Francis Magalona
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Francis Michael Durango Magalona (October 4, 1964 – March 6, 2009), also known as Francis M, was a Filipino rapper, songwriter, and actor. He is regarded as an influential figure in Pinoy hip hop. Magalona was a son of actors Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran. He started as a
breakdancer Breakdancing or breaking, also called b-boying (when performed by men) or b-girling (women), is a style of street dance originated by African Americans and Puerto Ricans in The Bronx borough of New York City. Breakdancing consists mainly of ...
and appeared in the teen comedy film '' Bagets 2'' (1984) and the variety show ''That's Entertainment'' (1987) while building his rap career. His songs "Mga Kababayan", "Man from Manila", "Ito Ang Gusto Ko", "Kabataan Para sa Kinabukasan", "Watawat", "Luv 4 Lyf", and "Lando" (with
Gloc-9 Aristotle Condenuevo Pollisco (born October 18, 1977), known professionally as Gloc-9, is a Filipino Rapping, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as one of the best Filipino rappers of all time, his fast-flowing Chopper (rap), chopper v ...
) have each won the Awit Award for Best Rap Recording, while " Kaleidoscope World" is another notable single. His notable albums include '' Rap Is FrancisM'' (1992), ''
FreeMan Freeman, free men, Freeman's or Freemans may refer to: Places United States * Freeman, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Freeman, South Dako ...
'' (1995), ''Happy Battle'' (1996), '' The Oddventures of Mr. Cool'' (1998), and '' FreeMan 2'' (2000). Magalona also ventured into
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
, fronting the band Hardware Syndrome. His music addressed social issues including politics, drug addiction, colonial mentality, and
intellectual property rights Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, co ...
. In television, Magalona was a presenter for
MTV Asia MTV was a pan-Asian music pay television channel that was launched on 5 May 1995 as a standalone pay television service. The channel was owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA. History Pre-launch The first incarnation of MTV Asia was launched on ...
, Channel V Philippines, and the noontime variety show ''
Eat Bulaga! ''Eat !'' (; stylized as ''Eat... Bulaga!'') is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine television variety show broadcast by Radio Philippines Network, ABS-CBN, GMA Network and TV5 (Philippine TV network), TV5. Originally hosted by Tito S ...
'' (1997–2009). He was also a judge on '' Philippine Idol'' (2006). Magalona died of
leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or '' ...
in 2009, aged 44.


Early life and career

Francis Michael Durango Magalona was born on October 4, 1964. He was named after Saint Francis of Assisi, whose
feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...
falls on his birthday. He was the eighth of the nine children of actors Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran, popular film stars of the 1940s and 1950s. His grandfather, Enrique B. Magalona, served as a
senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
from 1946 to 1955. Magalona was also a second cousin of Cacai and
Regine Velasquez Regina Encarnacion "Regine" Ansong Velasquez-Alcasid ( ; born April 22, 1970) is a Filipino singer and actress. She is considered one of the most influential figures in Philippine popular culture and is known for her vocal range and beltin ...
through his mother whose first cousin was Gerardo Velasquez. For his high school education, he attended the Don Bosco Technical College in
Mandaluyong Mandaluyong ( ; ), officially the City of Mandaluyong (, ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly-urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popula ...
then proceeded to San Beda College in Manila, attending from 1981 to 1984. Magalona started out as a
breakdancer Breakdancing or breaking, also called b-boying (when performed by men) or b-girling (women), is a style of street dance originated by African Americans and Puerto Ricans in The Bronx borough of New York City. Breakdancing consists mainly of ...
in the 1980s. He was cast in several Filipino movies including '' Bagets 2'' (1984). He was the resident DJ/rapper in the IBC variety show ''Loveli'Ness''.


Music career


Filipino hip hop and nationalistic rap

In 1990, he released the album ''Yo!'', the first commercially released Filipino rap album. ''Yo!'' included several popular singles such as " Mga Kababayan" (Fellow Countrymen), "Gotta Let 'Cha Know", "Cold Summer Nights", and a duet with Pia Arroyo "Loving You" which made her the first Filipina woman to rap on a record. His tracks feature politically conscious and thought-provoking rhymes in both English and Tagalog, in the style known as
Filipino hip hop Pinoy hip hop or Filipino hip-hop (also known as Pinoy rap) is a style of hip hop music performed by musicians of Filipino descent, especially Filipino-Americans. The Philippines is known for having the first hip hop music scene in Asia sin ...
. In 1992, Francis Magalona released ''Rap Is FrancisM'' (1992). With tracks addressing the various cultural and social problems that plagued his country such as drug addiction in "Mga Praning" (Paranoids), political instability in "Halalan" (Elections) as well as the detrimental effects of a colonial mentality in "Tayo'y Mga Pinoy" (We Are Filipinos), the record's complexity and conscious message earned it its classic status. This album helped tag Magalona as one of the most politically conscious voices of his generation.


Hardware Syndrome and the merging of rap with Pinoy rock

The release of his third album, '' Meron akong ano!'' (I Got Something!) in 1993 marked the beginning of Magalona's experimentation with Pinoy rock. It also saw the birth of Hardware Syndrome—previously known as Cannabis—the band that would, with Magalona at its helm, introduce the merging of Pinoy rock and rap to the Filipino music audience. Members over the years included musicians Carlo Sison, Francis Villanueva, Niño Mesina, Boyet Aquino, Elmer Blancaflor, Noel Mendez, Perf de Castro, Benjie "Bagets" Mendez, Albert Tamayo, DJ Kimozave, DJ Radikal MK, Otep Concepcion, Kenji Marquez, Jack Rufo, and Wendell Garcia. Magalona was soon cited for excellence in both genres of music. He collaborated with other notable OPM artists including Andrew E.,
Joey Ayala José Íñigo Homer Lacambra Ayala (born June 1, 1956), professionally known as Joey Ayala, is a Filipino singer, songwriter and former chairman of the music committee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. He is well known for his ...
, Heber Bartolome of Banyuhay, Ryan Cayabyab, Mike Hanopol of Juan Dela Cruz Band, Michael V., Death Threat, and the band Eraserheads. In the latter part of his career, Magalona worked together with rappers Pikaso, Gloc 9 and the Pinoy rock band Parokya ni Edgar. In 1994, Magalona moved from Octo-Arts EMI Philippines, which had released all of his previous albums, to BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. with Musiko Records (is a wholly owned of sub-labels of a BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc.), the same label as the seminal Pinoy rock group, The Eraserheads. ''
Freeman Freeman, free men, Freeman's or Freemans may refer to: Places United States * Freeman, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Freeman, South Dako ...
'' was released the following year, 1995, and firmly established Magalona's legitimacy in the Pinoy rock scene. Tracks such as "Three Stars & A Sun", "Kabataan Para Sa Kinabukasan" (Children For The Future), " Suckin' on Helium/Kaleidoscope World" would become defining touchpoints in Magalona's body of work. A track titled "Intellectual Property Rights" would sample a speech by then-president
Fidel V. Ramos Fidel Valdez Ramos (; March 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022), popularly known as FVR, was a Filipino general and politician who served as the 12th president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. He was the only career military officer to reached ...
.
Intellectual property rights Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, co ...
was an issue that would continue to be an important and very personal advocacy for Magalona. " Kaleidoscope World" went on to win 1996 Awit Award for Best Produced Record of the Year, and the 1996 NU 107 Rock Award for Song of the Year. Its music video was directed by the celebrated director/cinematographer Raymond Red Magalona's next album, '' Happy Battle'', was released in 1996. The launch for the video-game themed album at the
Hard Rock Cafe Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a chain of theme restaurant, theme bar-restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos, hotels and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll ...
in
Makati Makati ( ; ), officially the City of Makati (), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines, known for being one of the leading financial centers in the country. As of 2013, the city has the highest concent ...
was noted by the press for its wide range of influences: aside from fans of Magalona's music, he had showbiz fans and coworkers from
Eat Bulaga! ''Eat !'' (; stylized as ''Eat... Bulaga!'') is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine television variety show broadcast by Radio Philippines Network, ABS-CBN, GMA Network and TV5 (Philippine TV network), TV5. Originally hosted by Tito S ...
, where he had already started hosting; and two sets of Sony PlayStations with giant screens set up so people could play video games while watching the gig. The album was also notable for a number of significant collaborations: "Unstrung Heroes" with
Ely Buendia Ely Eleandre Basiño Buendia (born November 2, 1970) is a Filipino musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band Eraserheads, with whom he has released seven albums since their founding in 1 ...
; "Sapot" (Web) with project band ''Planet Garapata'', which included Raimund Marasigan, Jeng Tan, and Mark Lakay, who would later form
Sandwich A sandwich is a Dish (food), dish typically consisting variously of meat, cheese, sauces, and vegetables used as a filling between slices of bread, or placed atop a slice of bread; or, more generally, any dish in which bread serves as a ''co ...
; and "Make Your Move" with pioneer Filipino punk band Betrayed. In keeping with the nationalistic theme in Magalona's work, 1-800-Ninety-Six was written in celebration of the centennial of the Philippine revolution of 1896. "Rainy" won ''Best Folk song'', and the album itself would become the only album to win ''Best Rock'' and ''Best Rap Album'' at the Katha Awards. When Magalona was diagnosed with leukemia, he and his wife Pia would use the album name "Happy Battle" as a reference to his fight against cancer.


Later albums with Sony Music

The 1998 album ''The Oddventures of Mr. Cool'' saw a move from the last two albums' heavy guitar sound and explored mellow, urban-style rapping. It featured the song "Whole Lotta Lovin'", whose music is a sample of the ''Eraserheads'' song "Alapaap" (Heaven). Later albums with BMG (now with
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), commonly known as Sony Music, is an American multinational music company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation. It is the recording division of Sony Music Group, with the other half being the ...
) would include ''Interscholastic'' (1999), which featured adaptations of various artists' songs; and ''Freeman 2'' (2000), which would echo many of the themes that had made the first ''Freeman'' album so popular. In 2002, his greatest hits album ''The Best of FrancisM'' was released by Musiko Records and BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. 2004 in turn saw the release of a single titled "Pambihira Ka" (You're Remarkable).


Independent projects

In 2002, with the assistance of then FUBU Philippines' management employees Carlo Maniquiz and Nick Tuason, Magalona launched a compilation album of the same name. Magalona founded his own record company called Red Egg Records, and a production company, Filipino Pictures Inc., where he served as the resident director. Through his production company, Magalona produced and directed music videos for several bands and solo artists such as Ely Buendia. His work on Sponge Cola's "KLSP" won Best Rock Video at the 2006 MYX Video Awards. Shortly before his death, Magalona collaborated with Buendia and other Filipino artists on a project titled ''The Sickos Project''. The sessions were later released as '' In Love and War'' in 2010 after his death.


Television career

In addition to co-hosting ''LoveliNess'', Magalona was one of the original members of the youth oriented show '' That's Entertainment'' in 1987. He was also a co-host of the noontime variety show ''
Eat Bulaga! ''Eat !'' (; stylized as ''Eat... Bulaga!'') is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine television variety show broadcast by Radio Philippines Network, ABS-CBN, GMA Network and TV5 (Philippine TV network), TV5. Originally hosted by Tito S ...
''. Magalona coined the word ''Dabarkads'' as a nickname for the ''Eat Bulaga!'' family i.e. the presenters, production team, and fans. ''Dabarkads'' is a ' of the Tagalog word ''barkada'', which means "group of friends". He was also a VJ for
MTV Asia MTV was a pan-Asian music pay television channel that was launched on 5 May 1995 as a standalone pay television service. The channel was owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA. History Pre-launch The first incarnation of MTV Asia was launched on ...
and Channel V Philippines. He was MTV Asia's first Filipino VJ and remained with the network from 1996 to 2000. He was also known for starring in the second installment of '' Bagets'' (1984). In 1997, Magalona played the lead role in the made-for-TV movie ''Kamada'' by Raymond Red. The film, a full-length feature shot on 16 mm, received awards from The Philippines Broadcasting Television and Asian TV Awards during the same year. He was also chosen by
Fremantle Media Fremantle Limited (), formerly FremantleMedia, is a British Multinational corporation, multinational television production company, production and distribution (marketing), distribution company based in London. The company was founded as Pear ...
, owners of ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' as one of the judges of in the first '' Philippine Idol'' season that aired on ABC (now TV5). Magalona and his fellow judges Ryan Cayabyab and Pilita Corrales were not retained when the franchise transferred to
GMA Network GMA Network (an acronym of its legal name, Global Media Arts and commonly known as GMA) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine commercial broadcast network, serving as the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network (company), ...
in 2008 with a different title: '' Pinoy Idol''. Aside from television, he also hosted live events and presentations.


Other endeavors

Magalona was a photographer and submitted pictures to magazines for publication. News reports note that he was overjoyed when he was accepted as a member of the Camera Club of the Philippines, and eventually received critical acclaim for his photographs. Magalona also established a clothing line named FMCC, which stood for "FrancisM Clothing Co." FMCC is sold in stores called "3 Stars & A Sun." He also started a foundation with Ely Buendia called Heartist Foundation, which aims to help Filipino artists with health and commercial concerns.


Legal issues

In 2001, Magalona was arrested for alleged possession and use of
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...
whilst inside his vehicle in Quezon City; he was later acquitted of all charges in 2004 when no sufficient evidence was found.


Personal life

Magalona was introduced by actor
Richard Gomez Richard Frank Icasiano Gomez (; born April 7, 1966) is a Filipino actor, TV host, politician, and épée Fencing, fencer. He has been serving as the House of Representatives of the Philippines, Representative of Leyte's 4th congressional di ...
to Pia Arroyo at a party in a disco owned by film director
Ishmael Bernal Ishmael Bernal (September 30, 1938 – June 2, 1996) was a Philippines, Filipino filmmaker, stage and television director, actor and screenwriter. Noted for his melodramas, particularly with feminist and moral issues, he directed many landmark ...
, and the couple married in 1985. The couple had eight children, two of whom were Magalona's stepchildren: Unna (1983), Nicolo (1984), and television personalities Maxene (1986), Frank (1987), Saab (1988),
Elmo Elmo is a Muppet character on the children's television show ''Sesame Street''. A furry red monster who speaks in a high-pitched falsetto voice and frequently refers to himself in the third person, he hosts the last full 15-minute segmen ...
(1994), Arkin (1999), and Clara (2000) who entered showbiz to follow their father's footsteps. On an episode of the
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
series ''Pinoy Pawnstars'' uploaded on October 17, 2023, Abegail Rait, a former flight attendant, claimed to have had a relationship with Magalona and that they have a 15-year-old daughter together.


Illness and death

Magalona was diagnosed with
acute myeloid leukemia Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells, characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal cells that build up in the bone marrow and blood and interfere with haematopoiesis, normal blood cell production. Sympt ...
on August 8, 2008, at The Medical City Ortigas in
Pasig Pasig, officially the City of Pasig (), is a highly-urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 803,159 people. It is located along the eastern border of Metro Mani ...
. Appealing to the media and the public, Magalona said: After his first treatment and discharge, he made his return on ''
Eat Bulaga! ''Eat !'' (; stylized as ''Eat... Bulaga!'') is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine television variety show broadcast by Radio Philippines Network, ABS-CBN, GMA Network and TV5 (Philippine TV network), TV5. Originally hosted by Tito S ...
'' together with
Ely Buendia Ely Eleandre Basiño Buendia (born November 2, 1970) is a Filipino musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band Eraserheads, with whom he has released seven albums since their founding in 1 ...
, who had also been recently discharged. His daughter Maxene stated that "He always did what he wanted to do. He never let anyone or anything stop him from doing what he loved to do. He still went to the Camera Club, he still took pictures, every time he was discharged from the hospital, he recorded songs with Ely Buendia. He taught us that life is short but it can be well lived. Don't waste your time in the world." His wife, Pia, later described her husband's battle with the disease, saying "Francis was a very passionate person. When he was angry, he was very expressive. He would get angry with his cancer. That was his way of coping with it. But he didn't give up. I remembered that he told me, 'I'm going down fighting.'" On March 6, 2009, at 12 noon, Magalona succumbed to multiple organ failure secondary to septic shock, secondary to pneumonia in the immunocompromised (immediate cause); acute respiratory failure secondary to acute respiratory distress syndrome (antecedent cause); underlying cause:
Chronic myelogenous leukemia Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), also known as chronic myeloid leukemia, is a cancer of the white blood cells. It is a form of leukemia characterized by the increased and unregulated growth of myeloid cells in the bone marrow and the accumula ...
blast crisis. He had undergone several chemotherapy sessions since he was diagnosed the previous year and had been expected to undergo a bone marrow transplantation and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. The announcement was first made over ''
Eat Bulaga! ''Eat !'' (; stylized as ''Eat... Bulaga!'') is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine television variety show broadcast by Radio Philippines Network, ABS-CBN, GMA Network and TV5 (Philippine TV network), TV5. Originally hosted by Tito S ...
'' through
Vic Sotto Marvic Valentin "Vic" Castelo Sotto (born April 28, 1954), popularly known as Bossing, is a Filipino actor, comedian, and television personality. Prolific in film and television in the Philippines since the 1970s, he is known for playing comed ...
. News of his death sparked a surge of web traffic to several Philippine news sites, causing a momentary slowdown in their operation. Guests at his wake held at Christ the King Memorial Chapel in Greenmeadows,
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...
included former president
Corazon Aquino María Corazón "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipino politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines and the first woman president in the country, from Presidency of Corazon ...
(who also died five months after Magalona's passing), along with other politicians and artists who paid tribute to Magalona's contribution to Filipino music and to national pride – the dominant advocacy theme in FrancisM's music. Fans arrived in droves to pay their last respects, some of them making a point to wear shirts from Magalona's FMCC line. Numerous television programs, ranging from noontime variety shows to primetime newscasts and late night news documentaries, paid tribute to Magalona. He had been slated to appear as a special surprise guest at the Eraserheads' "The Final Set" reunion concert on March 7, 2009. Since he died the day before, the band instead dedicated the concert to Magalona. Buendia rapped the 22-bar portion in "Superproxy" which Magalona wrote,Magalona, F
"Super Proximity"
, ''A Free Mind'', January 8, 2007. Link is inactive as of February 11, 2007, found on February 11, 2007
and the band performed the reprise of " Kaleidoscope World." Magalona was cremated before daybreak at La Funeraria Paz, Quezon City on March 11, 2009. A final Mass was held for him at the Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows later in the morning. Hours later, his ashes were laid to rest at the Loyola Memorial Park in
Marikina Marikina (), officially the City of Marikina (), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 4 ...
, causing traffic to stall in the Marikina Riverbanks area near the park as fans and numerous people from the entertainment industry joined the convoy. The Philippine Army rendered military honors to Magalona in recognition of his patriotism and service as a sergeant in the reserves. His widow, Pia, received the flag draped on his coffin.


Post-death crisis

The Magalona family was also firm against any attempts to capitalize on FrancisM's death and persona. On March 17, 2009, a group of Filipino expatriates in Dubai, UAE and Saudi Arabia, announced plans to hold tribute concerts where performers will sing his songs, with the proceeds supposedly going to a foundation set up in his honor and to the
Philippine Red Cross The Philippine Red Cross (PRC; ; ) is a non-profit humanitarian organization and a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The PRC was established in 1947, with roots in the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colon ...
. Pia and Maxene later came out and denounced the organizers, saying that neither concert had the family's blessings and the foundation did not exist. They particularly admonished the concert organizers for using the Red Cross to attract attendees. Pia also asked the public not to patronize sellers of fake FMCC goods, which started to appear within days of Magalona's death. Their house had been broken into a number of times, the apparent main targets being Magalona's personal items, along with his children's belongings. One of the stolen items was a laptop computer on which unpublished FMCC designs were stored.


Legacy and influence

Magalona would ultimately be cited not just the "King of Philippine Rap" but also "The Father of Pinoy Hip Hop". Magalona's contributions to the genre have been featured in several international hip hop publications including the ''All Music Guide to Hip-Hop: The Definitive Guide to Rap and Hip-Hop'' (2003) published by Backbeat Books; as well as the May 2004 issue of the U.S.-based publication ''The Source''. He was also given the Pioneer Hall of Fame Award by Empire Entertainment at the 1st Annual Philippine Hip-Hop Music Awards in 2005. Magalona was the recipient of the MTV Pilipinas Video Music Awards ''Generations Award'' in 2006 "in recognition of his career that has spanned decades and broken boundaries, and for his music which continues to inspire generations of artists and music fans both here and abroad." He was the second person so honored, the first having been singer
Gary Valenciano Edgardo Jose "Gary" Santiago Valenciano (born August 6, 1964) is a Filipino singer and actor. Known for his musical versatility and performances, he is a recipient of various accolades, including 12 Awit Awards, 3 FAMAS Awards and the Myx ...
at the 2005 rites. On March 18, 2009, the Philippine Government – through the efforts of the
National Commission for Culture and the Arts The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA; , ) is the official government agency for culture in the Philippines. It is the overall policy making body, coordinating, and grants giving agency for the preservation, d ...
—recognized Magalona with by awarding him a posthumous Presidential Medal of Merit. The award's citation noted that it had been given "''for his musical and artistic brilliance, his deep faith in the Filipino and his sense of national pride that continue to inspire us.''" Several supporters of Magalona launched an
online petition An online petition (or Internet petition, or e-petition) is a form of petition which is signed online, usually through a form on a website. Visitors to the online petition sign the petition by adding their details such as name and email address. T ...
to award him, the Order of National Artist, which is the highest recognition for Philippine artists. However, nominations for the National Artist award will have to be done after three years as nominations for the order are closed. His daughter Maxene has indicated that she intends to continue Magalona's projects, including his ''The Sickos Project'' album with Buendia, and a documentary about his battle with cancer. The young actress stated: "We will coordinate with the people he had been working with, ..I understand that Papa is a big part of history." In 2013, Kaleidoscope World, a tribute film starring
Yassi Pressman Yasmin Isabel “Yassi” Pressman (born 11 May 1995) is a Filipino model, actress, television personality, singer, and dancer. As a dancer, she was given a break in her career for portraying antagonistic roles before rising to prominence after ...
and Sef Cadayona, was shown during the 2013 Metro Manila Film Festival. In 2016, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) featured Magalona's songs in the
dystopia A dystopia (lit. "bad place") is an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, fearful lives. It is an imagined place (possibly state) in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmen ...
n sci-fi jukebox musical ''3 Stars and a Sun.'' Magalona was given a tribute during a segment at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games opening ceremony at the Philippine Arena, where three of his songs being rendered by his son Elmo Magalona, who sang "Man From Manila", Iñigo Pascual, who gave a rendition of "Mga Kababayan", and KZ Tandingan, who sang "Tayo'y Mga Pinoy". The said segment in the ceremony showcased the energy of the Filipino people. On October 10, 2022, Maxene Magalona posted her version of "Kaleidoscope World" to celebrate World Mental Health Day. She had recorded her version several days earlier on October 4, her father's 58th birthday anniversary. In December of that year, during the UAAP Season 85 cheerdance competition, the FEU Cheerdancers performed their routine to a medley of Magalona's songs. They went on to finish second in the competition. Weeks later, during the Eraserheads '' Huling El Bimbo'' reunion concert, a
hologram Holography is a technique that allows a wavefront to be recorded and later reconstructed. It is best known as a method of generating three-dimensional images, and has a wide range of other uses, including data storage, microscopy, and interf ...
of Magalona was brought out. Magalona's sons Elmo and Arkin then performed "Superproxy" alongside the hologram. Maxene praised her brothers' performance, and thanked the band "for honoring Francis M through this super cool hologram". A number of Filipino rappers have acknowledged Magalona as an influence and inspiration including Abra, Bassilyo, Rye Armamento of the 90s hip-hop group Sun Valley Crew, Loonie,
Gloc-9 Aristotle Condenuevo Pollisco (born October 18, 1977), known professionally as Gloc-9, is a Filipino Rapping, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as one of the best Filipino rappers of all time, his fast-flowing Chopper (rap), chopper v ...
, and Ruby Ibarra.


Discography


Studio albums


Collaborative albums


Extended plays


Compilation albums

* ''OPM Timeless Collection Gold Series 2'' (OctoArts EMI, 1997) * ''The Story of Francis M. (The Ultimate OPM Collection)'' (EMI, 2001) * ''Best of Francis M.'' (BMG, 2002) * ''The Story of Francis M.'' ( PolyEast Records, 2009)


Singles


As lead artist


As featured artist


Other appearances


Filmography


Film

* ''Bagets 2'' (1984) – Ponce *''Doctor, Doctor, We Are Sick'' (1985) *''Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang'' (1985) *''Okleng Tokleng'' (1986) *''Bukas ng Sabado agi Buka sa Sabitan'' (1986) *''Ninja Kids'' (1986) as Tone *''Family Tree'' (1987) as Edwin *'' Kung Aagawin Mo ang Lahat sa Akin'' (1987) *''Action Is Not Missing'' (1987) *'' Hati Tayo sa Magdamag'' (1988) – Arthur *''Ang Pumatay ng Dahil sa Iyo'' (1989) *''Gumapang Ka sa Lusak'' (aka Dirty Affair) (1990) *''Iputok Mo... Dadapa Ako! (Hard to Die)'' (1990) *''Pangako ng Puso'' (1991) *''Joey Boy Munti, 15 Anyos Ka sa Muntinlupa'' (1991) *''Ano Ba 'Yan'' (1992) – Kiko *'' Boboy Salonga: Batang Tondo'' (1992) *''Estribo Gang: The Jinggoy Sese Story'' (1992) – Elmer *''Totoy Buang: Mad Killer ng Maynila'' (1992) – DJ *''Engkanto'' (1992) – Uban *''Mama's Boys'' (1993) *''Ano Ba 'Yan 2'' (1993) – Kiko *''Tong-its'' (1995) *''Saranggola ni Pepe at Juan'' (1999) – Juan San Miguel/Juan Tamad *''Kwentong Kayumanggi'' (2002) – Narrator – Hundreds Island and the Bravery of Datu Mabiskeg *''Astigmatism'' (2004) – Victim 1 *''Anak ni Brocka'' (2005, his last movie)


Television

*''Vilma in Person'' (co-host) *''Loveli Ness'' (1987–1990) (co-host) *''U. F. O.'' (Urbana, Felisa & Others) *''Plaza 1899'' *''Young Love, Sweet Love'' *''Mother Studio Presents'' *'' The Maricel Drama Special'' (1993) *''The Sharon Cuneta Show'' ((1987–1992) *''Regal Romance'' *'' Lovingly Yours, Helen'' (1986–1996) *'' That's Entertainment'' *''Channel V: Sigaw Manila'' (1995) *''
Maalaala Mo Kaya (, abbreviated as ''MMK'') is a Philippine television drama anthology series broadcast by ABS-CBN and Kapamilya Channel. Hosted by Charo Santos-Concio, its first iteration was aired from May 15, 1991 to December 10, 2022. It is the longest ...
'' (1995) *''Kamada'' (1997) *''Music Bureau'' (ABC) *'' GMA Supershow'' *''Mikee'' *''Dear Mikee'' *''Chibugan Na!'' *''Spotlight Drama Specials'' *''Rap 13'' (IBC) *''
SOP A sop is a piece of bread or toast that is drenched in liquid and then eaten. In medieval cuisine, sops were very common; they were served with broth, soup, or wine and then picked apart into smaller pieces to soak in the liquid. At elaborate ...
'' *''GMA Telecine Specials'' *''MTV's Life's a Beach'' *''MTV Talk'' *''GMA Love Stories'' *''GMA Mini Series'' *''The Manager: Eat Bulaga Special'' (2003) *''Show Ko 'To'' (2004) *''Myx Live'' (2005) *'' Bubble Gang'' (2005) *''Fam Jam'' (2005–2006) *''True Love: Eat Bulaga Special'' (2005) *''A Telefantastic Christmas: The GMA All-Star Special'' (2005) *''Maynila ''(2008) *''
Eat Bulaga! ''Eat !'' (; stylized as ''Eat... Bulaga!'') is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine television variety show broadcast by Radio Philippines Network, ABS-CBN, GMA Network and TV5 (Philippine TV network), TV5. Originally hosted by Tito S ...
'' (GMA, 1997–2009; his death, final TV show) *''Balikbayan'' (QTV, 2009) *'' Student Canteen'' (1984–1986) *'' Philippine Idol'' (2006) "Judge" *''MTV Pilipinas Music Video Award'' 2006


Awards and nominations


References


External links


''a Free Mind''
Francis Magalona's official website
''FrancisM's Happy Battle''
blog by Magalona and wife Pia focusing on his battle with leukemia

at PinoyRap.com * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Magalona, Francis 1964 births 2009 deaths Burials at the Loyola Memorial Park Deaths from leukemia in the Philippines Filipino male child actors 20th-century Filipino male singers Filipino male television actors Filipino male rappers Filipino Roman Catholics
Francis Francis may refer to: People and characters *Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (2013–2025) *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) * Francis, a character played by YouTuber Boogie2 ...
Male actors from Manila Musicians from Manila Rap rock musicians Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Merit (Philippines) San Beda University alumni Sony Music Philippines artists Filipino television variety show hosts GMA Network (company) people ABS-CBN people Filipino video jockeys Actors from Mandaluyong Filipino male film actors