NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest winner Ruby Ibarra and her band took center stage over the weekend at Capitol Modern as the headliner for the Sakada to Cypher: Island Gongster Edition.
Their performance drew hundreds from the Filipino community, as Ibarra and the band performed their winning song, “Bakunawa,” which is inspired by Filipino mythology and the birth of Ibarra’s child.
The band first entered the contest in 2019, so Ibarra said this year’s win took a while to set in.
“I think it serves as a gentle reminder that we’ve been on the right path all along and there are people who appreciate our music and our stories.”
Hip-hop has been a platform for oppressed and marginalized communities. Now, Filipinos have taken the genre to tell their stories in the diaspora.
Ibarra is just one rapper in a line of Filipino hop-hop artists who use their music to tell stories of immigration, struggles with identity and other social issues like colorism.
Ibarra said the talent continues to grow in the United States as Filipino musicians offer various perspectives.
“We need that nuance because not one artist can represent the entire community,” she said. “I think that we're in a special time right now because we have different voices, but there’s a similar resonating thread in everybody’s stories that everyone can relate to.”
More than 4 million Filipinos live in the U.S. and are the third largest Asian population by country of origin. They make up about a quarter of the population in Hawai‘i.
Hawai‘i-based artist Jesand Amodo also performed at Saturday’s event with her song “Break the System.” Her stage name is Jehzan Exclusive, and her song is about how her family came to Hawai‘i from the Philippines.
“Hip-hop is so raw and uncut," she said. “I feel like there's no other genre that really lets freestyle and be free in what we share. Hip-hop was rooted in political activism.”
Amodo said she doesn’t see much of a hip-hop scene in Hawai‘i – let alone Filipina rappers. But she hopes that will change.
She teaches a bi-monthly hip-hop workshop to K-12 students at the Honolulu Museum of Art.
"There, I'm most inspired, where I’m tapped into the youth and what they’re saying,” she said. “The youth are talking about land rights, they're talking about mental health and stuff.”
Amodo said artists like Ibarra inspired her to tell her authentic story.
The Sakada to Cypher: Gongster Edition was the finale concert as part of the month-long FiliRooted festival, which was organized by House of Gongs and lawmakers.
It’s the first time the Bakunawan artists have performed together since the contest. Musicians include Ouida, Han Han and legendary guitarist June Millington, who performed alongside Ibarra.
Angelo “Lasi” Macaraeg is Ibarra’s producer. He said when Ibarra and the rest of the band performed at NPR’s Tiny Desk, there wasn’t a single dry eye. He added that Ibarra’s mother was in the crowd crying as they performed “7,000 miles,” which is about her mother’s immigrant experience and trying to make a new life in America.
The song highlights the immigrant struggles, like overcoming language barriers and assimilating into American culture.
“Hip-hop is a political force. There’s a message rooted in its history,” Macaraeg said.
Maracaeg said there’s artistry growing in the Philippines as well, including Morobeats, who rap about political corruption.
Filipino artists in the diaspora rap about issues closer to home.
“On this side, you have folks like Ruby who talk about how it is growing up here in the diaspora, being Filipino American, not feeling seen, having to deal with assimilating to American culture, and really breaking the status quo,” he said.
Hawaiʻi Public Radio exists to serve all of Hawai’i, and it’s the people of Hawai’i who keep us independent and strong. Help keep us strong to serve you in the future. Donate today.
