[WATCH] Rappler Live Jam: Datu’s Tribe

Catch Datu's Tribe live at 8 pm

Datu’s Tribe began at the University of the Philippines Los Banos, where it would form, in their own words “in the aftermath of a controversial college band competition in the late 80s. From there, the band would rise to be among the top outfits during the Philippine “alternative rock explosion” of the 1990s, known for a sound that was heavier than most alternative bands at the time, and for often humorous lyricism.

The band has three albums, Galit Kami Sa Baboy (1995), Fat Burner (2005) , and Whoa Pilipinas (2007).

Just recently, the band celebrated its 30th anniversary at the 70s Bistro graced by contemporaries, the WUDS, Urban Bandits, Plagpul, Grin Department, Lady I, Coffeebreak Island, Color It Red, and The Jerks.

In 2025, the band plans to release a new album, teasing a new song called “Annabelle Muerte, Doctor of Dental Surgery” (DDS).

The band doesn’t hide under metaphors, clearly stating in the video’s description what DDS means.

“The term DDS is used in both a medical context (as a degree earned under dental medicine) and a socio-political one as it relates to the Duterte regime’s brutal ‘war on drugs’ campaign.

The line, ‘Parang awa niyo na, may exam pa po ako bukas,‘ (translation: ‘Show some mercy, please. I still have a [school] exam tomorrow)’ is a reference to the final words of Kian de los Santos, a 17 year-old teenager, before being murdered by Philippine National Police officers conducting an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City. Kian’s death was just one of thousands of other victims of extrajudicial killings perpetrated under the Duterte administration.”

Catch the band live at 8 pm, by bookmarking this page. – Rappler.com