- Rapper-songwriter John Roa explains his reasons why he decided to leave Ex Battalion.
- The newest Viva artist clarified that he left the group before their hit song “Hayaan Mo Sila” was released.
Rapper-songwriter John Roa clarified that he left the hip-hop group Ex Battalion before the song “Hayaan Mo Sila” was released. In an interview with PEP.ph, the newest Viva artist explained his reason behind his decision to be a solo artist.
“I tried to blend in by studying hip-hop R&B hanggang napag-usapan namin, kalagitnaan ng 2017, nasabi ko na gusto kong mag-explore sa music ko. Gusto ko naman na makilala ng ibang tao kung ano pa yung kaya kong gawin sa music ko.”
“Napag-usapan namin na mag-leave ako by August 2017, pero naging public siya nung December. Okey naman po kami, pero hindi na siya yung bond na nangyayari before. Kasi, as a group, hindi lang music yung ginagawa namin, may friendship din na nangyayari, so hindi na siya tulad nang dati. Pero when it comes to our music at pag-support sa isa’t isa, nandoon pa rin,” he clarified.
John denied the issue that he decided to leave the group for him to be known as a solo artist under Viva Records.
“Sabi nila, yung pag-alis ko sa group, dahil gusto ko na makilala na solo, hindi po. Gusto ko lang makilala ng tao yung totoong music ko, yung gusto ko,” he clarified.
John also clarified that his mother is not the reason on why he had to leave the hip-hop group.
“Ang nangyari po, naging isyu yung sa mom ko, personal issue nila ng head ng group, pero wala siyang koneksiyon sa pag-leave ko. Yung parents ko po kasi, before kasi ng ‘Hayaan Mo Sila,’ yung songs ng Ex Battalion, mostly lustful,” he said.
“I was sixteen years old that time, but I needed to blend in. Yung parents ko, yung family sa Cebu, wala silang nagawa. Tinatanong ako bakit ganoon yung songs ko. Naging kagustuhan ko na rin kasi, as an influence, nandoon ako sa group, I needed to study. Wala talaga akong idea when it comes to the underground world na hip-hop, so I needed to study that. Sumama ako sa kanila, sumabay ako sa kanila, sa mga ginagawa nila, sa kasuotan, lahat,” he added.
