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An Unforgettable Second Sight 8
It was truly a strange but still great event. Let’s take a look back at the 8th Second Sight.
Jake Tan
February 10, 2026
2020! The year started off in the most epic fashion for Pinoy hip-hop with The FlipTop Festival. It wasn’t just the tenth anniversary of the league. It was also a celebration of the culture as a whole. The event took place on the 7th and 8th of February 2020 at the Aseana City Concert Grounds. You can read more about it here. Afterwards, fans were eagerly anticipating the next moves. Everything came to a halt due to the official arrival of the coronavirus.
We’ve already heard about COVID in late 2019, but most of us ignored the warnings. The majority of us assumed it would just pass quickly and we will move on to better things. That was certainly not the case. The virus spread at an alarming rate that our government had no choice but to announce a lockdown. What’s shocking was it wasn’t just the Philippines. It was almost the whole world. Live events were cancelled and several businesses were forced to close. For FlipTop fans, they were getting ready for the announcement of the league saying goodbye.
There was a huge sigh of relief on the announcement of the eighth chapter of Second Sight. Obviously, fans weren’t allowed yet, so Anygma and co. decided to do a “bubble” set up, similar to live sports and entertainment shows at that time. The event took place at an undisclosed location and only emcees and staff were permitted to attend. Six battles took place, two of which were for the Isabuhay 2020 Tournament.
Many would agree that it was strange at first. Seeing the battles in a small room without the presence of fans. However, when Anygma did his signature intro and the emcees started spitting, it was like nothing changed. The energy was still there and the bars were still hitting hard. Thanks to the other rappers in attendance, their loud reactions certainly added more excitement to the matches. It was a dark time, but Second Sight 8 gave us a much-needed escape.
WATCH: Second Sight 8
Apart from the two tournament matchups, the Second Sight 8 lineup is special because of its diversity. It’s a perfect mix of veterans and up-and-comers. For those who’ve only followed FlipTop post-pandemic, this event was the “main stage” debuts of C-Quence, Bagsik, Illtimate, and Isabuhay 2024 Finalist Vitrum. Each emcee, despite the setup, gave solid performances. Not even a global pandemic can stop them from showcasing their elite skills.
After this, FlipTop continued organizing “quarantine battles” until late 2021, culminating in a historic Ahon 12. That’s a story for another time. For almost two years, COVID made its presence felt, but we didn’t falter. We looked for things that can bring us back to normalcy even for just an hour or two, and FlipTop was one of the few that did exactly that. Nothing but thanks to Anygma, the staff, and of course, the emcees for keeping us entertained during the pandemic. Fast forward to now, and the movement is stronger than ever. Impressive indeed! So, what is your favorite battle during the quarantine era? Who do you think stood out? Let us know in the comments section.
