Gloc-9 (left) and Reg Rubio
There are two things Gloc-9 keeps in mind when sharing the stage with Reg Rubio of Greyhoundz: “When I’m with them, I always remind myself that I can’t forget my lyrics … and that I have to go stand on a relatively safe spot!” a chuckling Gloc-9 told the Inquirer in a Zoom conference for their upcoming fundraising concert, “Rock for Charity.”
“If you see Greyhoundz in the lineup, you can expect the show to be a killer.”
“Our performances are fun, to say the least … and always memorable. We always perform like it’s going to be our first and last,” he added.
One such performance happened in the “Myx Mo!” 2005 concert in front of a crowd of 50,000: Gloc-9, Greyhoundz and the late Francis M brought the house down with their powerful performance of the song, “Koro.”
It was one of the most unforgettable live outings of Gloc-9’s career. And he has Reg to thank for that once in a lifetime collaboration.
“The respect has always been there from the beginning… Reg was one of the artists who lifted me up. I was but a young rapper in a bonnet and backpack, trying to perform wherever I could back then. I believe they were like that, too. I know they will give their best, whether we’re performing and recording a track, so I also do my best,” he related.
Collaboration
“Isa ‘yan sa mga bumuhat sa ‘kin… If he tells me to go with him into a volcano, I would follow,” he added, laughing.
Meanwhile, Reg recalled how the “Koro” collaboration came to be during his band’s soundcheck at the NU Rock Awards.
“Kiko (Francis M) passed by as we were doing our soundcheck. And then, we were told that he wanted to do a song with us. He said he wanted to come up with a song that promotes positivity. And the first person who came to mind—the only choice I had for the song—was Gloc-9. So we looked for ways to contact him,” he said.
The Greyhoundz frontman described Gloc-9 as one of the scene’s “pinakamalupit.”
“In fact, when we worked on something recently, I had to bring my girlfriend with me, because I told her that watching Gloc-9 record songs is a privilege. He’s one of the benchmarks when it comes to pushing the envelope of lyricism,” related Reg, who was also a featured artist on the song “The Task Is Done,” from Gloc-9’s 2007 album “Diploma.”
Organized by Numinous and Asintada in partnership with the Philippine National Police-Pasay City, “Rock for Charity” will be held on Dec. 9 at the Cuneta Astrodome. Proceeds will benefit senior citizens, youth homes and abandoned minors at Pasay social development centers.
“We hope to give these people access to basic necessities,” pointed out Reg, who does charity work in private. “Once in a while, I visit orphanages and bring the kids clothes. Every Christmas, I go around Pasig City and hand out food to those in need. And that’s how I do it in my own little way. I just don’t feel the need to announce it or have cameras around as I do it.”
“We hope we could inspire these people and tell them that they, too, can reach their dreams,” Gloc-9 added.
The two Filipino music icons are coincidentally celebrating their 25th year anniversary on the music scene this year. To what do they attribute their longevity?
Family
“I have spent more than half of my life with my bandmates. And I’m thankful for the camaraderie. If you can stick with them during the good times, then all the more you have to stick with them during the bad. I’m happy to have a group of people I can consider as family. I’m also thankful for all the people I have met like Gloc-9 who have inspired me to be better,” Reg said.
“You have to enjoy the good and accept the bad,” Gloc-9 added. And if they can give young aspiring artists a piece of advice, it would be this: Hone your talent and believe in yourself.
“Don’t let other people dictate what you can or can’t do. It’s not an easy path. But if your dreams are bigger than the challenges you face, then you can do it. It may not happen tomorrow, next month or in five years. I had to wait nine to 10 years before I could safely say that I could make a living out of making music,” Gloc-9 said.
“Your skill set is your capital,” Reg stressed. “Don’t let the people who tell you that you can’t do it, that you don’t belong, affect you. Do your thing. Do what you need to do.”