Master rapper Francis Magalona had a significant influence in showbiz, especially in the music industry, where he was one of the pillars of rap music. Here are some details about him:
Magalona was born on October 4, 1964. He was named after Saint Francis of Assisi, whose feast day coincides with his birthday. He was the eighth of nine children of actors Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran, who were popular film stars in the 1940s and 1950s. His grandfather, Enrique B. Magalona, was a politician and served as a Senator of the Philippines from 1946 to 1949 and from 1949 to 1955. He completed high school at Don Bosco Technical College in Mandaluyong from 1978 to 1981 and studied at San Beda College in Manila from 1981 to 1984. Magalona was also a second cousin of Cacai and Regine Velasquez through his mother, whose first cousin was Gerardo Velasquez.
Magalona started his career as a breakdancer in the 1980s and appeared in several Filipino movies, including “Bagets 2.” He served as the resident DJ/rapper on the IBC variety show “Loveli’Ness.”
In 1990, he released the album “Yo!,” the first commercially released Filipino rap album. “Yo!” included several popular singles such as “Mga Kababayan” (Fellow Countrymen), “Gotta Let ‘Cha Know,” “Cold Summer Nights,” and a duet with Pia Arroyo titled “Loving You.” His tracks featured politically conscious and thought-provoking lyrics in both English and Tagalog, a style known as Filipino hip hop.
During that time, rap music gained popularity, with artists like Andrew E. known for his song “Humanap ka nang Pangit” and Michael V, who responded with “Ang Ganda Ganda Nya.” Many rap artists emerged during that era, but Francis M’s name stood out.
He was also a member of the long-running noontime show “Eat Bulaga,” where he coined the name ‘DABARKADS’ for their group on the show. It was here that he met Abegail Dait, who later became his Lover after she watched the show and caught Francis Magalona’s attention. They had a child together, Gail Francesca Magalona, which became a topic of discussion in the media and social platforms.
Despite all of this, let’s revisit one of Francis Magalona’s performances that garnered an impressive 39 million views. This showcases his incredible talent as a performer and why he was loved by many people.