{{Short description|Filipino rapper and songwriter}} {{about||the British bassist|Al James (bassist)}} {{Use Philippine English|date=April 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Al James | image = Al James Animusika 2024.jpg | image_upright = | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = Al James in 2024 | birth_name = Alvin James P. Manlutac | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|08|19}} | birth_place = Philippines | origin = | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date first) --> | death_place = | genre = {{hlist|[[Pinoy hip hop]]|[[Alternative hip hop]]|[[Trap music|Trap]]}} | occupation = {{hlist|[[Rap artist]]|[[musician]]|[[songwriter]]}} | instrument = [[Vocals]] | years_active = 2016–present | label = | associated_acts = {{hlist|[[Gloc-9]]|[[Shanti Dope]]|Zelijah|Lola Amour|Blutop}} | website = }} '''Alvin James P. Manlutac''' (born August 19, 1991), known professionally as '''Al James''', is a Filipino rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known for his songs "Pahinga", "Pa-Umaga" and "Latina".
==Career== Al James graduated with a degree in fine arts and design at the [[University of Santo Tomas]]. He became involved in hip-hop where he met his collaborators, collectively known as "Baryo Berde Atbp", there. The group now has 11 members.<ref>{{cite news |title=Crossover King |url= https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/supreme/2018/06/09/1822779/crossover-king|accessdate=July 9, 2018 |work=The Philippine Star}}</ref>
His exposure increased with the release of "Ngayong Gabi", collecting over 25 million views in 18 months. He was praised by ''Highsnobiety'' for "his syrupy flow and purple imagery make for a chill counterpoint to the chaos of life in this dense megacity".<ref>{{cite web |title=10 Filipino Rappers You Need to Know |url=https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/10-filipino-rappers-to-know/ |website=Highsnobiety |accessdate=July 9, 2018}}</ref> He has crossed over from underground to mainstream as his song "Ngayong Gabi" reached #1 on [[DWAV|Wave 89.1]]'s primetime hit in December 2017. So far,{{when|date=April 2022}} he is not signed with any record label.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet Al James, the crossover hip-hop phenom with a penchant for thirst |url=http://youngstar.philstar.com/meet-al-james-crossover-hip-hop-phenom-penchant-thirst/ |website=Youngstar |accessdate=July 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709123627/http://youngstar.philstar.com/meet-al-james-crossover-hip-hop-phenom-penchant-thirst/ |archive-date=July 9, 2018 }}</ref> According to an interview with ''[[FHM]]'', one of his hip-hop contemporaries he follows is [[Shanti Dope]]. He was paid to remix his own single "Pahinga" by [[McDonald's Philippines|McDonald's]] for their Summer Desserts advertisement campaign entitled "Palamig Ka Muna".<ref>{{cite news |title=The FHM Field Guide: We Check Out Suez & Zapote With Al James |url=https://www.fhm.com.ph/style-grooming/fashion/the-fhm-field-guide-we-check-out-suez-zapote-with-al-james-a20-20180630 |accessdate=July 9, 2018 |work=FHM}}<br>- {{cite news |last=Aguilera |first=John Paulo |title=The Low-Key Hip-Hop Genius Of Al James |url=https://www.fhm.com.ph/pop-culture/music/the-low-key-hip-hop-genius-of-al-james-a127-20180618-lfrm2 |accessdate=July 9, 2018 |work=FHM}}</ref>
Following the release of the music video for "Ngayong Gabi", which was premiered on [[Myx]], he was named as the Myx Featured Artist for October 2018.
==Discography== ===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+'''List of singles, showing year released, selected chart positions, and associated albums''' ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! colspan="1" scope="col"| Peak chart position ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |- ! scope="col" style="font-size:90%; width:3.5em" | [[Philippine Hot 100|PHL]]<br><ref>Peak charts at Philippines Hot 100:
* ''Pa-Umaga'': {{Cite web |title=Philippines Hot 100 (Week of July 6, 2024) |url=https://billboardphilippines.com/chart/philippines-hot-100/07-02-2024/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703093531/https://billboardphilippines.com/chart/philippines-hot-100/07-02-2024/ |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=[[Billboard Philippines]] |language=en-PH}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | "Pahinga" | 2016 | — | rowspan="6" {{n/a|Non-album single}} |- ! scope="row" | "Ngayong Gabi" | 2017 | — |- ! scope="row" | "Pa-Umaga" | 2018 | 94 |- ! scope="row" | "Latina" | 2019 | — |- ! scope="row" | "Repeat" | 2020 | — |- ! scope="row" | "PSG" | 2022 | — |- |colspan="4" style="font-size:8pt" | <big>"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.</big> |}
=== As featured artist === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+'''List of singles, showing year released, selected chart positions, and associated albums''' ! rowspan="2" |Title ! rowspan="2" |Year !Peak chart position ! rowspan="2" |Album |- ![[Philippine Hot 100|PHL]]<br><ref>Peak charts at Philippines Hot 100:
* {{Cite web |title=Philippines Hot 100 (Week of July 6, 2024) |url=https://billboardphilippines.com/chart/philippines-hot-100/07-02-2024/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703093531/https://billboardphilippines.com/chart/philippines-hot-100/07-02-2024/ |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=[[Billboard Philippines]] |language=en-PH}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" |"Outthrow!" <small>(with [[Shanti Dope]])</small> |2017 |— |''Shanti Dope'' |- ! scope="row" |"Lagi" <small>(with [[Gloc-9]])</small> | rowspan="3" |2018 |— |''[[Tulay (EP)|Tulay]]'' |- ! scope="row" |"Soju" <small>(with Austin Lee)</small> |— | rowspan="3" {{n/a|Non-album single}} |- ! scope="row" |"Iladnasanwakan" <small>(with [[Ron Henley (rapper)|Ron Henley]])</small> |— |- ! scope="row" |"Ilalim No. 1" <small>(with Jim P)</small> |2019 |— |- ! scope="row" |"Madali" <small>(with [[Lola Amour]])</small> |2022 |— |''The Lunchtime Special'' |- ! scope="row" |"[[Gusto (song)|Gusto]]" <small>(with [[Zack Tabudlo]])</small> |2023 |88 |''3rd Time's a Charm'' |- ! scope="row" | "Tequila Rose" (with Hellmerry) | rowspan="3" |2024 |41 | rowspan="3" {{n/a|Non-album single}} |- ! scope="row" |"Yoko Na" <small>(with [[Josh Cullen (musician)|Josh]] of [[SB19]])</small> |— |- ! scope="row" | "Kunan Mong Pic" <small>(with O Side Mafia and BRGR)</small> |22 |- | colspan="4" |"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. |}
==See also== *[[Filipino hip hop]] *[[Shanti Dope]] *[[List of Filipino hip hop artists]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Al}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Filipino rappers]] [[Category:21st-century Filipino male singers]] [[Category:1991 births]] [[Category:University of Santo Tomas alumni]] [[Category:21st-century rappers]]