Skusta Clee
Skusta Clee | |
|---|---|
 Skusta Clee at Filipino Music Awards | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Daryl Jake Borja Ruiz[1] February 16, 1996 Upper Bicutan, Taguig City, Philippines |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2014–present |
| Labels |
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| Member of | |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Subscribers | 3.36 million |
| Views | 443.1 million |
| Last updated: December 27, 2025 | |
Daryl Jake Borja Ruiz (born February 16, 1996), known professionally as Skusta Clee, is a Filipino rapper and a member of the Filipino hip-hop collective Ex Battalion. He is known for his numerous hit singles "Zebbiana", "Pauwi Nako", "Dance With You" and Kalimutan Ka. He is also a member of O.C. Dawgs, a hip-hop group he formed in 2012.[2]
History and career
A controversial figure in local hip-hop, Ruiz is perhaps the most prominent hip-hop artist in the Philippines from the late 2010s to the early 2020s. He has amassed billions of combined streams on all digital platforms, such as Spotify and YouTube. He is the pioneer of the Pinoy trap genre, as he started the mainstream trap movement in the country. His tracks dominated Musical.ly in 2016, and which he joined the collective Ex Battalion in the same year.
The singer-rapper is also signed to Panty Droppaz League, a partner label of Ex Battalion. Among the label’s biggest hits, which contributed to its widespread success, are "Pauwi Nako" (2018), "Zebbiana" (2019), and "Dance With You" (2020). These tracks have collectively accumulated hundreds of millions of views and streams on YouTube and Spotify.[3][4]
In 2019, Ruiz starred on the box-office feature Sons of Nanay Sabel alongside his groupmates from Ex Battalion.
In Coco Martin and Angelica Panganiban's 2021 romantic comedy film Love or Money, Ruiz's Zebbiana was used as the movie's theme song and became part of its official soundtrack.[5]
On June 20, 2021, Skusta Clee released the song "Lagi" (lit. 'Everyday'). The video for the song included his newborn daughter.[6]
On October 31, 2021, Skusta Clee released Karma featuring Gloc-9, with an accompanying Thriller-inspired music video starring Bea Alonzo and Awra Briguela.[7] The short film was premiered on Halloween and gained over 2 million views and took the top trending spot on YouTube PH shortly after its release.[8] Alonzo also considers the music video as her Halloween entry for the year. The song is produced by Daniel "Flip D" Tuazon and Christian "Chriilz" Andalez and the music video is directed by Titus Cee.
In 2022, the music video of Skusta Clee's Dance With You featuring Yuri Dope became the fastest top-grossing OPM music video of all time, it is the first to cross 190 million views to date, surpassing Sarah Geronimo's Tala which came in second with 187 million views in the most-viewed OPM music videos in the country.[9]
Controversies
"Tap Na" controversy
In late 2019, a video clip of Ruiz scoffing at unknown rappers have gone viral.[10] The 12-second video sparked heated debate among netizens for his 'unpleasant' attitude. A year later, the rapper-singer songwriter reused the catchphrase "Tap na" (stop) as a closing line in his verse in Ex Battalion's diss track Yearly.[11][12] The track depicts the group's success and its presence being 'timely' in the rap scene, and is also a response to its critics.[13]
Personal life
His former partner, Filipina-Lebanese YouTuber Zeinab Harake, gave birth to their daughter Zebbiana “Bia” on April 28, 2021.[14] In May 2022, Harake confirmed her break-up with Ruiz.[15]
Discography
Extended plays
| Title | Album Details | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Trifecta (with Flow G) |
Track listing
|
[16] |
Singles
As a lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHL [17] |
PHL TPS [18] | |||
| "Dami Mong Alam" | 2015 | – | – | Non-album singles |
| "Paalam" (with Future Thug) |
2018 | – | – | |
| "Sa Susunod Na Lang" (featuring Yuri Dope) |
30 | – | ||
| "Zebbiana"[19] | 2019 | – | – | |
| "N'Luv'" (featuring Leslie) |
2020 | – | – | |
| "Umaasa" | – | – | ||
| "Nandito Lang Ako" (with Jnske, Leslie, Honcho, Bullet D & Flow G) |
– | – | ||
| "Kung Tayo" | – | – | ||
| "Dance with You"[20] (featuring Yuri Dope) |
– | – | ||
| "Lagi"[21] | 2021 | – | – | |
| "Ang Liwanag" (with Magnus Haven) |
– | – | ||
| "Karma"[7] (featuring Gloc-9) |
– | – | ||
| "Kaya Natin" | – | – | ||
| "Alak Pa" (featuring Yuri Dope) |
2022 | – | – | |
| "Solo" | – | – | ||
| "Testing" | 2023 | – | – | |
| "Ikaw Na Nga Yon" (featuring Flow G) |
– | – | ||
| "Noche Buena" | – | – | ||
| "Lagabog" (featuring Illest Morena) |
– | – | ||
| "Kalimutan Ka" | 2025 | 8 | 5 | |
| "Bebe"[22] | – | – | ||
| "Since Day One" (featuring Flow G) |
2026 | 1 | 1 | |
As a featured artist
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2019 | HBD (Birthday Mo) (with Donnalyn Bartolome, Bassilyo, Smugglaz, Zaito) |
| 2020 | Dahil Sayo (with Jom of ALLMO$T) |
| You & I (with Chriilz, Ijiboy, Bosx1ne) | |
| Halika Na (with Billy Crawford) | |
| Pasensya Na (with Honcho, Jekkpot) | |
| Iisang Tulay (with Mike Kosa, OG Sacred) | |
| Wag Na Lang (with MC Einstein) | |
| 2021 | Pwedeng Ayusin Natin To? (with Because) |
| Sabay sa Ulap (with SLy Kane, Jkris, Zargon) | |
| 2022 | Kumpisal[23] (with Gloc-9) |
| 2023 | Bawal (with Yuri Dope) |
| Paasa (Remix) (with Chriilz) | |
| Huli Na (with Yuri Dope) | |
| Laya (with Flow G) | |
| 2024 | Ligaw Na Bullet (with Denise Laurel) |
Awards and nominations
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee(s)/work(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MYX Music Awards | 2020 | Spotify's Top OPM Hip-Hop Artist | Skusta Clee | Won | [24] |
| Wish Music Awards | 2019 | Wishclusive R&B Performance of the Year | Zebbiana | Won | [19] |
Notes
- ↑ Kakaiboys is a Filipino hip hop trio composed of Ex Battalion members Skusta Clee, Flow G, and Bosx1ne
References
- ↑ "Skusta Clee bio: age, girlfriend, real name". kami.com.ph. October 22, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ↑ "OC Dawgs - Pinoy Hiphop Superstar". pinoyhiphopsuperstar.com. September 4, 2019. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- ↑ "Ex Battalion Music". YouTube. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
- ↑ "Panty Droppaz League - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- ↑ Basco, Karl Cedrick (March 2, 2021). "Angelica Panganiban, pinili ang 'Zebbiana' bilang theme song ng 'Love or Money'". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ↑ "Skusta Clee's new music video "Lagi" features his newborn baby girl Bia". GMA Network. June 21, 2021.
- 1 2 "WATCH: Skusta Clee Goes "Thriller" on New MV "Karma" feat. Gloc 9". OneMusicPH. October 31, 2021.
- ↑ Cruz, Dana (November 1, 2021). "WATCH: Bea Alonzo runs away from zombies in 'Karma' music video". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ↑ C.C., JE (May 30, 2022). "10 All-Time Most-Viewed Official Music Videos by an OPM Artist/s". dailypedia.net. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
- ↑ "Video of Rapper Skusta Clee Scoffing Unpopular Rappers Elicited Reactions Online". philnews.ph. November 26, 2019. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ↑ Ex Battalion – Yearly Lyrics | Genius Lyrics
- ↑ Ex Battalion - Yearly (Official Music Video)
- ↑ "21-Gun Salute to 2021, 9-11 of 21 - Ex Battalion". onemusicph.com. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ↑ "Zeinab Harake gives birth to baby girl!". GMA News. May 1, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ↑ Cruz, Dana (May 10, 2022). "Zeinab Harake confirms breakup with rapper Skusta Clee". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
- ↑ "Trifecta (EP) by Skusta Clee, Flow G". Skusta Clee, Flow G. March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024 – via Apple Music.
- ↑
Peak chart positions on the Philippines Hot 100 charts:
- "Kalimutan Ka": "Philippine Hot 100 (Week of June 28, 2025)". Billboard Philippines. June 28, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
- "Since Day One", "Sa Susunod Na Lang": "Philippines Hot 100 (Week of April 18, 2026)". Billboard Philippines. April 15, 2026. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
- ↑ Peak chart positions on the Top Philippine Songs charts:
- "Kalimutan Ka": "Top Philippine Songs (Week of June 28, 2025)". June 28, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
- "Since Day One": "Top Philippine Songs (Week of April 18, 2026)". April 15, 2026. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
- 1 2 "WINNERS ALL: 2021 Wish Music Awards". mb.com.ph. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ↑ "7 Pinoy R&B bops of the moment thanks to TikTok". CNN Philippines. March 15, 2021. Archived from the original on March 15, 2021.
- ↑ "Music video ng bagong kanta ni Skusta Clee, alay sa anak". ABS-CBN News (in Tagalog). June 24, 2021.
- ↑ "Skusta Clee Premieres Music Video For New Single "Bebe"". Billboard Philippines. November 17, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "Gloc-9 teams up with Skusta Clee on Latin guitar-flavoured new single 'Kumpisal'". NME.com. May 13, 2022.
- ↑ "MYX AWARDS 2020 WINNERS: THE COMPLETE LIST". myx.abs–cbn.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020.