New rapper on the block

I do not know how Young JV feels about it, but it might sometimes feel difficult having to cope with the brilliant reputation of a famous father. Like here you are, launching your career as a hip-hop artist and what you get asked about most of the time is what is it like to grow up with a father like Col. Eduardo Kapunan, known military strategist and one of the officers who stood for the people in EDSA I in 1986.

Now those are the key words, or I should say numbers, because Young JV is only 19 years old and save for what he heard or was taught while growing up, has no association at all with People Power. While it does feel good to have a father whom the public admires, Red Kapunan is to Young JV, just plain Dad. Maybe Dad would be proud to see a future military officer in Young JV. Incidentally, the letters stand for Jose Vicente, but just like what rappers are wont to do, they brand themselves with their initials, and a rapper is what Young JV wants to be.

The title of his debut CD is Ready Or Not. It is a well-made piece of the sort that we seldom get from Pinoy rappers these days. The new batch, just like the bands seem to have this penchant to sound primitive or garahe. Not Young JV. His music is sleekly put together with well-defined grooves, easy melodies and trendy lyrics. And just like most rappers are also wont to do, Young JV has friends, who also sound good, rapping along with him.

Ready or Not is a mixed bag. Young JV blends trad rap like Kapayapaan (Give Peace A Chance) featuring Marcus Davis Jr., with slow sexy jams like Don’t Know You feat. Heidi Riego and pop R&B like I Bet They Can’t Do It Like That feat. Kris Lawrence. The latter cut and That Girl are the most commercial tracks. These really get the bodies moving. Ola Chica with its cute Spanish refrain is the most interesting.

Check the rest of his line-up. Ready Or Not; Doin’ It Big; Can’t Get Enough feat. August Rigo; Do The Snap; The Way I Feel feat. Charmaine Kaye; Can I Kick It feat. Slick N Sly Kane; Kaibigan Lang; Shake Shake; and the Outro. All nicely done. But the cuts where Young JV really gets to show off his writing chops are the patriotic Lipad Noypi and Kapayapaan (Give Peace A Chance) featuring Davis Jr. These two are also the album’s best.

Rapper he may be but this kid is Red Kapunan’s son after all. And not to forget when you get a copy of Ready or Not, part of the proceeds from the sale of the CD will benefit the orphans of soldiers.

The hits of summer ’08

The year is almost over. There are only 157 days remaining in 2009. Time to start looking back, taking stock of all that has happened and checking out what significant changes there have been as compared to last year. For a clearer view and to get your memories into high gear, here are the sounds that dominated the summer of 2008.

The most heard OPM tunes of the time were the commercial jingle, Ang Sarap Dito by Project 1; Betamax by Sandwich; Pitong Araw by Hale; Honestly by Rachelle Ann Go; Hear My Heart by Nikki Gil; Susundan by Callalily; One Hello by Toni Gonzaga; Di Na Ganuon by Yeng Constantino; Pasubali by Spongecola.

It was a great time for sweet sounding girl singers. Colbie Caillat with Realize; Duffy with Rockferry; Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis; Take a Bow by Rihanna; I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry; Bye Bye by Mariah Carey; Big Girls Don’t Cry by Fergie; and 2007’s American Idol Jordin Sparks hit big with No Air, a duet with Chris Brown who at that time was making sweet music with Rihanna. Also a hit was Brown’s Forever.

The rockers were also well-represented. When You Look Me In The Eyes by Jonas Brothers; That’s What You Get by Paramore; Beat It by Fall Out Boy; Viva La Vida by Coldplay; The Time Of My Life by David Cook who had the most single releases out in the market at the same time than any AI winner. And we listened to them all, Dream Big, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing, The World That I Know and Always Be My Baby.