(Note: This article was posted two days before Francis Magalona celebrated his 44th birthday last October 4, 2008.)

From his youthful looks, not many may be aware that master rapper Francis Magalona is already celebrating his 44th birthday this October 4.

It has been more than two decades since local showbiz has had the privilege of Francis's genius.

For the thirthysomething and up, he would be remembered as the breakdancer in his batch in That's Entertainment—the same show that popularized other big names today, like Lea Salonga, Janno Gibbs and Ruffa Gutierrez.

Francis in the early days was known as that cute guy with the cool moves in films like Bagets 2 (1984) and Ninja Kids (1986). He gained mild popularity, alongside many other young celebrities.

But in1990, he broke out of the teensy-cutesy mold and became quite the trendsetter. And how!

Francis Magalona reinvented the local music scene and catapulted to mainstream the rap genre via his mega-hit Mga Kababayan. It was in 1990, included in his first album Yo!, when the single awakened the rapper-lover in every Filipino, as well as their patriotic inclinations.

The lyrics, "Mga kababayan ko, dapat lang malaman n'yo, bilib ako sa kulay ko, ako ay Pilipino'" became so popular that the line could have been added to our national anthem, Lupang Hinirang, and nobody would have howled in protest. That song made Francis Magalona firmly established in the local music scene.

The son of silver-screen giants, Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran, many were banking on Francis to make it big like his parents. His dad and mom were known as good dancers and actors—true performers, undoubtedly—during their time.

And Francis did not disappoint.

Eventually known as Francis M or, simply Kiko, his Yo! was followed by 1992's Rap is FrancisM. The album was later hailed as one of the greatest Pinoy rap albums ever produced. It included hits like Mga Praning, Halalan, and Tayo'y Mga Pinoy.

Kiko also came out with an album in 1993, Meron Akong Ano! and FreeMan in 1995. In 1996, his single, Kaleidoscope World won the Awit Award's Best Produced Record of the Year. After that, there was really no looking back for the Man from Manila—another of Francis's tags.

Other projects included: Happy Battle (1996), The Oddventures of Mr. Cool (1998), Interscholastic (1999), Freeman 2 (2001), The Best of Francism (2002), and Pambihira Ka Pinoy (a 2004 single).

What makes Francis's celebrity distinct is the fact that his songs express fervent love for country. His songs overflow with devotion to the Pinoy identity, as in his ardent revival of Heber Bartolome's Tayo'y Mga Pinoy. A line goes: "Tayo'y hindi Kano, huwag kang mahihiya kung ang ilong mo ay pango." Adding a mainstream touch to it, Kiko's music magic is truly astounding.

His magic extends to other forms.