MEMBERS:

BATAS - EMCEE, PARANAQUE CITY
GORIONG TALAS - EMCEE, QUEZON CITY
SAYADD - EMCEE, QUEZON CITY
APO LERMA - PRODUCER, PASIG CITY

FACEBOOK / BANDCAMP / SPOTIFY

Illustrado is a rap group consisting of emcees Batas, Goriong Talas, Sayadd, and producer Apo Lerma. Formed in early 2015, the quartet is well-known in the underground scene for their hardcore lyricism and sometimes-experimental boom bap production style. They have released two albums, the latest of which is titled Hanggang Kamatayan: Ngayon at Bukas, the first ever double LP in Philippine hip-hop history.

Formation:

Batas, Goriong Talas, and Sayadd first met in 2010 at FlipTop – the country’s premiere Battle Rap League. After collaborating on various tracks over the next few years, they decided to form Illustrado in early 2015, initially with the much younger beatmaker, Godzilla. Within the first few months, Godzilla then left the group in early 2016 due to personal reasons and was eventually replaced by Lipa, Batangas-based producer, Apo Lerma (also known as Moki McFly). Within the first few song revisions under the production of Apo Lerma, and with Illustrado’s new sound, dynamic, and vision, firmly established, they were officially signed to Uprising Records Philippines.

Career:

Illustrado released their self-titled debut album in March 2017 and had spawned three singles, namely “Hayop”, “Barya”, and “Bakal.” The LP received critical acclaim in the local hip-hop scene, with fans admiring the individually unique rapping style of each emcee, as well as Apo Lerma’s boom bap beats and use of classic Filipino movie samples. Their hard-hitting performances have led to various shows and festivals all over the country.

On December 30, 2020, the group dropped their second album titled “Hanggang Kamtayan: Ngayon at Bukas,” the first ever hip-hop double LP to be released in the Philippines. With the hardcore, battle-oriented attitude still prevalent in “Hanggang Kamatayan”, their tracks also explored other themes such as religion, politics, and varying states of mental health. Another new approach to the double album is the inclusion of solo pieces from each member. Apo Lerma was also able to showcase his musicality further by infusing a bit of Trap, Dub, and Drum-and-Bass flavors, in his solo instrumentals. The album’s first single is “Di Na Iinom”, which satirizes the issue of excessive drinking. The music video was released the same day as the LP’s launch.

Discography:

• Illustrado (2017)

• Hanggang Kamatayan: Ngayon (2020)

• Hanggang Kamatayan: Bukas (2020)