Barcode 2 Album Review

After how many years, nasundan din ung na unang Barcode Album. Tagal ko na din to ina-anticpate last year pa ata ng nag hint si Pricetagg na ma susundan ung album niya and here it is. Highlight natin mga binitawang ma-aangas na lines ni Jesus Price himself!

1st track

GOAT

Apaka tinding starting track and mukang ito ung pinaka anthem ng buong album and may music video na agad.

Bawa’t obra ko ay Mona Lisa
Kaya madaming nabaliw
‘Kala mo si Sisa

Ako’y naiiba, oo tawag don partida
Gangsta rap pero platinum ang Kontrabida

Paying homage sa na unang track ni Price, premiere ng Kontrabida with CLR. The track alone in Wish 107.5 gained 75 milli

Madaming sumampa at sumamba, ako’y anito
Akoy’ ginto pag nilibing, hari ng Ehipto (Egypt)
Minahal ng mga bloods at crips ‘to
Galing sa baba, tumaas na parang crypto

Anito, Ehipto, and crypto, ang tikas talaga ni Pricetagg sa rhyming and wordplays.

Eto pa ung sumunod, god daym!

Ako naging bangugot niyo, 13th na Friday
Pinatay ko sa kanta coz I did it My Way

Naging sikat yang My Way na yan dito lang sa Pinas, nung may incident sa bar na may kumanta nung song and pinatay ung singer ng isang guard.

Simula palang nung una, eto na aking hiling
Alam ko sa sarili na wala ‘tong kahambing
Nag tanim ng nag tanim kahit saan makarating
Kinain ko ang mga palay, dahil ako ang kambing

Man, sa dami ng sinimulan ni Pricetagg, nag bunga na ang lahat na parang palay and inaani niya ang lahat ng resulta now. Fully paid and counting ng mga blessings from his career. Kudos!

God bless sa ‘king gang, payaman ang aking crew
Kulay namin ay brown at ang style namin true

Paying homage to his crew, True Brown Stlye (TBS) and ung sumunod isa pang matindi…

Daming nag ingay pero di nabasag aking mantra
Lalim ko ibang mundo, tagos to sa Agartha
Julius Ceasar to at walang Cleopatra
Ako ang bagong hari, album ko ang Magna Carta

Tagos sa Agartha! isa itong legendary kingdom na said to be located sa Earth’s core, ganon ka lalim, mayn! like walang makaka abot kay Pricetagg and album ko ang Magna Carta, isa ito sa mga pinaka importanteng dokumento sa history, “Magna Carta” and that ladies and gentlemen is a testament also to the Barcode 2 album!

The lines from start to finish were brilliant. You’ll definitely know who’s the GOAT in Pinoy Hip-hop right now. “Di niyo pedeng ihambing, dahil ako ay kambing!”

2nd track

VILLIAN

Like a muthafuckin’ VILLIAN featuring Titus Jim.

Barko nako sa laro kahit kayo bumangka
Puro Benjamin Button, mga hindi nagtanda

Benjamin Button, ung movie ni Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, ung pinanganak siyang matanda and habang tumatagal bumabata kaya “mga hindi nagtanda”.

Angas sir Pricetagg!

Isa sa mga notable lines…

Sa hirap nakaraos, suotin aking sapatos
Pag hubad bibilhin ni Big Boy Cheng to pagkatapos

Ganon kataas impression ni Pricetagg mala Jordan level na siya sa larangan ng rap and Pinoy Hip-hop na ultimo sapatos niya bibilhin daw ni Big Boy Cheng, the famous, public figure DJ, toy & sneaker collector in the Philippines.

The track solidifies him as one of the finest, no doubt. From Pinoy beefs, gangsta rap to diss tracks and champion of Fliptop.

3rd track

GINTO

Kaya bakit kapa hihinto, kung bawat hukay mo sa lupa ay may ginto, ugh
kaya huwag kang matakot na mabigo, kung bawat hukay mo sa lupa ay may ginto

Pricetagg is also hella versatile. This track proves it. First-time ko nakarinig ng uplifting track from Pricetagg and nakakatuwa ang vibe ng track na ito. Bagay na bagay sa boses ni Pricetagg. “Walang impossible, kaya kong gawin, kayong mong gawin, pwes kaya niyong gawin.” Parang sinaniban si Pricetagg ni CLR. Catchy and a feel-good track.

4th track

HU U?

Featuring Because.

Alam ko sarili na hindi ka babalik, kaya yakap at halik mo, di nako sabik
Gusto ko lang sana sabihin na hindi ako galit, ginamot ko na ng pera ang iniwan ‘mong sakit

Naghanap ako ng ilaw nung paligid madilim
At sa buwan nakatingin at ang ulap ay itim
Gusto mo daw akong hanapin upang ako’y harapin
Sa bintana tumingin, isa nakong bituin

Kung sino ka man na shawty ka na iniwan si Pricetagg, laking sisi mo siguro kung nasan na siya ngayon. King inang yan, ginamot ko na ng pera ang iniwan ‘mong sakit, and one more, Gusto mo daw akong hanapin upang ako’y harapin, Sa bintana tumingin, isa nakong bituin. Daym!, like I said previously, Pricetagg is hella versatile. Kanina Agartha sa lalim, now pagitan ng butuin ang taas. Akala mo gun bars lang meron si Pricetagg? Think again, son.

5th track

NEGO$YANTE

Featuring Omar Baliw.

Di na kailangan sabihin ang diskarte ‘ko
Maubusan man ng gas, aabante ‘to
Katawan ay makina, utak mekaniko
Biyaheng tagumpay ‘to, hawak manibela ko
Negosyante ‘to, pare Negosyante ‘to

Parang bagay dito si BnK sana, straight up hustler’s music, daym! Nakalimutan ko bigla na nag e-exist si Bugoy na Koykoy dahil sa track na to. Ibang-iba ung flow, man gangtsa vibe na parang may halong Bone Thugs na may pag ka eerie dahil dun sa beats and elements, hats off to Mark Beats, tanginang execution and combination ‘to. Lalamunin ng buhay si BnK dito, no hate though just sayin’ i love ’em both rappers to the heart, pero fuck, PRICETAGG SLAYIN’!!!. Kung ganito ka tikas ung tipong sasabay kay BnK, potential ma de-throne si Boogie Man, napaka rich kasi ng lines, coupled with Pricetagg’s gangsta demeanor. Fucking favorite track!

6th

SAKIN KA NALANG

Ever heard Pricetagg or caught him madly in love? Parang follow-up sa Barumbado featuring CLR.

Sayo nakatingin hangang sa kiligin
Ako’y tangappin, lahat tutuparin
Lunod na sa pag ibig, sana ako’y sagipin
Sa balon, libo ang hinulog para hilingin ka lang

Gagawin ko ang lahat, ngumiti ka lang
Mga mata parang diamante na kumikinang
Wala akong takot pero bat ako naiilang
Isa kang diyosa, di ka ordinaryong nilalang.

Ga-ganda ng choice of words and just how amazing they rhyme and complement each other. Easy to the ears, sarap sa tengga, parang kahit non-hip-hop lover, ma-appreciate itong track na ito. If I’d pick a love-themed track from Pricetagg, this is the fucking one!

7th

EYES ON THE PRICE

Featuring Flow G. Parang ang datingan, All Eyez on Me by Tupac portraying that both tracks revolve around the rapper himself. Also, like Eyes on the Price saying eyes on Pricetagg or focus to him alone or Eyes on the Price, the price being the goal.

Versace on the floor, kamandag ko parang ahas
Sa babae Steve Jobs, kinagat nila mansanas

Sa babae Steve Jobs, kinagat nila mansanas. Correct me if I am wrong, metaphor? Steve Jobs owned Apple, the company so mansanas, hehe napaka simple yet clever. Astig din ‘tong track na ‘to lalo with Flow G. 7th track na and yet wala talagang tapon ni isa.

8th

L.O.A

Featuring Gat Putch, Mike Kosa, OG Sacred.

Dati galing hirap ngayon ay guminhawa
Muntik na ilibing pero ngayon ay pinagpala

Magulang mag isip kahit na ako ay bata
Di pa nakulong, pero sige sige at bahala

“Muntik na ilibing pero ngayon ay pinagpala”. Libing, pala as in shovel, pala pang hukay sa libingan, tumatayo na balahibo ko kay Price, god daym word plays. Kaya delikado makakatapat ni Pricetagg lalo sa Fliptop, I mean just look how clever he is in his craft.

Man, not to mention the collab on this one. Gat Putch, chorus like I am hearing Nate Dogg bangin’ very underrated si Gat Putch such a gem, samahan mo pa ng mga batikan, Mike Kosa and OG Sacred and they turned this one into one g funk track ala Dr. Dre. Very catchy, I am so interested when I saw a preview of this track’s collaboration matagal na and it turned out so damn well!

9th

MUSIKA AT PERA

Featuring Allegra.

10th

NO PRESSURE

Featuring Pino G.

Musika at Pera and No Pressure narrates Pricetagg’s journey to the world of Pinoy Hip-hop. The status he gained, how he stays humble, remains focused and is thankful for the blessing he’s been getting up to this point. The collabs are also amazing Allegra’s voice is something to look out and freaking Pino G! he blends so well with Pricetagg. Both are feel-good tracks as well. Gusto ko ung pag ka-ka arrange ng tracks sa album na ‘to so far, ndi so aggressive, may break sa gangsta ish pupunta sa love-themed, then feel-good to inspirational that you’d finish the entire album talaga in one sitting not hurting your ears.

11th

TRIANGULO

Pricetagg talks about equality, politics, human life, and adversities. Hindi talaga ko nag ka mali sa pag ka versatile ni Price. This one is so impressive coming from him. How he concocted this kind of track. Bigla ko naalala si Francis M sa kaniya. If you listened to him long before, you’d know the mass improvement sa lahat ng tracks niya, Pricetagg evolved into an entirely new level.

12th

HINDI NA

Daym, napakalayo na nga ng narating ni Price from Agartha to the stars. How he matured in terms of rap. Pricetagg is doing some melody here, hooks. Nilalaro ni Pricetagg mismo boses niya, vocal range. Just look how he grew his arsenal to this extent. How he explored areas as a gangsta rapper. Hinda Na, is simply a promise that Pricetagg will never go back to the old ways, betrayals, and negative way of life. Pricetagg now looks forward more to the future.

Final thoughts

One thing is for sure, nahigitan niya ung unang Barcode Album. This album is so impressive. Mark Beats, the great choice of collaborations and the way the tracks are written. No wonder it took him long to release this one kasi lalabas siyang sobrang kakaiba coming from a Pricetagg. Daym, di ko na alam ano pa kaya magiging outcome if may Barcode 3 in the future. Napaka solid nitong buong album, no dull tracks, gangsta rap, love song, to hustler’s music ala 50 Cent, and inspirational.