Rapper Gloc-9 delivered a powerful performance of his viral track “Upuan” at the Filipino Music Awards on October 21 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Gloc stood up from his seat from the artist lounge, walked all the way up to the stage. He pointed his microphone to the entire SM Mall of Asia Arena crowd where they screamed every lyric from front to back. The performance followed Apl.de.ap’s set and marked one of the night’s standout moments, reaffirming Gloc-9’s place as one of the country’s sharpest and most enduring rappers.
Originally released 16 years ago under Matrikula, “Upuan” featured Jeazaell Grutas of Zelle on vocals and has long stood as a defining conscious rap song in modern OPM. Its production remains a rarity in local hip-hop where it favors mellow synths, trip-hop inspired pacing, and layered textures over the more traditional sample-driven boom-bap sound. The track recently resurfaced amid the September 2025 protests, with its lyrics echoing frustration toward systemic inequality.
The event drew major names from the hip-hop scene, including attendees such as Loonie, Shanti Dope, Flow G, and nominees Waiian, Morobeats, HELLMERRY, Robledo Timido, and Hev Abi. Almost every hip-hop mainstay was in attendance to see Gloc-9 revisit one of his most politically charged songs in a performance that felt both timely and timeless. His set led into the ceremony’s Legacy Awards segment, which paid tribute to trailblazers who shaped Filipino music.
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Filipino Music Awards 2025 is presented by Modern Media Group Inc.
Produced by AGC Power Holdings Corp.
Catch the official telecast on TV5 on the following dates:
Part 1: October 25, 2025 | 9:45 PM
Part 2: October 26, 2025 | 9:30 PM
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