MANILA, Philippines - In the world of hip-hop, guys always look tough and ready to rumble. But dig this ? the Pinoy rapper who named himself after a lethal weapon is also studying to be ... a nurse!

Gloc-9 ? acknowledged as the ?fastest rapper? hereabouts and whom the late Francis M had described as ?one of the brightest hopes of Pinoy rap? ? is on his third year at the STI School of Nursing.

Contradiction
He doesn?t mind the contradiction in his double life: as a musician his name connotes a firearm, the Glock 9 mm pistol; offstage he?s Aristotle ?Aris? Pollisco, who is looking forward to a second career where he gets to help save lives.

Rap has been Gloc-9?s passport to fame and recognition. ?Simple Man,? an early hit, hinted at the depth of his talent. FrancisM took him under his wing and lobbied hard for Sony BMG to sign him up after the protege spent two years at Star Records. He was voted Best Rap Artist at the Philippine Hip Hop Music Awards from 2005 to 2007. ?Lando,? a single from his ?Diploma? CD, was widely heard on radio and featured FrancisM and Parokya ni Edgar front man Chito Miranda on backup vocals. Two recent concerts ? one of Gary Valenciano and the other, of American singer Craig David ? had Gloc-9 as a guest and front act, respectively.

But when he and wife Thea started raising their twins, Shaun and Daniel, the head of the family realized he needed a backup profession for when his hip hop days are over.

Right now his music career helps pay the bills, provides savings for the kids, and sustains his hobby of collecting expensive toys. Thea works as a writer at a TV network.

?I chose nursing because I want to help others, especially the needy and sick children,? says Aris. ?To me, serving others is very rewarding. Plus, it can help me later on to provide a good life for our twins.?

One ride away
The nursing school is just a jeepney ride away from his home in Zabarte, Quezon City. He chose to enroll there because it is lenient towards working students, especially performing artists.

As a third-year nursing major, Aris is required to spend eight hours of evening duty in a Bulacan hospital.

Some nights, Aris says, he skips this duty due to gigs. But he makes up for it by reporting for two shifts and paying a P500 fine.

Thea, who also acts as his booking manager, picks only those gigs that will allow him to report for hospital duty the following day; or, where his fee will be commensurate with his missed duty.

As much as possible, though, he puts priority on his studies.

Nobody in school took a second look at him ? until one student mentioned that he resembled Gloc-9.

He?s known as a likeable dude, always ready with a smile even for strangers. He has an easy-going disposition, possibly enhanced by a Personality Development subject in his course.

Training at the nursing school is rigorous and fully prepares the student for the profession. Aris is particularly fond of hours spent at Return Learning Experience, a practicum laboratory where a student could practice the theory right after the lecture.

The RLE Lab is equipped with dummies on which the student can apply his nursing abilities prior to formal internship. Aris says most male students have fun attending to the maternity patient.

But the situation at the hospital can be emotionally draining. He has witnessed enough heart-wrenching scenes to conclude, ?It?s really so hard to be poor in this country.?

On a bright note, he says he has ?written a lot of songs about my duties at the hospital. My twin lives as artist and nurse inspire each other.?