Francis Magalona is dead; Long live the King of Pinoy rap!

Francis Magalona is dead. He succumbed to leukemia this morning at the Medical City hospital.

Vic Sotto, host of noontime show Eat Bulaga where Magalona was a cast member, made the announcement during the program.


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Magalona’s family is expected to announce the details of the wake and funeral arrangements shortly.

Magalona rapped his way to fame in 1990 with his patriotic “Mga Kababayan Ko”. He has since been known as a one of the leading lights of Philippine rap and hiphop, with many referring to him as “King of Pinoy Rap”.

Know more about “FrancisM” by visiting his Multiply site and the Wikipedia article about him.

Last year’s announcement that he was suffering from leukemia sent shockwaves to his fans and the hiphop community. Several artists made the following tribute video:

His return to Eat Bulaga last October:

In tribute, allow me to share with you the lyrics of Magalona’s Kaleidoscope world:

So many faces, so many races
Different voices, different choices
Some are mad, while others laugh
Some live alone with no better half
Others grieve while others curse
And others mourn behind a big black hearse
Some are pure and some half-bred
Some are sober and some are wasted
Some are rich because of fate and
Some are poor with no food on their plate
Some stand out while others blend
Some are fat and stout while some are thin
Some are friends and some are foes
Some have some while some have most

Every color and every hue
Is represented by me and you
Take a slide in the slope
Take a look in the kaleidoscope
Spinnin’ round, make it twirl
In this kaleidoscope world

Some are great and some are few
Others lie while some tell the truth
Some say poems and some do sing
Others sing through their guitar strings
Some know it all while some act dumb
Let the bassline strum to the bang of the drum
Some can swim while some will sink
And some will find their minds and think
Others walk while others run
You can’t talk peace and have a gun
Some are hurt and start to cry
Don’t ask me how don’t ask me why
Some are friends and some are foes
Some have some while some have most

Every color and every hue
Is represented by me and you
Take a slide in the slope
Take a look in the kaleidoscope
Spinnin’ round, make it twirl
In this kaleidoscope world