Hev Abi

Gabriel Abilla (born January 31, 2002), known professionally as Hev Abi, is a Filipino rapper from Quezon City. He gained popularity in 2023 with a string of successful singles, starting with the viral "WELCOME2DTQ". He also helped start the independent record label, Downtown Q Entertainment. In October, Hev Abi released his debut album Kung Alam Mo Lang. He appeared on three consecutive number one songs on Billboard’s Philippines Songs charts, including "Alam Mo Ba Girl" and "Babaero". Hev Abi's breakthrough is part of a wider peak in Filipino hip-hop's popularity caused by mainstream attention and streaming services.

Career

2020–2023: Early work and breakthrough Hev Abi's earliest release on Spotify was the 2020 single "Pusong Bato", which he followed with an extended play (EP) titled Kwentong Jimenez in 2021. In 2022, he released two more EPs, Pautang ng Pag-Ibig and Sakred Boy. Efn|Although Pautang ng Pag-Ibig and Sakred Boy are classified as albums on Spotify, Amassing millions of streams,

Hev Abi's newfound social media popularity earned him a string of successful singles, including "Para sa Streets", "QC Girls", and "Lil Kasalanan Shortie". He also helped start an independent record label, Downtown Q Entertainment, where he collaborates with other rappers. It has signed artists Kristina Dawn, gins&melodies, Unotheone, and Simmo, Rappler 's list of the year's breakthrough OPM acts, called Hev Abi "arguably one of the biggest", since all his 2023 releases had done well.

2023–present: Kung Alam Mo Lang, Maduming Timog, and commercial success On October 20, 2023, Hev Abi released his debut album, the twelve-track Kung Alam Mo Lang ("If Only You Knew"). Abi described the album as an outlet for his emotions after he went through several private, impactful events in the months before its release. On October 26, Kung Alam Mo Lang debuted as the 78th most-played OPM album on Spotify. It has been the most played for 16 consecutive weeks from January to May 2024. At least three songs from the album have entered Billboard 's Philippines Songs charts: "Alam Mo Ba Girl", which has been on it for 26 consecutive weeks; "Walang Alam"; and "Sumugal".

After Kung Alam Mo Lang, Hev Abi continued to release singles and collaborations, starting with R&B singer Demi, on "Pakundangan". In February 2024, The Philippine Star 's Baby A. Gil noticed that Pinoy hip-hop had taken over the country's music chartsand Hev Abi was at the forefront. On Spotify, where he had five of the Top 25 Philippine songs, Another song Abi featured on, "Babaero" by gins&melodies, was number one for the next five weeks. Gil thought modern Filipino rap sounded closer to pop music, "softer" and more "lovelorn". While he considered them serious competitors to Filipino pop, Gil questioned whether the rookie generation of rappers would "stand the test of time" as much as the classic rappers. His first headlining concert, Morato Most Wanted, was held in Quezon City's New Frontier Theater on the 28th. On August 23, 2024, Hev Abi released his fifth career project and mixtape, bahay namin maliit lamang, which consists of seven songs, including "pasulyap-sulyap" and "julie pakipot", with the latter being an interpolation of Eraserheads' single Ligaya.

On February 13, 2026, Hev Abi released his nineteen-track sophomore album Maduming Timog. The album was originally set for release on February 14, 2025, but was postponed indefinitely. One of the album's tracks, "ALL NIGHT LONG", was released as a single on January 16, 2026. On April 16, 2026, Hev Abi was arrested over unlawful possession of firearms.

Artistry Hev Abi was inspired to start making music by emulating his favorite rappers, including Kanye West and Tyler, the Creator. He pays tribute to his hometown, Quezon City, and his street, Tomas Morato Avenue, in his songs.

Discography

Studio albums

Kung Alam Mo Lang (2023) Maduming Timog (2026)

Singles

As lead artist + List of singles, showing year released, selected chart positions, and associated albums Title Year Peak chart positions Album PHL Songs PHL "Pusong Bato"2020—— "Lil Kasalanan Shortie"2022 7 51 "Di Na Saluhin" — — "Migpasayelo"—— "Para Sa Streets" 2023 18 70 "Welcome2DTQ" 20 — "Yung Totoo?"—— "Baan Poolview Freestyle"—— "Mossa Downtown"—— "Still"——Kung Alam Mo Lang "Burgis" (with Flow G) 20241414 "Kung Ika'y Sasaglit"—— "ALL NIGHT LONG"2026——Maduming Timog"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

As featured artist

Awards and nominations