Abra (rapper) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Abra
Abra performing in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Raymond Abracosa
Born	(1990-12-02) December 2, 1990 (age 34) Pasig, Philippines
Genres	Hip hop alternative hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper actor
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2012–present (as solo artist)
Labels	Artifice Records Sony Music Philippines

Raymond Abracosa (born December 2, 1990), known to many as Abra, is a famous Filipino rapper and occasional actor. He became very popular with his song "Gayuma". The music video for "Gayuma" got over 26 million views on YouTube, which was the highest number for a local artist at that time! Before becoming a mainstream star, Abra was already well-known as a battle emcee in the FlipTop Battle League.

Early Life and School

Raymond Abracosa was born on December 2, 1990, in Pasig, Philippines. His father was a professor, but his mother didn't play any musical instruments. Even without a musical background in his family, Abra found his passion for music. By the time he was 23, he had already started his own music company called Artifice Records.

Abra went to high school at Colegio de San Agustin. After that, he studied at the University of Asia and the Pacific in Ortigas Center. He earned a degree in Management from there.

Abra's Music Journey

Starting with LDP

Abra's music career began in 2010 when he joined a Pinoy hip hop group called Lyrically Deranged Poets, or LDP. He also started competing in the FlipTop Battle League as "Abra."

LDP released their first independent album, The Project, in 2009. They even had a big concert at the famous Music Museum in 2010. LDP won the Best Urban Group award at the Urban Music Awards in both 2010 and 2011. Their music video for "Here to Own It" was even shown on the TV channel myx and made it onto the music charts.

Becoming a Rap Battle Star

When the FlipTop Battle League and Sunugan rap battle leagues started in 2010, Abra was one of the first to compete. He quickly became famous for his rap battles. After several intense battles, Abra was seen as one of the top rappers in Filipino rap battling.

He impressed both viewers and other artists with his strong lyrics and clever actions. Many of his rap battle videos on YouTube have millions of views. Soon, Abra was performing on live television, radio shows, and at different events all over the country.

Mainstream Success

In 2013, Abra and his company, Artifice Records, signed a big deal with Ivory Music & Video. He released his first solo album, Abra, across the country on February 21, 2014.

Abra also won the 'Best Music on YouTube Award' for his YouTube Channel, 'Abra TV', at the 2013 Globe Tatt Awards. He worked with actress and singer Maja Salvador on her song "Halika Na" in 2014. Later that year, he released the music video for his hit song "Diwata", which featured Chito Miranda from the band Parokya ni Edgar.

In 2016, the music video for his song "Cerberus", which featured Loonie and Ron Henley, won the Best Music Video Award at the Myx Music Awards 2016.

Music Releases

Albums

• Abra – his first solo album (released February 21, 2014)

Group Albums

• The Project (with Lyrically Deranged Poets) (2009)

Popular Songs (Singles)

• "Gayuma" (featuring Thyro Alfaro and Jeriko Aguilar) (2012)
• "Alab ng Puso" (theme song of Juan dela Cruz)
• "Ilusyon" (featuring Arci Muñoz) (2013)
• "Cerberus" (featuring Loonie and Ron Henley) (2014)
• "Diwata" (featuring Chito Miranda) (2014)
• "Dedma" (featuring Julie Anne San Jose) (2014)

TV and Movie Appearances

Abra has appeared on many popular TV shows as a guest performer or judge, including The Voice of the Philippines (season 2), ASAP, and It's Showtime. He also co-hosted the show iConnect on PTV 4.

He has also acted in a few movies:

• Boy Pick-Up: The Movie (he played himself in a small role)
• Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles (as Benjie)
• Respeto (as Hendrix)

Awards and Recognitions

Abra has won several awards for his music and videos.

Images for kids

• Gayuma.jpg

  The official cover for Abra's hit song "Gayuma"