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We are publishing a series of essays from Rappler employees and contributors, old and new, as part of our commemoration of Rappler’s 10th anniversary in January 2022.
MANILA, Philippines – Apart from serving hard-hitting news and investigative pieces, Rappler, in the past decade, has also featured some of the country’s biggest pop culture personalities. Most emblematic of this was the birth of Rappler’s Live Jam in 2016, a show helmed by our Entertainment and Production teams, where musical acts would perform and be interviewed on a livestream.
Pre-pandemic, the show was filmed right smack in the middle of Rappler’s headquarters in Pasig, with artists performing amid Rapplers going about their work. During the pandemic, the show now holds remote, online interviews and performances, providing a space for artists to perform and promote their work despite quarantine restrictions.
To celebrate this growing legacy, here are some of the biggest names in Philippine music to have graced the Live Jam stage:
Gary Valenciano
Mr. Pure Energy was also pure charisma during his Live Jam performances!
Must watch: Go to 43:49 for Gary’s super-fun performance of his ’90s hit “Hataw Na,” complete with dance moves and “audience participation!”
Parokya Ni Edgar
Ask any Rappler which Live Jam was the rowdiest, and Parokya ni Edgar’s visit would be right on top – certainly fitting for one of OPM’s funniest and most beloved rock bands.
Must watch: At 22:53, the band sings Rappler’s specially requested song, the iconic “Harana.” Lead vocalist Chito Miranda also gives a little history lesson on the tune before performing.
Lolita Carbon
Lolita Carbon of Asin is a living legend through and through, and her signature smoky voice brought the office right back to ’70s.
Must watch: Carbon performs “Himig ng Pag-Ibig” at 10:50, talking at length first about how seeing other couples in love inspired her to write this classic tearjerker.
Jose Mari Chan
Who else could Rappler invite to headline its Christmas Live Jam special but the man behind the quintessential “Christmas in Our Hearts?” And he brought his brood to sing with him, too!
Must watch: We share here the full performance of his most famous song, so enjoy it from start to finish!
’90s Dance Icons
More over Gen Z, this one’s for your tito and tita millennials! It’s also an ultra-rare all-dance Live Jam, with James Salas and Wowie de Guzman of Universal Motion Dancers and Red Cruz and Joshua Zamora of The Manoeuvres wiping the Rappler HQ floor with their throwback moves.
Must watch: At 12:05, the boys take on the Gary V hit “SaYaweh” – and the office hit peak nostalgia.
Gloc-9 and Noel Cabangon
They may seem like strange bedfellows, but seeing Gloc-9, one of the country’s biggest rap stars, and Noel Cabangon, a hero of the Filipino folk and activist scene, perform in the same Live Jam felt totally right.
Must watch: Gloc-9 performs “Sirena” at 35:53, his pro-LGBTQ+ hit that brought a refreshing dose of advocacy to the pop music scene.
Joey Ayala
The man who brought an ethnic twist and a love for the environment to Filipino pop music was all smiles during his Live Jam!
Must watch: At 11:22, Joey teases Live Jam host Vern Tantuco that she will be performing his final tune instead! After a panicked Vern declines, Joey relents and goes into his piece “Tingnan ‘Nyo.”
Aia de Leon, Barbie Almalbis, Kitchie Nadal
Girl power was in full force the night alt-rock queens Aia de Leon, Barbie Almalbis, and Kitchie Nadal joined forces on the Live Jam stage.
Must watch: At 34:40, the girls sing Imago’s hit “Sundo” together, taking turns with the verses!
Buklod
Noel Cabangon, Rom Dongeto, and Rene Boncocan formed Buklod in the 1980s at the height of the anti-Marcos struggle, and it says a lot that their songs still, painfully, hold much relevance to this day.
Must watch: Buklod performs at 40:59 what is arguably their biggest hit, the popular protest song “Tatsulok.”
Jaya
Jaya’s deep, earthy vocals are unlike anyone else’s, and it was a treat to have a true diva (in only the best ways!) at the Rappler HQ.
Must watch: At 33:39, Jaya offers to be Rappler’s in-house singer, there to serenade everyone while they’re working and maybe do a bit of sweeping on the side! She then performs “Kasalanan Ko Ba,” which she shares is her tribute to the LGBTQ+ community.
Basti Artadi and Radha
’90s rock god Basti Artadi of Wolfgang, and hiphop/soul pioneer Radha Cuadrado of Kulay were a bombastic duo even in an acoustic set.
Must watch: They perform the rousing duet that started their pairing in the first place, “Matter of Time,” at 23:25.
Ebe Dancel, Johnoy Danao, Bullet Dumas
We end with the Live Jam that started it all: 3D. The trio of Ebe Dancel, Bullet Dumas, and Johnoy Danao baptized the Live Jam stage and started a tradition that’s 6 years and counting.
Must watch: At 35:10, the three band together to perform Sugarfree’s late ’90s hit, “Burnout.”
– Rappler.com
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