After a whirlwind few years that have seen his effervescent and irrepressible brand of rap go viral, Hev Abi is one of a clutch of rule-breaking artists riding a new wave of creativity in Pinoy hip-hop. Born in Quezon City, the artist also known as Gabriel Abilla followed family tradition in becoming a musician—but forged his own path by crafting sophisticated bars and beats on early records such as Kwentong Jimenez and Sakred Boy. In 2023, his single “Welcome2dtq” became a sleeper hit, racking up more than a million streams, and since, he’s become one of the Philippines’ hottest musical properties, with a rave-reviewed studio album, Kung Alam Mo Lang, that explores romantic love and the power of friendships through a slew of big-hitting collaborations. Here, we present his essential tracks, and talk to him about his musical journey so far in an exclusive interview with Apple Music. Can you take us through the transition from your life before music and how you first became involved with it? “I’ve always wanted to rap—even back when I was in school, when I had jobs. I had a girlfriend who gave me my first mic and, yeah, that’s how it all started—[before the] pandemic, 2019.” What drew you to it initially? “My parents are both musicians—my mother’s a singer, while my father was a drummer. They used to play a lot of music throughout my childhood, and I found the music [and the artists] fascinating, and I just wanted to be like them.” What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when you first started out in the music industry? How did you handle those setbacks? “Writer’s block—probably one of the biggest challenges which I still go through nowadays. How I overcome it? Honestly, I’d say I don’t. I just let time do its thing. Let things run their course. It’s all about timing.” Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that significantly impacted your journey as an artist? “I guess TikTok’s the simplest answer—witnessing my tracks go viral, seeing people enjoy the music that I make.” Was there ever a time when you or others doubted your path in music? How did you push through those doubts? “Yeah, for sure. I think everyone experiences feelings of doubt. For me, though, I haven’t doubted myself in a while just ’cause, I don’t know, I see the results. Back when I used to start doubting [my career], something would always happen that would, I don’t know, push me back on track or something. I remember there was a time that I felt so down [about my music] and I wanted to give up. The very next day, I woke up to a message from my brother saying: ‘We’re doing a shoot for “Walang Makapa”.’ Things like that, you know?” What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are trying to make it in the industry? “I’m not really sure ’cause I feel like each person has their own way of doing things that work for them. When something works for me, I don’t think it’s necessarily effective for everyone. But yeah, if I were to give advice, I’d say: ‘Keep swimming.’ Plain and simple.” What is your biggest dream or goal that you’re still striving to achieve? “I still have the same dreams; my goals when I started are still the same goals that I have now. Make good music, ride the wave. I just wanna do what I wanna do at any given moment.”