The curious contradictions of Gloc-9

MANILA, Philippines - Contrary to recent reports, Gloc-9 is not retiring anytime soon. Far from it. In fact, he’s releasing a new album, Sukli, this Sunday at Market! Market! It appears that the article titled “Gloc-9 says he’s ready to retire” is nothing but clickbait. “Okay na rin ‘yun,” he told me as we walked down the stairs after our interview. “At least, na-promote din kahit papa’no ‘yung parating na album.”

“Yun kasing last interview sa akin tinanong ako kung kailan ako magreretire. And ang sagot ko ay ‘Masaya na ‘ko kapag umabot ako ng age 45 and still doing it. (He is turning 39 this year.) Pero hindi ko pa sinabi na mag-i-stop na ako,” Gloc-9 a.k.a. Aristotle Pollisco clarified.

“Binibigyan ko lang ‘yung sarili ko ng quota na age. Pero in terms of talagang quota, matagal na talaga akong naka-quota. ‘Yung sinabi ko ro’n sa interview, ‘Pwede na ‘kong magstop ngayon and still be very happy,” he elaborated. “Medyo hinighlight lang [nung reporters] na titigil na ako. Ang gauge ko kasi ‘pag masaya pa ‘ko. Minsan kasi nararamdaman ko na nakakapagod ‘yung work. Medyo nase-stress ako. Tinatanong ko lagi sarili ko kung masaya pa ‘ko. At ang sagot din naman parati ay gano’n—tuloy pa rin ako.”

It was noon when we finished talking and the moment he came face-to-face with his manager, he was asked to review a contract for his band’s upcoming performance on TV and sign some papers. At the same time, our crew of photographers straightened him up and prepped him for a quick shoot. He was an easy subject, moving his body and tilting his head upon our photog’s instructions. But still obviously shy with the camera — he was not an actor, after all — he frequently ran his fingers through his hair, tousled it, when it didn’t need any more fixing.

Old-Fashioned Rapper

He liked to refer to himself as an “old-fashioned” rapper. “Unang-una,” he said, “wala ako ni isang tattoo sa katawan. Kahit hikaw, wala akong butas sa tainga. Siguro inaattribute ko ‘yan sa pagpapalaki ng mga magulang ko na napaka-old fashioned.” Having hailed from Rizal, he said he was never used to partying or going to clubs. “Siguro ang isang bagay lang na pinagkakagastusan ko talaga para sa trabaho ko ay ‘yung‘susuotin ko. ‘Yun lang.” For our shoot, he wore a plain black hoodie with no visible logo, faded maong pants, and a black, enviable pair of high-cut Adidas rubber shoes.

“Hindi rin ako nasanay sa sobrang loud pumorma,” he added. “Nagjajacket lang ako ‘pag talagang malamig. Hindi ka naman pwedeng porke’t hip-hop ka, naka-bubble jacket ka na eh ang init-init sa Pilipinas.” I was sure that Gloc-9 is in a league of his own, an artist with an acute sense of self-awareness. With seven studio albums under his belt, it can safely be said that he is the rightful heir to the late great Francis M’s throne.

“Lagi kong sinasabi na ‘yung foundation ko ay si Francis Magalona, in writing and in performing. Pero syempre, hindi mo maiiwasan na sa pagdaan ng panahon, mag-iiba din lahat, eh: ‘yung pagrecord ng kanta sa studio, pag-areglo ng kanta, paggawa ng kanta,” he said.

“Ang process ko ng paggawa ng kanta, nagha-hum ako ng melodies sa cellphone kasi hindi ako marunong tumugtog ng gitara o magpiano, eh,” he said. “So, kabaliktaran ng traditional way of writing a song. Nauuna sa akin ang melody. Kasi normally, gagawa ka muna ng chords, saka mo kakantahan ‘yung chords. Sa akin, kaagad, gagawin ko muna ‘yung melody ng chorus bago lagyan ng appropriate na chords. ‘Pag kinikwento ko ‘yan sa mga kaibigan kong musikero, nasisiraan sila ng ulo.”

Collabs and Homages

We then talked about his collaboration with Rico Blanco in the song Magda. He said it was his homage to Freddie Aguilar’s Magdalena and Carlos Siguion-Reyna’s Ligaya ang Itawag Mo sa Akin. “Tinatanong ako,” he said, “‘Siguro nagpupunta ka sa mga night club para magresearch o at least malaman mo ‘yung pinanggagalingan ng mga tao sa kanta mo, ‘no?’”

“Sabi ko, hindi, eh. Sabi ko, kung mero’n man talagang nakatulong sa pagsulat no’n ‘yun ay dahil ako ay tatay ng isang anak na babae. Hindi ko maisip ang feeling ng isang tatay kung malaman niya na ang anak niya ay ganoon ang trabaho,” he said. In our interview, he mentioned “pamilya” thrice, “ama”/”tatay”/father eight times, and “anak” 13 times; I had to ask him about the recent issue concerning him campaigning for a presidentiable.

Suddenly, the mood shifted and Gloc-9 began to speak in a more formal tone. He disclosed that the song was already made and bought from him; he was not commissioned to write it. He also explicitly stated that no edits could be made and that he would not be required to shout praises for the candidate should he be required to attend the rallies. “Sinasabi nga nila na, ‘Bakit daw ako pumayag eh ginawa ko noon ‘yung iba kong kanta?’ Pero I believe, sinabi sa akin ‘yan ni Sir Kiko, na once you release a song, the song is a different entity in itself. Hindi na ikaw ‘yan. May sariling buhay na ‘yan at kahit mamatay ka, buhay pa rin ‘yan. Kung ako ay nakapagmulat ng kahit isang tao lang sa isang kantang ni-release ko before, masayang-masaya na ako. At pinagpapasalamat ko ‘yun.”

“Talagang matagal kong pinag-isipan ang trabahong ‘yun,” he explained the deal further. “Sabi ko, ‘Siguro that’s the farthest I could go.’ Syempre hindi naman lumabas sa balita before na I was also offered by other candidates na tinurn down namin. May mga offer ako na—nasa Iloilo kami that night, I was offered an amount na halos mahulog ako sa silya. Pero alam ko na ‘yung amount na ‘yun kahit na inisip ko na malaking tulong ito sa kinabukasan ng mga anak ko, may kasabay ‘yun na talagang 100%, kahit anong kulay ng kandidato mo, ‘yun din ang kulay ng mismong medyas mo.”

He continued to explain how difficult life was for a musician in a third-world country. “Parang kung ikaw ay isang manggagamot, hindi mo pwedeng piliin ang gagamutin mo, eh,” he said in his more pensive state. I guess it is precisely that which makes Gloc-9 an artist: his contradictions aren’t merely for show.

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