Album Review
Title: Bukas Uulan ng Mga Bara
Artist: Kemikal Ali and DJ Arbie Won
Year: 2018
Label: Uprising
By Webmasta
One of the most prolific MCs in Pinoy Hip-Hop and a member of BB Clan, Kemikal Ali teams up with DJ Arbie Won aka. The Beat Traveller and produced this classic collaboration album.
Bukas Uulan ng Mga Bara (BUNMB) was released back in 2018 under Uprising Records, Philippines.
A review of the tracks
Bukas Uulan ng Mga Bara has 15 tracks of pure Pinoy Hip-Hop!
- “Raffy Entrada” – This introductory track showcases DJ Arbie Won’s turntable skills and sampling some of Kemikal Ali’s iconic tracks. The track continues with Kemikal Ali introducing the listener to the album.
- “Pwersa” – The first full rap track in BUNMB. This grimy sounding track starts with sampling KRS-One’s vocals in the track, “Mad Crew” and proceeds with Kemikal Ali expressing the issue of people with influence “can get away with murder”.
- “OTW Na” – The third track in this album has Kemikal Ali express being on his way to a DJ / MC session and elevate himself and Pinoy Hip-Hop as a whole. And being late is not an option.
- “Hari Ng Dada” – The fourth track where Kemikal Ali deals with several issues from dirty politicians and dirty media to the so-called “Padrino System”. This is supported by a “rapid style” beat produced by DJ Arbie Won and is fused with Indian elements.
- “Wag Kang Iyakin” – A diss track towards a specific dirty and corrupted politician or any other person with such nature.
- “Panalo Bigayan” – Kemikal Ali collaborates with fellow Circulo Pugantes / Chinese Mafia member Klutch B. in this hard pounding, politically themed track.
- “Rekta Sa Kalye” – This “spoken-word” track has trap music fused with Pinoy Hip-Hop. And trap music here is taken in the next level supported by Kemikal Ali’s strong punch-lines.
- “Palong Palo” – The eighth track in this album. A “spoken-word” track aimed at a specific person.
- “Eskoba” – This relaxing track makes you feel drunk.
- “Mister Lamon” – A politically themed diss track aimed at dirty and corrupt politicians.
- “Lumang Dialekto” – This is my favorite track in the entire album and arguably, Kemikal Ali’s strongest. A “spoken-word” track where he showcases his lyrical ability supported with beats and scratches by DJ Arbie Won.
- “Bolo Brigade” – A “posse-cut” track featuring Apoc, K-Jah, BLKD, Sayadd, Emar Industriya and LA based Fil-Am MC, Bambu.
- “Mr. Chairman” – This intense diss track is aimed at corrupt politicians notably those in The Lower House. The track ends with scratch effects of President Duterte talking profanity.
- “Sino Ba Sa Inyo” – A collabo track with Jaime Labrado aka. O.W.P.O. of Madd Poets.
- “F na F” – The album completes with this hardcore “spoken-word” track featuring Anak Ni Bakuko.
Notable Quotes
“Mahalaga parin kumilos kapatid; Pag dating sa dulo may magandang kapalit”
Kemikal Ali – OTW Na
Summary
Kemikal Ali’s lyrical mastery, combined with DJ Arbie Won’s turntable skills and beatmaking supremacy made BUNMB the definitely Pinoy Hip-Hop album!
Seriously this is one of the best Pinoy Hip-Hop albums EVER if not the best. And there are times that I even rank this over Francis M.’s iconic album, Rap is Francism which to me has been my no.1 Pinoy Hip-Hop album ever since its release.
I really enjoyed listening to Kemikal Ali’s lyrics and punch-lines and he delivered them very well. And DJ Arbie Won’s production matched Ali’s flow.
My top 3 favorites are “Lumang Dialekto”, “F Na F” and “OTW Na”. Though I liked every track in this album and are iconic in its own right.
Though I found a few disappointments in this album such the skit at the beginning of “Panalo Bigayan” featuring Klutch B.. Some listeners prefer skipping this skit and forward straight to the track. Another is “Bolo Brigade” and while I really like the collaboration, the beat for this track was fine but unfortunately, did not match some of the flows of its guest artists. Though ironically, Bambu being a special feature for this track had the most number of profanity in its lyrics while Kemikal Ali himself expressed little if not, no profanity.
“Mr. Chairman” was also one of the most powerful tracks in this album and could have been longer. And this is the one track where Kemikal Ali expressed his strongest delivery.
But overall, BUNMB is still a Pinoy Hip-Hop masterpiece and well deserves getting the highest score!
+
- The entire album got Kemikal Ali delivering some of the hardest punch-lines in Pinoy Hip-Hop
- Some of the hardest beats produced by DJ Arbie Won
- Again, strong lyrics, flow and delivery
- A true Pinoy Hip-Hop masterpiece
–
- Some track listing on the CD version does not match
- “Mr. Chairman” could have been longer
- The skit before “Panalo Bigayan” is somewhat lengthly. My personal opinion is that, it would be better if it was a separate
- “Bolo Brigade” could have better beats
Favorite track: “Lumang Dialekto”
Least favorite track: “Bolo Brigade”
Overall Review: 5/5
