MANILA, Philippines — In the hit TV series “Game of Thrones,” the Northern people always say, “the North remembers.” In the real world, the motto is now “the Internet remembers.”
Such an adage can be said of the Philippines’ so-called “King of Rap,” Andrew E.
Andrew came to fame after his hit song “Humanap Ka Ng Panget” became a household song in 1990. Since then, the rapper had many studio albums, movies, TV shows and hit songs that include “Banyo Queen,” “Binibirocha,” and “Mahirap Maging Pogi,” to name a few.
But social media has been abuzz nowadays after Andrew was accused of copying American group Cash Money Marvelous’ song “Find An Ugly Woman” to create his hit song, “Humanap Ka Ng Panget.”
The plagiarism issue was reportedly revived by netizens on social media platform Reddit.
According to the Reddit users, the song by the American Group, which was released in 1988, was “Tagalized” or translated into Tagalog by Andrew E.
The first stanza of “Find an Ugly Woman” says:
“If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life
Man, find an ugly woman, and make her your wife
I mean ugly, so bad you can't look in her face
So fat she can't go down and tie her shoe lace
Now the reason that I say this, is simple and plain
All the pretty girls, man, they just play games
With your mind and your time, they're not with it
‘Cause if you ain't got no money, then you might as well”
Meanwhile, Andrew E.’s “Humanap Ka ng Panget” goes:
“Kung gusto mong lumigaya ang iyong buhay
Humanap ka ng pangit at ibigin mong tunay
Isang pangit na talagang 'di mo matanggap
At h'wag ang lalaki na iyong pangarap
Ngunit handang-handang iwanan ka naman sa sandali
Na ikaw ay wala nang ibigay, 'di ba?”
Netizens on Twitter reacted on the alleged plagiarism by Andrew E., saying: “Wow! Even just the title is a direct translation. In the end the truth will always come out.”
Netizen @seendee08 posted: “I remember back in the day, a DJ would play ‘Humanap ka ng Panget’ and ‘Find an Ugly Woman,’ back to back, to insist his theory that Andrew E’s version was a copy. But nothing happened after that. Deadma lang si Andrew E.”
Another netizen, TtedPylon, tweeted: “Apparently, plagiarized yung ‘Humanap ka ng Panget’ ni Andrew E. My childhood is ruined.”
Netizens are still waiting for Andrew E. to answer the allegations. —? Video from YouTube/outtafocus405