Asia
Watch Malaysia’s Hip Hop heritage unfold with SonaOne & Ryan Matjeraie
An ode to all the OGs & current stars of Malaysian Hip Hop
Hip Hop turned 50 this year, and everyone has been celebrating its unwavering glory since. Although Asian Hip Hop is still relatively young compared to where it all began in New York, it still has a storied history.
On September 16, the Malaysian rapper SonaOne, alongside radio host Ryan Matjeraie, dropped a tribute to the history of Malaysian Hip Hop throughout its many years – paying homage to the pioneers of its bubbling scene, as well as dropping nods to its current stars via a medley.
The video kicks off with the duo singing the hook of KRU’s ‘Fanatik’ from 1997, while its original music video plays in the background. They’re dressed in leather jackets, imitating the look of the trio in its music video. Poetic Ammo’s 2000 anthem ‘Money Money’ came next, with the duo slickly putting on sweatbands and chains. That’s a recurring theme throughout the entirety of the skit, they’re dressed in line with the featured track’s music videos.
Reshmonu’s ‘Hey Waley’ then entered the fray, along with a hilarious cameo from the MC himself and his son. After which the legendary 2003 collaboration between Too Phat [Joe Flizzow and Malique] and Warren G came into play – “It's kinda easy when you listen to the G`d up sound/A little bit of Hip Hop will make the world go round,” every Malaysian Hip Hop head has that hook living rent free in their head.
From here on out, present stars in the game were given their flowers, as tracks from Aman RA, K-Clique and Alyph, FORCEPARKBOIS, and even SonaOne himself were played. The skit then culminates with Too Phat’s ‘Anak Ayam’, which is one of the duo’s biggest hits.
At this point, SonaOne is sporting the Malaysian football team jersey while Ryan reps his hometown, Sarawak, with Sarawak FA’s 2014 jersey. A montage also plays out, shouting out the illest female MCs in Mizz Nina, Arabyrd, Zamaera, Bunga, Hullera, Sophia Liana, Yunohoo, Kayda, and Sya. Altimet, a rapper and politician appears at the very end of the video, sitting in the director’s chair and asks them to run it one more time from the top.
Watch the skit below.