Born Francis Magalona, he's also known for incorporating aspects of his Philippine patriotism (stretching centuries into the past) in his music. The music of Francis M is adventurous and well performed and, though quite different from American rap, does achieve international standards. Though his recordings have never received Western distribution, he's been releasing popular records in his homeland since his debut on the OctoArts label in the early '90s. He came to regional prominence with his stint for BMG Philippines during the late '90s. His best wrap-up is a greatest-hits collection released in 2002 by Musiko. ~ David Gonzales