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Despite the viral success of their songs, ALLMO$T try to keep their music as authentic and honest as possible, free from the dictates of social media and the heavy expectations to produce another viral hit.

Members of the Pinoy hiphop group ALLMO$T are choosing to hold art over commercial success--and they would like to keep it that way in the years to come.

Despite the massive successes of their songs "Miracle Nights" and "Bagay Tayo," and their breakout hit "Dalaga," the same song behind the viral "Dalagang Pilipina" challenge that took social media by storm some four years ago, ALLMO$T would like to stay true to their themselves as artists, never compromising their music in exchange for virality.

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"Pag gumagawa kami [ng kanta] hindi na namin tina-target na dapat maging viral 'to," said rapper Rocel "Russell" Dela Fuente during a recent online discussion with GMANetwork.com and other select members of the media. "Mas maigi na kung ano 'yung ma-express namin sa kanta, 'yun 'yung gusto namin ipakita sa mga tao."

Angelo Luigi "Crakky" Timog, also the rapper in the group, chimed in, "Sa pagiging musician, hindi mo dapat iniisip na magiging hit ang kanta mo e. Dapat ang tao makakapag-appreciate niyan. At kung alam mo naman na ginawa mo 'yung best mo, e di win pa rin, panalo ka pa rin. Bilang artist, dapat ikaw ang mag-set na sariling mong trend. Hindi ka dapat sumabay kanino man."

Clien Kennedy "Clien" Alcazar, one of the hook singers of the group, said that the only thing they think about after they finish recording is the release date. "Kung ano ang nafi-feel namin na ilabas, na sa pandinig namin ay 'Ah, okey ito na ilabas na ganitong date,' yun lang po ang iniisip namin. Hindi po kami sumasabay sa kung ano ang trend."

It's somewhat a surprising statement especially for a group whose early success was buoyed by social media virality, especially on TikTok, where users can freely bake ALLMO$T's music into their own videos without the risk of getting flagged, or worse, shadowbanned, for copyright infringement.

But ALLMO$T have always regarded their music as creative and free, not dependent on trends and its potential to catch fire or not.

Crakky told GMANetwork.com, "Siguro, para maging authentic 'yung music na inilalabas namin, binabago namin kung ano 'yung mga nakasanayan na tunog na mga nailalabas ngayon, para pag nilabas namin 'yung tunog namin, kakaiba pa rin sa pandinig nila. Hindi kalinya ni ganito, hindi kalinya ni ganyan, sarili pa rin namin. Gano'n namin pinapahalagahan 'yung music namin."

Crakky also added that the group has always nurtured a space for creative collaboration, where every one is encouraged to throw in their contributions, suggestions freely without the fear of being judged or ridiculed.

"Pero sa writing process po kasi, hindi kami nagkakanya-kanya e, kunwari, 'Eto na 'yun, men, gusto ko ganito lang,' kung ano ang ma-suggest ng isa, 'Men, palitan mo nga ito, kasi masyado siyang ano, e, ganito' so kini-critique talaga namin ang isa't isa e, bago naman ilabas ang song."

Singer Jomuel John "Jom" Casem said that they try to keep their music as honest as they possibly can. They can't promise that they will churn out only clean, wholesome music moving forward, though. They do hope that people could see past explicit words or the dark themes and appreciate the songs as they really are.

"When it comes to writing din po kasi, di na rin namin inuulit 'yung tema na nagamit na namin or puwede namin laruin. Pero di ko rin masasabi na careful kami sa words kasi meron po kaming songs na explicit, which is maninibago talaga 'yung mga tao sa amin dahil nakilala kami sa wholesome songs. Pero gusto rin po namin pasukin 'yong explicit na world, kasi marami rin audience don, so we'd try everything po."

Crakky added, "Depende po sa kanta e. Kung ano po ang gusto namin iparating, kung masyado siyang bulgar, or gawin naming double meaning, or literal talaga, nakadepende naman po talaga sa topic ng song."

While they welcomed the sudden public attention with open arms, they admit that it took them some time to steel themselves for the onslaught of criticism and senseless bashing that would follow.

Rusell said, "Siguro po 'yung criticism. Kasi kapag naglabas ka ng craft mo, ng craft ng grupo namin, meron mga tao na sensitive, meron naman gusto 'yung ganon, kaya di rin namin sila masisisi kung bakit gano'n na lang kami nila i-criticize, or 'yung iba, kung bakit nila gusto 'yung song. Sa paglipas ng panahon, mas natutunan namin kung paano sila ihandle."

Crakky was quick to clarify that the group's sudden popularity was not all that bad. If anything, it inspired them to create more songs. "Pero 'yun din siguro 'yung magandang effect, kasi may inaasahan na sila sa amin e. Alam namin na may makikinig, alam na rin namin na merong magki-critique, kaya mas na-e-excite kami na gumawa ng something ng kakaiba, ng bago, dahil na rin sa mga listeners namin."

With their hits now close to 200 million streams on Spotify and half-a-billion views on YouTube, the group has set its sights on what lies ahead.

At this writing, the quartet is in the thick of promoting their newest song, "Larawan," which they pride as their "most tuneful yet."

Infused with '80s retro vibes, "Larawan" talks about a beautiful long forgotten past and of a love that has faded. It also touches on environmentalism, an issue that the group feels strongly about.

Part of "Larawan" goes, "Naalala ko ang larawan mo sa tuwing aking binabalikan, ang iyong mga ngiting bungad sa 'king umaga / Dito sa bintana ang sarap balikan, sana'y di napalitan.”

The message is clear and straightforward: don't take Mother Nature for granted and think about the consequences of our actions on our planet.