Native Guns

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Native Guns

Native Guns are a Filipino American hip hop duo from California. Based in both Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, the group consists of MCs Kiwi and Bambu, who have been working together since they recording "Peaceful Pistols" for Bambu's Self Untitled album in 2002. In its lyrics, the group emphasizes social justice and pride in their heritage, as well as solidarity with other people of color. Their lyrics also address the Filipino people's struggles in both in the Philippines as well as in America. Drawing from a diverse style of wide-musical influences, the Guns' sound is classified as ranging from hard-edged to reggae-influenced to outwright boom bap. Primarily consisting of English, as is the standard for the majority of Filipino American hip hop groups, the duo's lyrics fuse Tagalog in their tracks as well.

The Guns have performed throughout California as well as in Seattle, Vancouver, Chicago, New York City, Boston, and Florida, sharing the stage with such noted hip hop performers as Common, Dilated Peoples, Medusa, The Visionaries, Immortal Technique, JT the Bigga Figga, San Quinn, and Lyrics Born, among others. They have a significant underground following throughout North America, particularly within the respective Filipino, Asian-Pacific American as well as the underground hip hop communities.

Both Kiwi and Bambu are former gang members who now direct their energies in a more positive direction. Both are deeply involved in organizing work in the Filipino community.

Kiwi, a Los Angeles native now residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, has been an integral part of that region's independent hip hop scene for years, having begun rapping in the late 1980s. His first full-length album, Writes of Passage: Portraits of a Son Rising, was released in 2003. He has also appeared on ELEMNOP's From the Ground Up Mixtape, the Movementality 2 (Disc 2) End's The High End Sound, the Native Guns Stray Bullets Mixtape Vol. 1, and Bambu's Self Untitled. Kiwi also used to produce and host Apex Express (Asian Pacific Islander Community Radio), a radio program on Berkeley, California's 94.1 FM.

Bambu, originally from the Watts community of Los Angeles, released his debut album, Self Untitled, in 2002, as well as the ".38 revolver mixtape" in 2005.

The Native Guns' first full length CD, Barrel Men, was released on May 2nd, 2006.

The Native Guns have performed in multiple Filipino and Asian Pacific American cultural festivals, small clubs, Hip Hop music showcases as well as community fundraisers. The Guns' live show has been noted as being a particular highlight of the group.