verse, it’s really up to the preference of the listener. All you need to know is that no one had a single wack line.
If you’re not familiar with Illmind, these are just some of the artists he has worked with: 50 Cent, Kanye West, Drake, J. Cole, Joell Ortiz, Nicki Minaj, and Ariana Grande. Yes, he’s a big deal and he puts in work! The Regionals is definitely no exception for him. Illmind blessed this track with his own brand of Trap. The drums, bass, and keys worked together well, urging you to bob your head until the very last second. Illmind also made sure that the instrumental didn’t overshadow the lyricism. There is chemistry between the rappers and the beatmaker, and that is instantly a win.
The music video:
Directed and edited by Gian Mawo, the music video for The Regionals: Philippines is chaos personified. The mood is dark all throughout with scenes taking place in abandoned construction sites, a protest, and an execution by firing squad. Overall, it’s a brilliant symbol for the song’s “disrupt the system” attitude. Everyone behind the camera deserves props for this concept, which can be difficult to bring to life. Watch out for the cameos as well!
Conclusion:
So once again, how did the Philippines do? We set the standard! It will be very hard for Vietnam and Taipei to top that. Good luck to you guys! If you want to hear rap in its purest form, then you shouldn’t sleep on this track. After various singles that focused mostly on rhythm, it’s refreshing to see quality lyricism being the focal point again. Visually, the music video will surely lead to discussions about its exact meaning, which is always a good thing for this artform. It currently has 289,581 views on YouTube and is number 19 on trending. Let’s help it reach a million by sharing it on our social media accounts! Keep it up, Pinoy hip-hop!
