I am no Filipino, new in LA and, more, know little about hip hop music spawning among the young now. I am just too old, that could be a fact.

But, reading the front page of the Los Angeles Times of Thursday, 22 November 006, “Filipinos' Hip-hop Anthem” by David Pierson, has really lured me to know more. Yes, it is about the 'Bebot' song of the Black Eyed Peas which brings the Tagalog language to the front.

The lyric translation, as quoted as follows:

Hey, man, all of you listen to me

Here comes the real Filipino

Came from the barrio — Sapang Bato

Went to L.A. and labored

In order to help my mother

Because life is so hard

But the disposition's still bright.

You can also click the clips in the internet to have a feel of this song. True, it is about Allan Pineda's, one of the Black Eyed Peas quartet, singing his beloved homeland in his mother tongue. Pineda or apl.de.ap was an immigrant alright, but amazingly he made it worthwhile.

Bebot is now, as LA Times puts it, the anthem of the Philippines in this land of opportunity. The repeated shouts, 'Filipino, Filipino' make it very clear of this pride, even though the song itself is about 'bebot' or 'hot chick'. Some moms or gender activists may find it degrading, but that is a different take.

The thing is, everyone can make it to the top and brings their own culture for the world to take notice of. That's the way I see it.

Los Angeles, or greater California, is a vast land for many migrants, Asian included. Noting that the Philippines is the second largest Asian community in California, the upturn of bebot to fame is just like due. In fact, that should be the point of globalization in two-way street. The rest of the world is not only importing, there is time to export.

The neighbor Philippines made it; and what about others? Considering the Indonesian community is also strong in California compared to any other states in America, will it also be due for the Indonesians to come forward, at least in one of so many possible ways?

LA, 22/25 Nov 2006

Labels: City of LA, Music