The other day we were listening to a Filipino rapper flexing about his Lambo and my friend laughed, joking that there’s probably only one Lamborghini in the Philippines and there’s nowhere to drive it. So when “Jeepney” popped up in the feed the next day, it was a reminder that rappers could highlight more accessible local lifestyles. Cebuano rapper Suez and Japanese rapper Farmhouse of Sushiboys recently dropped the colorful visuals for the track, featuring a bright yellow jeep, a fully stocked ukay ukay store, and a few local island clothing brands.
While the video itself is fun and celebratory, with Farmhouse posing on top of a jeep, flashing folded bentes between his fingers, and drinking pilsen while dipped in thrifted wares, Suez takes a more cerebral approach. His section—mainly shot in a Cebu City storefront at The Chill Camp—makes metaphorical use of the jeepney. “I’m more of a conscious rapper, tackling what’s happening in our surroundings,” says the 25-year-old, Mandaue City-raised artist. “People are always shoving each other in terminals or in the streets, scrambling just to get a seat. It’s the same with life, how people live in competition, doing anything just to reach their goals.” While this verse is in Tagalog, Suez occasionally raps in Visayan as well, like on his last video “Pass And Dab,” which is about legalizing cannabis.
Suez was primarily interested in battle rap and freestyling until recently, when he started recording studio songs. With his new focus, he’s started to collaborate with fellow Cebuanos like For The Cvlture, the collective who helped bring this video to life. “Here in Cebu people will check for your song, words, and meaning, but in Manila, you need strong visuals, so director AOJ really helped us accomplish that.”
