PIKASO: Paints a perfect picture

                                                                                                                 By: Big G

Have you ever seen the Preacher Man on T.V?

Two forty five early morn and I can’t sleep so I decided to get me a snack. I land on my couch nestling my baby’s home cooked chicken fingers and some chili cheese sticks getting ready to watch some videos and kick back. Turned on the boob tube and all I hear is static; apparently the DVD player decided to break down that day. The heat wave in manila has caused me to lose sleep and as I flipped on the channels surfing for anything to provide some background getting nothing but more static, the heat was getting into my head.

Then as if on cue, the Preacher Man was on.

Prancing on stage sporting his all white glossy suit, the retort of the Preacher Man’s incoherent sermon rambled on, the words were greeted with dead silence.

He then harangues his audience, at the top of his voice coerces them to acknowledge his empty words. On and on it was like that. That was when I noticed his cult followers getting tired because he asked them to stand up at the beginning of his sermon; a white ghost with a golden yellow tie, talking about revelations and the end of days using American idol as his metaphor.

Leaders like the Preacher Man make my skin crawl. Not because of his lack of fashion sense or even the unfathomable depths of his empty preachings, Not even the fact that by putting up such a spectacle he stands to earn thousands or that simply he was making no sense at all and was having a great time with him self. No, none of these things qualify. What’s so sad really is that despite the obvious flaws in his manners and approaches, he was actually winning the hearts of these people, all of them jam-packed on that T.V. screen. I simply turned the T.V. off as soon as I finished my snack, gave him a modest “ eat shit and die,” curse and went on my way to type up this question.

IN A WORLD THAT’S SPIRALING DOWN INTO OBLIVION, is there still a chance for a real leader to take the reigns?

In the Pinoy hip-hop scene there are MANY taking up the role of Preacher Man. But the question that comes to my mind is what will it take make the few people who really live and breath hip-hop in the PH bond together to spread the reality and smash the common perception of a culture that truly manifests the basest Filipino notable traits?

 

 Paul "PIKASO" Sirate shy's away from the title of Leader. For him, hip-hop is who you are. And if you live the culture, don't be afraid to represent it. Often times when you get the chance to talk to him, you'll always hear him say "Go for it!"

A self proclaimed YES man, PIKASO tries his best to help his community the best way he knows how. When you see him at the events sporting his signature stance, with a keen eye you will see that he actually pops his head to the side listening to each and every artist while his fans congregate around him asking for favors and counsel. Always with a distinguished look, Paul shares his talent, time, and resources with those that genuinely seek it from him.

 

The Lore around PIKASO’S life is as colorful as a Monet painting. Born and raised in San Francisco, PIKASO went back to the Philippines in pursuit of a modest dream. He wanted to tap into the Filipino consciousness and bring his style of lyrical hip-hop to the masses at the same time provide the service of creating his own take on the hip-hop lifestyle. Back then, not a lot of people could comprehend where he was coming from; PIKASO often received blank faces as he tried to show everybody what he was all about. Needless to say, this did not stop PIKASO from achieving his goals nor did it ebb away his drive to change the perception. After meeting with some label execs during the inception of his first album “PORTRAIT OF A MASTERPIECE” they were able to introduce him to someone who soon will become a legend, but at the time became his friend and counsel; PIKASO met with FRANCIS MAGALONA.

From there PIKASO’s influence slowly gained momentum as he met and produced songs for the likes of Regine Velasquez, Nina, Kyla, Seven Shots, Pharcyde, Terror Squad, Q-Bert and a host of hip-hop, R&B and pop artists. His unique style, Ice cold flow, and humble demeanor has banked for him gigs like hosting the hottest assembly of local hip-hop and R&B artists at the 2004 Fete dela Musique , opened for the Black Eyed Peas and was chosen to be the only opening act for Beyonce on tour in Manila. With a notable album and awesome performances under his belt, PIKASO reached critical acclaim receiving  five awards from the prestigious Philippine Hip-hop awards ever since 2006 and has continued to earn the respect of legendary and up and coming acts in the Pinoy hip-hop scene to date.

When he’s not busy producing artists and inspiring the new blood to get their head right, PIKASO also acts as CEO for TURF CLOTHING COMPANY. Inspired by the hip-hop culture, His brand depicts in full spectrum the vibrancy of urban lifestyle. Combining Filipino pride with the true grit of his country, PIKASO creates a line that is heavily consumed by the community and you can even see some celebrities sporting some of his custom gear. From a humble T-shirt stall, TURF CLOTHING COMPANY has grown exponentially. Now reaching distribution level TURF can be seen all over the globe. Here in Manila, his brand can be seen peedled from 168, to cash and carry, to makati up to his city Mandaluyong.

I was there during a BFE year ender event 2010 when I had a chance to talk to him about how 2011 will be Pinoy hip-hop's time to shine. Believe me when I say that PK is driven to making this into a reality.   

Lately we've been seeing less of PK only because of his undivided focus on putting up TURF's HQ. More importantly Paul takes this time to spend time with his family, being a father to his daughter and a stalwart husband to his wife. From the streets of SF to the sonic foundries of his homeland, PK has managed to stay true the course. He may not acknowledge the title of leader, but his personal traits, his accolades, and his overall persona has won the hearts of countless in the community. He may not wear an all white attire with a golden yellow tie, but PIKASO will surely make you stand up and sing; as if on cue.