Philippine pop-rapper
H-Bom first appeared in 1997 with the album Buhay. Despite his ominous moniker,
H-Bom was rather tame. Rapping predominantly in English, his music recalled such American pop-rap crossovers as
Will Smith,
Young MC, or
Shaggy without the reggae influence.
H-Bom's sophomore release, Pwede Ba?, appeared in 1998;
D' Real Side followed in 1999. The album continued in the same vein established by
H-Bom's earlier material, with the rapper spinning non-threatening rhymes and occasionally singing. Like many Philippine pop stars,
H-Bom avoided any hard edges on his material in order to cater to the largest audience possible. ~ Johnny Loftus