goodbye filipino artist and rap icon

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Hello all! Just to let you know, as if you haven't heard from the news already, that Francis Magalona--whom Filipinos loved and known as either FrancisM, Master Rapper, and The Man, succumbed to the deadly blood cancer known as acute myelogenous leukemia today, March 6, 2009 at around 12:00 noon at the Pasig Medical City. His remains now lie in state at the La Funeraria Paz in Quezon City, Philippines. He was 44 years old. FrancisM is the son of popular 1950s love team--Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran, whom I watched in afternoon re-runs during my childhood days. I liked FrancisM and followed his music. The Master Rapper was known to have had the symptoms of the disease a year ago, but he did fight it off with medication and chemotherapy sessions. He seemed to be responding well to treatments, and he was able to pull off some public appearances late last year, and the news of his death came as a real shocker to everyone. Doctors reportedly said that FrancisM's condition was curable, but apparently, his health failed him and he eventually succumbed to multiple organ failure "secondary to severe sepsis and secondary to pneumonia," according to a doctor who attended to him but was not authorized to talk to media. He was still scheduled to have a show this coming March 28, 2009. Francis is married to the former Pia Arroyo and they have eight kids--Maxene, Saab, Unna, Nicolo, Francis Jr., Elmo, Arkin, and Clara. Maxene is a GMA Kapuso Network star. Despite the efforts and many prayers of people, I guess it is just time for FrancisM to go. He will be sorely missed not just by the entertainment industry, but by the millions of people he had inspired, including aspiring musicians. But well, his memory will surely remain...