- Ai-Ai delas Alas officially announced to the public her resignation as talent manager of Ex B.
- According to her, she just waited for the film S.O.N.S. to be shown and eventually decided to let go of the group after.
- It was due to disrespect and some of the group members’ stubbornness and being hard-headed that compelled her to make such crucial decision.
On May 15, Ai-Ai de las Alas during an afternoon gathering with selected traditional (both print and TV) and digital media, she finally blurted out the bomb she has been trying to drop a long time ago that was her disassociation from the Filipino hip hop collective group called Ex Battalion. She officially revealed that she is resigning as Ex B’s talent manager.
She began by saying that ‘honesty is the best policy’ and the ‘truth will set us free’.
“Di ko na kaya ang stress. Di ko na kaya ang mga ginagawa nila,” shares delas Alas as somewhat a peek to what she has gone through in being the manager of the said group. “Ayaw ko nang madamay in case meron silang mga gagawin ulit na mga hindi maganda sa career nila, kaya magku-quit na ako para tahimik na rin ang buhay ko at hindi na ako ma-stress.”
Someone from the press asked it the group is a bunch of stubborn or hard-headed individuals, but Ai-Ai was quick to clarify that not all of the members.
“Actually hindi naman lahat. Si James (James ‘Brando’ Samonte) is okay. Si Rhenn (Emcee Rhenn) is okay din paminsan-minsan. Si Jon okay yung pagka-professional niya sa pagta-trabaho yung lovelife lang niya ang medyo may problema, but still wala naman akong pakialam pag tungkol sa private nilang buhay. Ang akin yung professionalism and how they treat people, how they treat me. Kung paano nila ako tratuhin yun yung sa akin.
She further reveals that it’s the way the group treats her, “Minsan walang respeto. Hindi nila ako sinusunod.”
It’s been long-standing speculation that she really wanted to let go of the group, but since she and the boys (Ex B) still has a film (S.O.N.S.) with Viva, out of decency she waited. Since the movie was already released, she thought the right time has come for her to bid farewell and severe her ties with them.
Her contract with Ex B as a talent manager is two years, but she couldn’t wait for the contract to expire and had to cut it short only for a year and two months.
She cited instances where she had to troubleshoot the damages that the group has given her in the past. She remembered that she, the producer and the road manager of the group were all problematic because of their no-show attitude.
One time, a member didn’t want to go to a gig because he wanted to buy gold and dye his hair, the other two weren’t able to wake up early so they were not able to catch up the flight. Only three were remained in the group. The good thing was that, there was still another show the following day and the remaining three were able to perform instead.
“Nahihiya rin ako sa mga tao na nau-oohan ko tapos biglang ayaw na nila.”
The last straw she had to endure for the group was when they decided not to proceed in performing at the last grand rally of senatorial candidate Bong Go. According to her, Daryl Borja Ruiz, known professionally as Skusta Clee, didn’t want to take part in the gig then another member Mark Maglasang as Bosx1ne also disappeared and quit the group.
Now that she is closing a chapter of her talent manager’s journey, the one thing that she gained from the experience was primarily stress. Then she was in the verge of breaking down.
“At least nakatulong ako sa kanila,” she points the act she did for the group (this time she bursts into tears.
“Yun naman ang parati kong sinasabi sa kanila. Lahat nang ginagawa ko para sa inyo. Wala akong ginagawa para sa sarili ko.
“Modesty aside, 30 years na ako in the business Alam ko na ang ins and outs. Alam ko na ang mali at kung alin ang tama.”
What really devastated her was the way the group has given her the unnecessary stress, how they talk back to her, disrespecting her and even their road manager.
After all the things she went through, Ai-Ai admitted that she regretted her decision in handling the group.
“Lumapit sila sa akin para tulungan ko sila.”
