MANILA, Philippines – FlipTop battle emcee Romano Trinidad died on Thursday, February 27, after a battle with liver cancer.
He was 28 years old.
Romano joined FlipTop in 2014 and quickly made a name for himself owing to his commanding stage presence, witty rebuttals, and freestyle ability.
Hailing from Cabanatuan City, Romano turned heads throughout his 2015 Isabuhay run as a FlipTop rookie, beating future champions M Zhayt, Pistolero, and veteran Dello to reach the finals, where he lost to defending titlist Batas.
Romano teamed up with J-King and made the semifinals of the 2017 Dos Por Dos Tournament.
“Thank you for the many unforgettable memories. You’re a legend in the scene,” FlipTop wrote on Facebook in Filipino.
Romano also competed in Sunugan, Pangil Sa Pangil, and other leagues, with his battles accumulating over 60 million views, making him one of the most viewed emcees in the world.
He last appeared on the FlipTop stage in June, when he lost to EJ Power in the second round of Isabuhay 2024.
Romano revealed he was sick earlier this February, prompting his fellow rappers to stage a fundraising event for him in Cabanatuan City. – Rappler.com
