Once upon a time…
…a few kids decided to throw a party in conjunction with Sinulog, a religious festival on the Philippine island of Cebu.
But it was more than chance that grew the crowd from 400 people to 50,000. It was a unique blend of history, passion, devotion, and love for life and music that made this one of the most pivotal events in verge culture history.
Avicii, bottles of Patron, face paint, whistle blowing, and dancing — all topped off with the “Pit Senyor” chant over Hip Hop, house, and dubstep beats that the crowd spontaneously erupted into every fifteen minutes.
Church.
-s.
This video was created for and by Out of Scratch. DJs on deck are DJ Aryan and Nix Damn P! The event was a brainchild of the boys behind Rhipstop, and supported by Bodyrock Lifestyle.
Kaplow.
This video is…
1. …exactly why I do what I do.
Why I can never turn my back on this country. Why I fight to leave but only to come running back with more ideas, and renewed commitment to letting our voices be heard and setting our heartbeats loose. Heartbeats, with melodies laced on top of them, lyrics lingering only long enough for us to say “yes…this”. Heartbeats, interrupted by breath held, skateboard wheels grating against metal, the exhilaration, the anticipation…the air.
2. …a glimpse at what is in the hearts and minds of our youth.
Parents need not be afraid in this country. Children stay close enough to home to kiss their parents on the cheek more than once a week. Families still pray together. But this generation…their imaginations and passion run free, and they know the world is not a world of confinement, but one of abundance. They know that for as much as there is war, the capacity that love has to overcome it exists. They have seen excellence - if not in real life, then from someone else’s…online. Access has given them an opportunity to recognize what they do and do not want. This has made all the difference.
3. …a collaboration of talent.
And the spirit of collaboration, of sharing, of building, and uplifting - this is the spirit that the people in this video have lent me. So to Gef - and his commitment to empowering his peers by communicating messages with his video camera and outofscratch.com, to June - and her choice to stay true to her heart song, and to NixDamnP - and his courage for fighting for what nobody else sees or believes…
…you are the why, the what, and the how.
Manila, stand up.
-s.
