Nik Makino, Singer of "Neneng B," Has a New Album and It's More Wholesome

Photo / @nikmakino on Instagram

It’s safe to say that reactions were very mixed when Nik Makino’s song “Neneng B” came out in 2019. On one hand, there were those who loved it and propelled it to become a viral sensation. In fact, Google included “Neneng B” in its list of the top search queries made by Filipinos in 2019 under the Songs and Lyrics category.

On the other hand, there were those who found it offensive. The Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), a group founded by National Artist for Films Lino Brocka, said on Facebook: the song “reinforces the idea that women exist to be fetishized for male pleasure. Sadly, many musicians in our community, mostly cisgender heterosexual males, have chosen to tread this well-worn path of toxic and fragile masculinity.”

Now, Nik Makino is back with a new album and it’s the complete opposite of “Neneng B.”

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It’s called HYPE ONE’S, a three-part album with lyrics inspired by his self-reflection and his innermost thoughts. Here, he shares his journey from being Mr. Neneng B to becoming a family man and an influential artist.

Compared to his previous albums Most Needed Mixtape, Now I Know, Love Lust Lies Mixtape, and It’s Nik Mixtape, HYPE ONE’S has a more laidback sound and beat. Here, you’ll see songs highlighting his beginnings, paying it forward, and expressing his gratitude to his fans.

So what made Nik Makino decide to switch from his suggestive lyrics?

He did it for his young daughter and so that he can play his music in front of his family.

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Makino said, “I want my fans and listeners to know me better aside sa fact na I’m the man behind the song ‘Lexi’ and ‘Neneng B.’ I want them to see that Nik Makino is more than those two hit tracks which paved my way in the local hip-hop music scene. This time, I want more people to relate and connect with my songs in a more positive manner, basing it on my own self-realization and experiences.”

HYPE ONE’S is divided into three parts with an overarching theme for each. The second set is made up of messages for his haters, but it’s not made up of diss tracks. Instead of fighting back, the songs here are motivational and encourage listeners to not listen to them. The last set is about love.

Makino’s songs are personally crafted by the musician himself and he collaborated with fellow artists like Flow G, Shao Lin, A. Ross, and Dash Calzado.

The singer and rapper is intentional in HYPE ONE’S – by sharing his journey from being Mr. “Neneng B” to now being a father, a partner, and an artist with an influence over his fans. Makino wants to inspire his fans and other aspiring artists to continue the hustle, be creative, stay consistent, and work towards the perfect timing. Paying it forward and expressing his gratitude, Makino presents HYPE ONE’S as an album about his fans, for his fans.

Listen to HYPE ONE’s here.