Rapper and singer-songwriter Skusta Clee has joined the red carpet of the first-ever Filipino Music Awards, held on October 21 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

In an interview with Billboard Philippines, the “Kalimutan Ka” hitmaker opened up about being nominated for his ballad as a hip-hop artist and being recognized for a song that shows a completely different side of him.

“Iba din sa feeling kasi napakita ko na yung side ko na meron akong ganun talaga. Actually dati ko pa naman talagang gusto yung mga alternative rock na kanta or any kind of rock. Masaya na natanggap rin nila na gumagawa rin ako ng ganun kahit na nagsimula ako sa hip-hop” (It’s also a different feeling because I’ve shown the side of me that I really have. Actually, I used to really like alternative rock songs or any rock. I’m happy that they accepted that I was doing that, even though I started in hip-hop), he says.

“Well, yun din naman talaga naging way ko para makagawa ng sarili kong records, yung hip-hop. Ayun, nagagawa ko na maging free. Feeling ko gagawa pa ako nang maraming ganun.” (Well, that was also my way of making my own records — hip-hop. Well, I’m able to be free. I feel like I’ll do more of that).

The first-ever Filipino Music Awards brings together the OPM industry’s biggest artists and influential figures, honoring their contributions to the wider industry at large, presenting a total 20 honors across five major categories and is organized by Modern Media Group Inc. — home to renowned global titles such as Billboard Philippines, Rolling Stone Philippines, Nylon Manila, and Robb Report Philippines — and produced by AGC Power Holdings Corp.