When you’re Hev Abi, the Philippines’ most streamed male artist in the Original Pilipino Music category and one of the fastest rising hip-hop sensations with sold-out tours all over North America, fans will be on their toes for what comes next.
The artist, whose real name is Gabriel Abilla, announced on his Instagram a collection of songs on YouTube that he calls “throwaways.” The surprise drop comes just 24 hours after receiving two awards at the 10th WISH Music Awards at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, including Spotify’s KALYE Artist of the Year. Unlike releasing a full-length album, putting out throwaways, standalone tracks, or b-sides helps establish one’s artistry further without the pressure of listening to songs in chronological order. Take Tyler The Creator’s “That Guy” music video — a single he released months after Chromakopia, one of the most anticipated hip-hop albums from 2024.
Normally, mainstream artists release songs through official streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music. But Hev Abi is different. Despite being under major management company TMP Industries, which handles artists like Illest Morena and Jose at Melodiya, he chose to release his throwaways on YouTube, a free online platform with no premium access needed.
As you hover around the tracks, a six second video loop shows Hev Abi smoking incognito by the terrace of a neighborhood somewhere in Quezon City. In “Pasulyap Sulyap / WY@ (MASHUP),” he cryptically contemplates taking the easier way out (“Pasungkap, pasungkap / Alam ko na mali pero mas madali”). In “MEDICAL,” he complains, “Bakit ang daming na rapper ngayon na gusto maging Quezon City citizen?” It comes off as night and day when you switch one track after the other, offering a different side to Hev Abi for both longtime and new fans.
Back to basics For Hev Abi
Over the years, the artist has showcased his skillset on every hit single. He can switch from sing-songy rap in “Alam Mo Ba Girl,” to the cold and uncompromised delivery in “WELCOME2DTQ.” But these throwaway tracks show less of his lyrical and vocal dexterity, and are more exercises in rapping different sub-genres of hip-hop: from the drumless instrumental of “Whiskey ni Dolphy” — referencing the iconic “Banayad Whiskey” scene in the 1995 Dolphy movie Father En Son — to the funky ‘90s gangster rap that inspired “Same Sht sa Hood.”
A throwaway might sound disposable to listeners. But for Hev Abi, it harkens back to the days where he used to upload songs on Soundcloud. “Wala lang naman ‘yon. Trip ko lang. ‘Yong ibang mga kanta doon… may months, may weeks, wala lang akong magawa. Ganon talaga ugali ko ‘pag bored,” Hev Avi tells Rolling Stone Philippines on why he released the tracks. “Para lang din ma-gets nila na kupal ako mag rap.” This shows Hev Abi’s flow state and how it varies from concept albums like the 2022 Sakred Boy, to more experimental releases like his bahay namin maliit lamang EP, released in 2024.
Like American rappers who release mixtapes for free on sites like DatPiff or Soulseek with little to no announcement, sometimes it’s just better to keep it simple.