Carlos Agassi appeals to public amid flak over new song: ‘Support your local artists’
Image: screengrab from YouTube/Carlos Agassi
As netizens called him out for his new song’s “transphobic” lyrics, Carlos Agassi appealed for support and asserted that the track intends to show love to “all genders, especially the LGBTQ community.”
“Pagbaba ng panty, mga mata’y napadilat. ‘Put*ng—ako’y napamura sa gulat. Venti ang kanyang milk tea! Sa dami ng binibini, nakabingwit ako ng binabai,” a lyric from the song goes.
(When she removed her panty, my eyes widened. I cursed out of shock. Her milk tea was venti. There were a lot of girls out there but I got a “binabae.”)
“Binabae” is a Tagalog term that refers to a homosexual male or an effeminate man.
Agassi has been addressing the criticisms over the song through his Twitter page, saying it has a “happy ending” based on his interpretation.
“[It] was supposed to be a romantic comedy song, loving all genders, especially LGBTQ Community, which I thought are [open-minded] and would understand and appreciate my point since most of them are talented in the entertainment industry,” he said.
“In the music video, they kissed after knowing that she is trans. My wife [asked] her trans friend and her friend said it was a fun song and not offensive,” he added.
The actor further noted that “music is art” and that it is “open to interpretation and criticism,” stressing that some are just making an “issue” out of the track.
“Pilit niyo lang na pinalalabas na transphobic, ginagawan ng issue, at nilalait ang kanta. Nagkakampihan, pinagtutulungan, at hinihila pababa,” he stated. “Spread love and support your local artists.”
(You are just insisting [that the song] is transphobic, criticizing and making an issue out of it. You are all teaming up to attack me and bring me down. Spread love and support your local artists.)
I explained a hundred times that I interpreted this song has a happy ending. In the music video they kissed after knowing that she is trans. My wife ask her trans friend and her friend said it was a fun song and not offensive.
— Carlos Amir Agassi (@amiragassi) July 19, 2023
Music is art and every art is open to interpretation and criticism. Pilit niyo lang na pinalalabas na transphobic, ginagawan ng issue, at nilalait ang kanta. Nagkakampihan, pinagtutulungan, at hinihila pababa. Spread love and support your local artists. Milk Tea tayo dyan!🧋💕
— Carlos Amir Agassi (@amiragassi) July 19, 2023
Agassi also urged the public to “accept” and “respect” other people’s preference when it comes to “art.”
Art just like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, what may be nice to you might not be nice for them, accept respect, but never force what you want to people, they have the right to choose as ling as you never step or hurt anyone with a clear conscience 🧋 https://t.co/LntouJizXc
— Carlos Amir Agassi (@amiragassi) July 19, 2023
“Just because you don’t like me, doesn’t give you the right to say bad, harsh and hurtful words to me. ‘Pag ginawa sa’yo, sa inyo bastos, kayo na-hurt, ako ba walang feelings?” he said in a separate tweet. (When it was done to you, you were hurt. Do I not have feelings as well?)
Just because u dont like me doesnt give you the right to say bad harsh hurtful words to me✌️ pag ginawa sayo, sainyo bastos, kayo na hurt, ako ba walang feelings???🧋 https://t.co/LntouJizXc
— Carlos Amir Agassi (@amiragassi) July 19, 2023
The song’s music video, which features Agassi’s wife, has garnered over 19,000 views as of this writing. /ra
