Rap veteran Gloc-9 has called on fellow artists to get their facts right after rapper Ez Mil came under fire for including historically innacurate lyrics in his song "Panalo."
Ez Mil in his song said Lapu-Lapu was beheaded by Portuguese voyager Ferdinand Magellan during the Battle of Mactan, which is false as the national hero successfully warded off the colonizer's camp.
When asked about the incident, Gloc-9, known for his social commentary and deep messages, said rappers should be careful about such facts.
"Tingin ko, sa panahon na lagi nating kinukuwestiyon ang facts at kasaysayan para sa interes ng makapangyarihan, mas mahalaga ngayong nagiging maingat tayo sa paggamit nito sa ating mga kanta. Ayaw kasi nating makadagdag sa disinformation," he told PEP.ph.
(The way I see it, at a time when we always question the facts and history for the interest of the powerful, it's more important now to be careful in using history in our songs. We don't want to add to disinformation.)
Lapu-Lapu City also demanded an apology from the rapper, with Mayor Junard Chan saying that the song insulted not just the hero, but also the city's residents.
Despite calls for an apology, Chan said the city could forgive Ez Mil if he acknowledged his error.
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"Pero napakalaking bagay para sa akin ng kanyang pag-amin sa kanyang pagkakamali kasi hindi rin yun madali," Gloc-9 added.
(But it's a big deal for me that he admitted to his mistake because that's not easy.)
Quoted on Cebu Daily News, Ez Mil said the controversial lyric was a "exaggerated" and a "ploy to drive traffic and talk."
Ez Mil also said he considered "rhyming patterns" when writing his lyrics. "Am I gonna close it out with absolute truth or am I gonna make people talk about it? It’s like me weighing off the options."
The song has since been viral on TikTok, where Pinoy content creators are using the song to showcase patriotism by transforming from usual clothes into elaborate Filipinianas and barongs, most of them highlighting indigenous textiles.
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Ez Mil's Rap Inspires Patriotism on TikTok with #PanaloChallenge
"Sana hindi siya tumigil sa paggawa ng kanta dahil lang rito. Bata pa naman siya at marami pa siyang pagkakataon para ipakita ang mga likha niya," Gloc-9 said.
(Hopefully he doesn't stop making songs just because of this incident. He's still young and he has a lot of chances to show his work.)
