Just in time for today's do-or-die game between the UP Fighting Maroons and the Adamson Soaring Falcons, UP alumnus and legendary rock icon Raimund Marasigan (Eraserheads, Sandwich, Pedicab, Assembly Generals, and more) surprised fans with a fresh hype track together with fellow UP alumni and rappers Rye (Sun Valley Crew, Music Colony, Uprising Records) and BLKD (Uprising Records) titled "Atin To!"



In less than 24 hours, the video has already garnered thousands of views and a thousand shares by the UP community.

Courtesy: UPIS Junior Fighting Maroons

This title definitely rings a bell for all the UAAP fans who witnessed the now-famous fearless forecast by UP's team captain Paul Desiderio, "Atin 'to! Papasok 'to!" before he made that historic game-winning three against the UST Growling Tigers last season.

"It was random. I was hanging out with Coach Bo (Perasol) in UP with my GF Erica (dela Cruz) and Mon (Punzalan). Rye saw it on IG and invited us to drop by his son's dorm in Katipunan where they were recording the track. It was a makeshift mobile recording studio with one mic and a laptop and a towel to diffuse the sound. They asked us to record some tracks and we were done in less than 30 minutes," Raimund shared how the serendipitous impromptu recording session happened, during our MYXclusive interview via Instagram (which was so cool, btw). Even BLKD chimed in and made light of their unconventional setup: "Hirit ko nga kanina, 'Kahit 'tong recording natin, very UP.'" Check out that sound-diffusing towel and the rest of their minimalist tools in the video below:

Thank goodness for this impromptu recording session yesterday, may magandang theme song na tayo today! #UPFight!!!



“ATIN ‘TO!” 👊❤️https://t.co/o0otwkFwVS pic.twitter.com/5VOurt3XDi — Rachel Jade ♡ (@RJ_delacruz) November 28, 2018

Rye, one of the pillars of old-school Pinoy hip hop who also produced and mixed the track, elaborated on how the unplanned collab came about: "Actually, pagdating nila sa kuwarto, akala nila tatambay lang kami. Biglang nagka-idea lang kami ni BLKD na pagawa kay Raims yung isang part." Their session was indeed very spontaneous and laid-back, even Raimund's girlfriend (also a UP alumna and basketball fan) ended up getting involved. "When we were leaving the unit, BLKD called us back 'cause they needed a female voice, so they asked Erica to dub several tracks," the Sandwich frontman added.

Mon Punzalan (Assembly Generals), Rye, Raimund Marasigan, and BLKD after recording "Atin 'To!" inside the dorm room of Rye's son Imman Armamento (3rd-year shooting guard of the UPIS Junior Fighting Maroons)

Conceptualized before UP's first Final Four win this season, the track aims to celebrate more than just wins. Rapper-producer Rye clarifies, "It's really not about celebrating the achievement. It's more of celebrating the life of the community and how it's full of energy right now." The song's author, BLKD, explained why he chose to focus not just on the basketball team but also on the whole community: "Hindi lang students at admin ang nagse-celebrate ng UP victories kundi kahit IKOT and TOKI drivers, residents, etc. Sinadya man ni Desiderio o hindi, sinaklaw ng sinabi niya ang kabuuan at kaakuhan (identity) ng UP—hindi lang sila basketball team, hindi lang tayo university, isa tayong community (literal na may barangays sa loob ng UP!)"

Asked whether or not they plan to add more verses to the 1-minute song in the future, Rye assured, "Yeah. May balak kaming gawin to a full song. Probably have Raims and myself do 1 verse each. Win or lose we'll make it into a full song."

For those wondering, Raimund confirmed he will once again be among his fellow Iskolars Ng Bayan today, cheering inside the sold-out Araneta Coliseum, watching the game live in support of the players and Coach Bo, who happens to be his dormmate—yup, they both stayed in the famed university dorms Kalayaan and Molave Residence Halls—and classmate at the College of Mass Communication.

While we wait for the ball toss at 3PM, get in the zone by singing along to the powerful, poetic lines of "Atin 'To!"

Sabay, sabay itaas ang kamao (4x)



Hakbang pasulong, mga pusong-pugon

Sa pula't bulong ay apoy ang tugon

Sunog ang bubong ng pagkakakulong

Ang bola'y bilog at ang buhay, gulong

Sumasalubong at sumasalungat

Ga'no man kalakas ang mga tumapat

Bawat pagsubok, aral na bakat

Bawat sablay, marka ng pag-angat

Kaya't muling nagpapakilala

Diwang pinanday ng pakikibaka

Pagkakaisa ng mga abilidad

'Di lang pangkat, kami ay komunidad



Unibersidad ng Pilipinas

Tapang, talino, at tikas

Banderang iwinawasiwas

Utak! Puso! Giting! Gilas!



Sugod! Sulong! (Atin 'to!)

Tulong-tulong! (Atin 'to!)

Utak! Puso! (Atin 'to!)

Atin 'to! Atin 'to!