It was a quiet Thursday night until rapper Nik Makino announced to friends, family, and members of the media that his album was done — literally. The message was plastered across posters outside Six Nine Pong Bar in Tomas Morato, Quezon City, where Makino launched THE ALBUM IS DONE on October 17.
Since breaking out in the late 2010s, Makino is one of the country’s most streamed rappers with over 1.3 million monthly listeners. Before the pandemic, he was already dropping back-to-back singles and mixtapes, with songs like “Neneng B,” “Moon,” “We Made It,” and “Sobrang Solid.” Over the years, he’s flirted with trap, pop, and R&B, building a catalog that testifies to his consistency as an artist, but also his evolution as a person.
His new record carries a title that doubles as a declaration. THE ALBUM IS DONE runs ten tracks long, balancing Makino’s trademark hooks with more personal lyricism. The rapper describes the project as both a milestone and a turning point, a summary of years spent grinding, experimenting, and learning how to control his narrative.
“Sobrang catchy ng title kasi kung tinanong mo diba?” Makino tells Rolling Stone Philippines. “Anong title? The album is done. ‘E Ano ngayon? The album is done. Akala mo sinasabi ko na tapos na ‘yong album pero parang [powerful] statement siya.”
Married to the Game
Outside of music, Makino has embraced fatherhood as something that shapes his creative process. In between studio sessions and shows, he spends time raising his daughter, a presence that has softened the edges of his artistry without dulling its confidence.
“Kapag lagi ABC kami ng anak ko, ayoko ng Coco Melon. Gusto ko ‘yong hip-hop e,” he says. “Mas nai-enjoy ng anak ko ‘yong hip-hop e. Parang nagpa-perform lang ako sa stage tuwing nasa harapan niya kung kinakanta ako siya.”
That new perspective has changed how he approaches his music. Known early on for tracks laced with sexual humor and explicit content, Makino now admits he’s learned to filter his lyrics.
“Mayroon konting change, lalo na sa mga kanta ko dati na X-rated,” he says. “Ngayon, medyo iniiwasan ko na siya. Hindi na kagaya dati na sobrang bold. Pero may mga pang-thirst trap pa rin ako. ‘Yon ang lagi inaabangan ng mga fans ko.
Create Wisely
After his viral rise with “Neneng B” in 2019, Makino became one of local hip-hop’s most recognizable figures, navigating fame in a scene that often burns fast and bright. For him, THE ALBUM IS DONE is about going with the flow while picking up the pace. It is a deliberate move away from the chaos of constant output. He refers to the kind of high-energy, moshpit-ready tracks he once made as “balagbagan” music.
“Yun ‘yong tinatawag na kung pa nagsisimula ka yun ‘yong mga type ng kanta na ginagawa ng mga nagsisimula ka,” he says. “Alam mo yun pang balagbagan, madaling magets ng mga kabataan. Pero kasi habang tumatagal, hindi ka naman pwedeng maglabas ng pang-balagbag ka ng balagbag. Kailangan ka lumabas at mag-improve ka doon e.”
At its core, THE ALBUM IS DONE is a reflection of where Makino stands now: confident, grounded, and aware of his own place in Filipino hip-hop. He calls it his “last hip-hop album for now,” but there’s an unspoken sense that it’s more of a comma than a period, a pause before another chapter. Makino’s story as a rapper, father, and performer is far from over; he’s just letting the album breathe its own life.
