Freddie’s monkey business
by: Edgar O. Cruz | STIR Editor (Chief Agitator)
13 Jul 2009 | 10:33 AM

STIR thinks Freddie Aguilar calling Regine Velasquez and Charice as monkeys and referring to Gary Valenciano as a Michael Jackson imitator show lack of understanding about the issue. For sure, they were intended to call attention to himself and his newly opened Ka Freddie’s Music Bar and Restaurant. 

Gary and Arnel Pineda—even if Freddie did not refer to him as such—were correct in reacting to Freddie’s putdown. It was also correct Regine and Charice did not react as it would have dignified Freddie’s accusation.

It was never proven Mariah Carey referred to Pinoy singers as “monkeys” or “brown monkeys.” If Freddie’s definition of monkey is imitating the songs of other singers, not only Pinoy singers are monkeys but most singers, from Elvis Presley to the Beatles. Imitation comes in many forms, not only doing the songs of other artists. 

Imitation is popular music is the topic of my book, “The Beatles: Extraordinary Plagiarists.” It traces how the Beatles started copying the songs of Black American artists. I called them not as monkeys but as White Negroes. White Negroes are White singers who imitate Black singers.

Freddie is known to be an outspoken person. He speaks his mind which makes him not a Pinoy type. But is he really serious in suggesting Charice should have done a Pinoy song at Oprah Winfrey’s show? If she did, Charice would have not mattered to Oprah’s global audience. 

Perhaps he wanted Charice to do Pilita Corales’ “Dahil Sa “Yo” instead of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing?” Funny suggestion! It was necessary for Charice to do a familiar English hit song so identification that she’s world class at her young age could be established fast.

Singers do other singers’ materials not to imitate but as a matter of convenience. Many start doing it that way because they are available materials they could start with. They have a tendency to interpret them in the manner of the original singer’s style. But that’s understandable. Didn’t Nat King Cole sing “Dahil Sa Yo” when he was already a made singer during a concert in the Philippines?

As you can see, singers have different reasons of their own in doing other singers’ materials. Freddie was wrong in making an issue out of Regine, Charice and Gary’s cases. Not all singers have the talent of composing their songs like him but even he used other artist’s materials. Didn’t he copy “Bayan Ko” from Florante? What’s the big deal? 

In a globalized and multi-cultural world, mixing of cultures cannot be avoided. We have adapted a borderless mind and anything in between are considered as mindset. There are no longer “pure” artists and being nationalistic such as what Freddie desires is considered as ethnicity. In other words, Freddie’s mindset is outmoded.

Having called attention to himself and his Ka Freddie’s Music Bar and Restaurant, it looks more like monkey business for Freddie Aguilar.