Every year, Esquire Philippines presents Man at His Best, the local iteration of a global signature event where we celebrate extraordinary Filipino men and women reshaping society as we know it. These are the dreamers and doers who have made a profound impact on the Filipino's way of life, who are using their talents and skills to make something of themselves and inspire the rest of us to do better with our lives.
This year, we're honoring nine mavericks and legends in film, music, business, politics, and entertainment. Despite coming from disparate fields and industries, they all have one thing in common: all of them exemplify what it means to be a Man at His Best.
ALSO READ: Esquire Philippines Honors 9 Heroes and Mavericks at the 2024 Man at His Best Awards
Meet Esquire Philippines' Music Artist of the Year, Hev Abi
Hev Abi is a Quezon City boy in every respect. He grew up here, around Tomas Morato to be exact. The topography of QC is a central theme he constantly references in the songs he writes and produces. It's quite literally etched on his body, too. The word "South" (stylized as "Souf") is tattooed on his knuckles, another supposed reference to Timog. And his independent record label, Downtown Q Entertainment, is based in, you guessed it, Kyusi.
"Hindi mo naman maiiwasan i-represent kung saan ka nanggaling," he says. "Lumaki ako dito. Hindi pa ako nagra-rap, sinasabi na namin na ang ganda ng vibes sa QC. Sinasabi nga namin ng tropa na ang Quezon City ay parang New York kapag umuulan."
It's hard to argue against such a beautiful way of seeing this city. QC has always been in the business of fulfilling dreams, a duty figuratively enshrined in its making.
"Ang dami ring nagsusulputang artists na galing dito. Kapag napapatambay ka dito, makikita mo ang daming 'playa.' Sa QC kasi magkakalapit ang lahat," Hev Abi notes. "Makikita mo dito nagkakabanggaan ang mga sari-saring tao mula sa iba-ibang fields. Iba-iba rin ng expressions at ginagalawan."
There's a rhythmic quality found in every city that's created by its convergence of people, paths, and ideas. I'd like to think there are two ways to look at the urban character of QC: the first at its historical geography as a capital and the subsequent grand architectural vision and master plan that came with it; the second at its boundaries, peripheries, and margins—as a rural-urban buffer zone that mediates city and countryside. This overlap, in the inherent tug-and-grind and contradictions festering in its fringes, makes this city so lively and oddly different from the rest in Metro Manila.
Kyusi Sound
There's also such a thing as the QC sound, which is distinguished more so by attitude than actual musical cues. "Kapag kinumpara mo ‘yung tunog ng QC rap sa, halimbawa, Pasay, maririnig mo talaga ang pinagkaiba sa estilo," Hev states. "Para sa akin, kapag Pasay [rap], medyo violent ang tunong. Dito sa QC, mellow lang. Mapayapa ang QC sound para sa akin."
"WELCOME2DTQ" was the sort of preamble to the rap star, possessing a rare polish for someone so young. It was the song that put him on everyone's radar, even peaking at No. 20 on Billboard's Philippines Songs Chart in October 2023. He rode the virality and success from that song on his way to his debut album, Kung Alam Mo Lang, which then appeared in three consecutive No. 1 songs on Billboard's Philippines Songs charts, including "Alam Mo Ba Girl" and "Babaero."
The album shows us a more intimate portrait of Hev and his range, as well as the other artists who've shaped him. In "Alam Mo Ba Girl," a track the rapper is proud to produce himself, the instrumentals are based on the piano and drum samples from Erykah Badu's "Green Eyes" and "Didn't Cha Know." "Walang Alam," on the other hand, is where Hev showcases a little bit of R&B. If it feels familiar, it's because the rapper had Tori Kelly's "Paper Hearts" sampled. Meanwhile, "Binibinibroski" is a reference to Andrew E.’s "Binibi Rocha."
Then there's "From Torillo, With Love," said to have been inspired by "WILSHIRE" by Tyler, the Creator and "Wet Dreamz" by J. Cole, two major influences in his life. Here, he experiments with a three-verse structure, which can be tricky to write. It's a rarity in modern rap these days because most go verse-hook-verse-hook. A third verse can make or break a song, too.
The album also shows us the spirit of collaboration that built Downton Q Entertainment. Hev Abi has a strong inclination toward making music with people who understand "the culture." He worked with Kristina Dawn for "Kulay Downtown," Nasty Kid for "Pasaway Mode," and with gins&melodies and Simmo for "drugr4ts" (a tribute to their friend drugr4ts).
"Kasi gusto ko magpakatotoo palagi sa sarili ko sa music ko. Ayoko naman gumawa ng music na maririnig mo doon sa kanta na parang sa tingin mo sobrang click kami pero ayun pala, hindi talaga." In the future, he says he would love to work with Jaya, Flow G, and Kris Delano. Hey, an EZ Mill collab wouldn’t hurt, too.
