Gloc 9 Opens Up About the Difficult Jobs That Changed His Life Forever
GLOC 9 – Behind Gloc-9’s award-winning lyrics is a childhood filled with sacrifice, hard work, and unforgettable lessons learned while helping his father earn a living.
Award-winning rapper Gloc-9 opened up about the humble beginnings that helped shape both his character and his successful music career. During his guest appearance on Kara David’s i-Listen, the celebrated artist reflected on the different jobs he took on while growing up, recalling how he worked alongside his father after their family faced financial struggles when his father returned to the Philippines from Saudi Arabia without employment.
Gloc-9, whose real name is Aristotle Pollisco, shared that his father had gone abroad to Saudi Arabia in hopes of providing a better life for their family. However, after returning home, finding stable work proved difficult. Determined to support his family, his father purchased a former fish delivery vehicle from Gloc-9’s uncle and transformed it into a passenger jeepney.
Wanting to contribute to the family’s livelihood, the young Gloc-9 became his father’s jeepney barker and conductor, assisting during their daily routes around Binangonan, Rizal.
“Noong bumalik ang tatay ko, mas nagkaroon kami ng bonding dahil ako naman ang kaniyang konduktor kapag nagbibiyahe kami ng jeep. Siyempre, wala na siyang work eh nu’ng bumalik siya ng Pilipinas,” Gloc-9 recalled.
He also fondly remembered calling out to waiting commuters by shouting:
“‘Binangonan! Binangonan! Binangonan!’”
While many might see the work as ordinary, Gloc-9 said those daily trips became valuable life lessons. Rather than hanging outside the jeepney like many conductors, his father insisted he remain seated on a small stool inside the vehicle. From there, he was able to quietly observe the passengers, listen to their conversations, and understand the different stories of everyday people.
“Part din ‘yun ng childhood ko… Ang upo ko kasi doon, hindi naman ako ‘yung nakasabit sa labas. Ayaw ni tatay. So meron akong maliit na bangkito. So nakaupo ako sa gitna nu’ng aisle sa pagitan ng lahat ng pasahero para kita mo lahat ng pasahero. Alam mo kung sino ‘yung hindi pa nagbabayad. So naririnig mo lahat ng pinagkukuwentuhan nila,” he shared.
According to the rapper, those experiences eventually became one of the foundations of his songwriting ability.
“Siguro kung meron man akong isang regalo na bigay sa akin, I see people, I hear people, I feel people, na malaking bagay sa pagsusulat ko ng kanta,” he said.
Aside from helping with the family jeepney business, Gloc-9 also revealed that he worked as a kitchen helper at the commissary of a Japanese fast-food restaurant. His responsibilities extended beyond the kitchen, as he was also tasked with cleaning the garage and drainage canals before the day’s operations began.
“Pagdating ko ng 7 a.m., lilinisin ko ‘yung garahe, kasi umalis na lahat ng delivery truck. Linisin ko ‘yung garahe, labas ko lahat ng trash. Tapos lilinisin ko ‘yung kanal sa tapat ng establishment,” he recalled.
Looking back on those experiences, Gloc-9 expressed gratitude to his parents for instilling in him the importance of hard work, perseverance, and making the most of every opportunity.
“Kung mayroong naituro sa akin ang mga magulang ko, make sure na kung ano ang opportunity na nasa harapan mo ngayon, ‘yun ang pinakamagandang opportunity ngayon. Pag-igihan mo dahil it leads to your next opportunity. It will lead you to your next work,” he said.
The award-winning rapper added that the lessons he learned from those early jobs not only helped him grow into a responsible individual but also played a significant role in developing the empathy and storytelling that continue to define his music today.
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