Waiian Either Dies a Hero or Lives Long Enough to Be 'Lods'

Is there a better way to die than at the hands of your favorite rapper? In his defense, Pablo Santos, better known as Waiian, is used to driving motorcycles, not four-wheelers. I was squeezed in the backseat between his girlfriend and friend as he drove in curvy lines, recounting how excited he was that another friend let him borrow the car.

- By Andrea Panaligan

We had just spent a sweltering afternoon in Luneta talking about his latest album "Backshots," released in March. Its nine tracks are both silly and sharp, but all ultimately Waiian—the result of finally learning to balance who he truly is and what he wants to be in front of the world.

"It's the best thing I've done in my whole life," he said. In front of us, a set of statues recreated Jose Rizal's execution. The 27-year-old rapper flashed a cheeky smile. "The very historical 'backshot.'"

The album name was made to warrant double-takes. "The joker guy in me says, 'Tawagin mong "Backshots" para 'pag ininterview ka, g*guhin mo, sabihin mo revenge of the writer' to for Jose Rizal," he explained. But this is the revenge of Waiian, too: while his intention of making listeners think remains unchanged, he switched out his longer verses and complex metaphors for simpler language and catchier production.

While his previous album, 2023's "Weyaat?", took two years, "Backshots" was finished in three months. This was partly because he wanted to release it in time for the Wanderland Arts and Music Festival earlier this year, but also because he knew exactly what he wanted to say this time around. "Di ako tulad ng ibang artist na I have to put out music every month to stay relevant, kasi na-discover ko sa simula pa lang na there's a secret ingredient I put in my music na never malalaos. That ingredient is truth," Waiian said. "Damn! Napa-damn ako d'on ah."

It's typical for songwriters to pull from their own lives, but there's an emotional vulnerability in Waiian's oeuvre not often seen in his hip-hop peers. When he started making music, he admitted his first goal was to be a "role model to children." "I was f**king 19 years old (when I started)! It's a hoax, I'm not Jesus. Sobrang dami ring f*cked up sa'kin at kailangan kong sabihin sa mundo 'yon if I really want to be speaking of the truth."