Reliving "Sariling Wika" with a twist, Street talk: FlipTop

Reliving "Sariling Wika" with a twist,

Street talk: FlipTop

hyperlink

I’m a bit anxious one time when my nieces and nephews bump words together with rhymes and rhythms. It’s a continuous talk among them, now possessed with hip-hop and rap moves mimicking the legends of the industry Francis M., Andrew E., and the contemporary Gloc 9. The act was quite unbelievable, but it seems to be familiar, to their age ranging from five to twelve years. It’s been 10 minutes witnessing the acts till they ended losing one side that seemed to be stocked with their tongues and no following words to utter. They ended laughing and shameful of the losing team. This keeps me wonder, is it a game thing or an evolving way of conversing among our generation?

 Few days after, one of my older niece and I am watching noontime shows while eating our lunch, which we deserve after a stressful morning class, that into my horror witnessed the familiar act I’ve seen lately. Vice Ganda, a Filipino standup comedian turned host/ TV personality, was the one making the remark. It seemed to be a conversational impromptu between him and the contestants of a noontime talent show. His job of providing comments transformed into an unusual way of speaking which trended among fans and oppositions. Truly that was the same as what my nieces and nephews were doing lately, as duly seconded by my niece. “It is also trending in school. My classmates were battling with each other by way of FlipTop”, she said. “FlipTop? Oh I see,” answered my niece though I’m quite novice with the term.

Terminologies

“FlipTop is a rap battle league that puts two people in a match to have them insult each other with the cleverest punch lines and sharpest rhymes.”, definition based from an article I’ve read, an interview of a main man Anygma behind FlipTop battles, which somehow inspired this article (check out www.fhm.com.ph/entertainment/interviews/article/3376). At first, FlipTop for me was just throwing of punch lines; just make it clear and funny and your opponent will surely lag behind. Till I’ve read more about it and realized it’s a new form of hip-hop/rap music with a kiss of Balagtasan and debate. Like the Balagtasan or an old form of debate in a poetic manner, rhythm is needed when pronouncing words so as shrewdness in answering your opponent. Though some would think FlipTop being a battle sounds negative in a sense that insults were cracked, with all those humility, Filipinos in nature don’t wait of insults loomed around their egos. In FlipTop, we tend to have a response and then ended up as friends still. It’s just a game played which somehow develops your expression.

Emcees were the ones hosting FlipTop battles. They also functioned as the mediator when cats, which were the players, throw punch lines with each other. Emcees were also the ones who pairs up or matches cats. Pairing was democratic in the sense that they freely ask both parties who wants to go first and come up with an agreement. Cats were divided into two parties; parties were solid groups as well, having their freestyle punch lines and written lines for some.

Some TV shows were also inspired by the theme. I’ve once tried to watch Bubble Gang and witnessed a humorous remake of the said battle. They have their emcee Michael V. in his natural comedic, and players as well including Ogie Alcasid as the main cat, Boy Pick up. In the battle, they’ve inserted punch lines or ‘banat’ in Filipino has it in rap/hip-hop style.

FlipTop: The other way around

Most or all, if I’m not mistaken, FlipTop lines were in Filipino and were of a nationalistic genre. Besides, Filipinos were very creative and their creativity touched language as well. In fact, eow powz of the Jejemons and ‘etchos’ of Bekemons were patterned in Filipino and were products of this creativity. Where can you find these abroad? Nowhere unless a ‘kababayan’ speaks of it meters away from you.

This feature article was also part of commemorating August as the ‘Buwan ng Wika”, (National Language Month). It was during my first year in the College since we were last involved in this celebration. One factor for this is that the sole organization that facilitates the activity supposed to be did not make its renewal. Only the High School department was now making the move for its celebration. It was last August 26 when the Laboratory High School celebrates the National Language Month with the theme: “Ang Filipino ay wikang panlahat, ilaw at lakas tungo sa tuwid na landas”, where they highlighted the celebration with the search for Binibining Wika, poster and slogan making contests.

Quite intrigued by a proverb from Dr. Jose P. Rizal, “Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa amoy ng malansang isda,” I searched, reflected and looked around what’s trending on language till I come up with this article.

FlipTop and the like relive ‘Wikang Filipino’ believe it or not? I’ve solicited insights from faculties and students in the College if it does.

“Yes. In a way na nakikita nating mas dapat mahalin ang ating wika. Nakikita natin ang ating pagkawatak-watak na pwede ring mapagbuklod dahil na rin sa ating wika.  Nagiging parte na ng ating kultura ang pagsulpot ng mga pananalitang ito na kung tawagin ay ‘cultural fad’. Naaappreciate naman natin ang Balagtasan dahil sa FlipTop.”

Mr. Marlon Espidillon

Social Science Instructor

“Oo. Sapagkat dito nabubuo ang mga wika. Nadaragdagan ang mga salitang ating ginagamit. Ipinapakita rin ng wika ang kultura. Sa kabilang banda, ang Jejemon at Bekimon bilang mga salitang balbal, ay may mga katagang di magaganda ang kahulugan na nakakasira sa imahe ng ating wikang pambansa.”

Ms. Arlene Molina

Filipino Instructor

“Hindi. Kasi ang paggamit nito ay tanda ng hindi natin pagtangkilik sa wikang Filipino at lalo pa natin itong nakakalimutan.”

Ma’am Cecile Lapitan

Filipino Instructor

“Hindi. Sapagkat ang wikang ating kinagisnan ay nasisira. Hindi rin naaayon na gamitin ito sa pang-araw-araw na pakikipagtalastasan.”

Daryl Mamaba

President, SSC

Sampol

I’m not able to put the man behind FlipTop in a hot seat and throw away amazing FlipTop lines with him but I would not end up this article without a piece of it. I asked a regular classmate of mine who seemed to adopt this viral way of conversing to make his sample shot.

Ano kamo te?

Mukha kang kamote?

Ay sorry.

Ikaw pala ‘y pretty

Kala ko kasi

Kapatid mo si Chuckie!

Oh..no..no..

Sorry powh

Sa anitong mukhang

Tukow…

Oo, ang ganda mo

Hininga mo lang,

Amoy kuko!

Di makapag-isip nohw?

Normal lang yan

Wala naman talagang

Laman kokote mohw!

Eto ohw, martilyow

Pampukpok sa ulo mohw

Malay mo may bagow

Oh anow?

Walang taow? Walang taow?

Yow!

(And I’m speechless. Courtesy of Buddy Pablo)

Six million views and counting. Another sensation in the World Wide Web that has gone viral in the Country. As years pass, our ‘sariling wika’ might be just a mere street talk. Will this occurrence of a more creative way of conversing change our ‘makatas’? Well, try to speak their way. You will either find yourself speaking like an alien in your own country or speaking like a true-blooded ‘Pinoy’.