Kawago

Many songs on Philippine male rap group Kawago's self-titled 2002 album, Kawago, are built around time-honored Philippine love and folk songs. While the group makes new raps that start the songs out, the chorus' use the original melodies and often the original lyrics of famous Philippine songs. The time-honored "Kailanman" (Whenever), for example, provides the basis for a song of the same name and starts with a rap about a guy who regrets letting a former girlfriend get away. As the rap continues, heard in the background is the tender melody from the original song, played here on piano, leading to the original, beautiful chorus of "Kailanman," sung by a guest female singer with much emotion. "Paminsan-Minsan," "Sometimes," and "Kay Tagal" (Takes So Long) are made in the same manner as "Kailanman." Regrettably, other famous songs are used in a manner that desecrates them. "Gina," for example, is based on the famous folk song "Sitsiritsit Alibangbang"; the new rap tells of a female prostitute named Gina who goes to the southern Philippines to service American soldiers acting as advisors — she needs the money. Another song, "Sang Gabi" (One Night), uses as its basis a revered Philippine kundiman (a type of respected, time-honored Philippine love/folk song) called "Sarung Banggi." This new version has the guys rapping about a girl who was taken to a motel and when she removed her panties there was something "long" that turned the guy off. It's very sad that Philippine record companies feel the need to make such indecent albums in order to make money. It's also very sad that people buy these albums.