Hungry Young Poets/Barbie's Cradle

YEARS ACTIVE: 1997* – 2005 (*Barbie’s Cradle started in 1998)
GROUP ROSTER: BARBIE ALMALBIS, FRANKLIN BENITEZ, RICCI GURANGO (as HYP), ROMMEL DELA CRUZ (as Barbie’s Cradle)
90’S HITS: As HYP – FIREWOMAN, TORPE, & PERSONAL FLIRT; As CRADLE – TABING ILOG, GOODNYT, & THE DANCE

Hungry Young Poets (aka HYP) was a band founded in the Philippines in 1997. They were originally formed as a duo by Barbie Almalbis (guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter) and Ricci Gurango (bassist). After releasing their first and only self-titled album, Franklin Benitez (drummer) officially completed the lineup as a trio.

In 1998, Gurango left the band to lead the cover band Little Green Men, before forming Mojofly. With Gurango's assertion of rights to the band's name, Almalbis and Benitez would later rename the group to Barbie's Cradle.

Barbie's Cradle later became a popular band, with Barbie Almalbis as lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, and Franklin Benitez as drummer. Rommel dela Cruz then joined the group as bassist, and by 1999, drummer Wendell Garcia joined replacing Benitez.

In 2005, the group disbanded and Almalbis went on to pursue a solo career, while Rommel dela Cruz soon became the bassist of Freestyle (the original bassist migrated to Australia).