MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Spotify KALYE is back at this year’s Wish Music Awards, spotlighting the unstoppable rise of Pinoy Hip-Hop. This year, the KALYE stage honors Hev Abi as the Spotify KALYE Artist of the Year. With his spontaneous creative process and lyrics that pay homage to his Quezon City roots, Hev Abi shows how artists can redefine Pinoy Hip-Hop with an authentic sound.
“Babaero”, a track in collaboration with fellow rapper gins&melodies, also took home the title Spotify KALYE Song of the Year. The track earned the highest number of Spotify streams for a Pinoy Hip-Hop act in 2024.
The appetite for Pinoy Hip-Hop continues to grow with streams for the genre increasing by 137% locally. KALYE, home to the best of Pinoy Hip-Hop, is at the forefront of this momentum. With a playlist ecosystem spanning Bago sa KALYE dedicated to new releases, KALYE Gs for classic tracks that defined the genre, and KALYE Mixtape that features curated tracks by Hip-Hop cultural movers and shakers, KALYE has become a destination for artists to grow their audiences and hip-hop fans to experience the rich culture and deepen connections with their favorite artists.
Spotify’s latest data reveals that Hev Abi is leading the charge for Pinoy Hip-Hop. Flow G, Al James, and Skusta Clee are also genre trailblazers, showcasing the diverse pool of talents paving the way forward for Pinoy Hip-Hop.
Reflecting on how Spotify has helped him grow his fanbase over the past year, Hev Abi says, “Nakakatulong [ang Spotify] sa mga artist kasi [kaming mga artist] ang gusto lang naman namin ay mapakalat yung music namin, maraming makarinig ng mga ginagawa namin [at] maraming makarelate – so Spotify ‘yung gumigitna or nagiging way para magawa namin ‘yun.”
Spotify KALYE and Wish’s longstanding partnership underscores the importance of providing a stage for Filipino hip-hop artists. From the first-ever series of KALYE concerts in 2023 to 2024’s one-of-a-kind Wish Bus collaboration and kicking off this year’s performance, Pinoy Hip-Hop continues to bring its energizing creativity to more fans. Discover the best of Pinoy Hip-Hop on KALYE today and follow @spotifyph on social media for updates.
