Francis M.

Francis M., born Francis Magalona, was a pioneering Filipino rapper, singer, and entrepreneur widely credited as the artist who brought hip-hop into the Philippine musical mainstream. Emerging in the late 1980s and cementing his influence through the 1990s, he fused rap with Pinoy rock and OPM sensibilities, creating a distinctly Filipino take on hip-hop that opened the genre to a mass audience.

His catalogue includes landmark songs such as «Kaleidoscope World», «Mga Kababayan», and «Three Stars And A Sun», the latter reflecting his frequent engagement with themes of national identity and social commentary alongside lighter, playful party tracks. Known by monikers like Master Rapper and The Man From Manila, he became a defining voice of Philippine hip-hop and a reference point for the generations of Filipino rap and rock artists who followed.

Beyond music, Francis M. was active as a producer, actor, and entrepreneur, and his cultural impact extended well past his own discography — shaping how OPM absorbed hip-hop as a legitimate, homegrown genre rather than a foreign import. His death in 2009 was widely mourned in the Philippines, and he is remembered as one of the most influential figures in the country's contemporary music history.