Masta Plann

The Philippine hip-hop duo Masta Plann is comprised of Johnny "Tha Nontypical One" Luna and Butch "Supa Flip" Velez, who has also been known as Tracer One in the past. The duo has also been affiliated with DJ M.O.D. (real name: Noel Macanoya). The crew first appeared with 1992's Masta Plann. Released through Universal Philippines, the album established the crew as boasters of the highest order, content to emulate the chest thumping and territory marking of U.S. West Coast rap, while keeping the beats decidedly less extreme. Way of the Plann followed in 1994, and Masta Plann returned to the Philippine hip-hop scene in 2000 with MastaPlann.com. Of course, the album was bursting at the seams with boastful rhetoric from Tha Nontypical and Supa Flip -- the two MCs did so much bragging that they even alienated some fans who took issue with their hiatus, as well as their album's title, which some labeled a cheap shot at legitimacy in the age of the Internet. Musically, the album broke no new ground. The Masta Plann did score a hit, however, with "Crowd Pleazer," a rousing anthem based on a sample from Jean Knight's "Mr. Big Stuff." Lyrically, the song described -- wait for it -- the incredible greatness of Masta Plann. Nontypical One and Supa Flip -- humble to the end. ~ Johnny Loftus