Los Angeles-based Filipino-American rapper Bambu will return to Manila for a live show on November 8, presented by rap battle league FlipTop. The venue and full event details have yet to be announced.
His last appearance in the country was in February 2020, when he headlined FlipTop’s first-ever music festival at Aseana City Concert Grounds in Parañaque. That two-day event featured Shanti Dope, Mike Kosa, Kartell’em, and 1kiao, along with live graffiti and b-boy showcases, taking place just a month before the COVID-19 lockdowns.
For nearly two decades, Bambu has remained one of the most militant and uncompromising voices in independent hip-hop. He has released more than a dozen albums and EPs through his own label, Beatrock Music. His catalog spans hard-hitting tracks like “Welcome to the Party,” “Old Man Raps,” and “Shabs,” songs that confront corruption, police brutality, and systemic racism from the perspective of a Filipino living in the U.S. diaspora. His lyrical militancy has made him a respected figure not only in Los Angeles, but across the global hip-hop community.
FlipTop, which began as a grassroots rap battle league in 2010, has since become one of the most-watched hip-hop platforms worldwide, amassing billions of views and launching the careers of rappers such as Smugglaz, Batas, and Loonie. Beyond battles, the league has played a key role in bringing international acts like Dumbfounded and DJ Zo to Manila back in November 2015. Bambu’s return signals another milestone for a scene he has long championed from afar.
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