Spoken Word: "Hate" by Ruby Ibarra, hip-hop artist

Ruby Ibarra

ALTHOUGH RUBY IBARRA wrote this spoken word poem four years ago, the message is perhaps even more relevant - and more powerful - today as this country struggles with the rising tide of hate.

Born in the Philippines, Ruby spent the first 4 years of her life in Tacloban City before her family eventually settled in San Lorenzo, Calif. Submerged in the melting pot of the Bay Area, Ruby's adolescent years introduced her to a wide array of cultures, experiences, and most importantly: hip hop, which resonated at every corner of her neighborhood.

Her first album was dropped earlier this month, coincidentally, Filipino American History Month. Her album, “Circa91,” is out now via Beatrock Music. Listen to the album below, and visit her website to learn more.

Written & Performed by R. Ibarra Filmed by Tabakk http://www.youtube.com/TabakkTV https://www.facebook.com/angtabakk BLKD @imblkd Sinag De Jesus @sinagman HATE There is a word that my 5 year old niece doesn't know exists It's something she doesn't battle with and it's never escaped her lips It's a four letter, one syllable, simple word: HATE Yet it carries so much historical, political, emotional weight That 's shaped our beliefs, changed what we see, and made us envy It's made us blind to truths, to find excuse, caused lies and abuse So our minds can't choose, designed so we lose Lose control of reality, lose trust, and lose ourselves Like poisonous gas, it wraps around our lungs so we can't breathe or yell for help So she asks me, what is hate? It's made men turn on each other, cock the gun, and hold at gun point It's made scapegoats so we blame folks for our faults while our fingers point It's made innocent lives grow closed eyes while enclosed in a mask of lies By making teenage girls cry because their body size will never suit your eyes It's made us wish we were someone else Forced us into plastic surgeries, erasing cultural history An urge of ideal imagery, a burglary of our own identity It's tricked us into believing that we're too fat, too ugly, and not white enough It racially profiles and forced people to sit in the back of the bus It's made men call women bitches who in turn call other women bitches It's burned bridges to the point where we don't know which is wrong or right It's made us colorblind, only seeing black and white Planting racism and bigotry, promoting racial tensions and fights Again, she asks me, what is hate? Its taught 18 year old boys how to use a gun While on the same fields stands 5 year old children who are taught to shoot someone It's made victims of abusive fathers do the same to their own daughters It's made men boost their masculinity by exploiting another's femininity It's built glass ceilings, internment camps, nooses, and "not allowed" signs It's raised narrow minded babies so maybe they'll never see past their own kind It controls the media and schools through propaganda Teaching us the enemy while we don't question or raise our hand up Still, she asks me, what is hate? It's caused school shootings, injustice, rape, and genocide It's made innocent lives die and innocent mothers and wives cry It screams of words: "FUCK YOU," "BITCH," "STUPID," and "HOMO" It's what makes us laugh when we say "that's gay" when we know its wrong though Its written Jim Crow Laws, Indian Removal, and Asian Exclusion Acts It's enslaved our past while it engraves a cage in our path It's made categories of inferior and superior Making us wish for another exterior Making us unable to look into the mirror It's planted anger, depression, and fear It's 500 years of slavery and oppression Parents failing to give their children direction It's confessions behind closed doors of elections, that politicians never mention It's literacy prevention, no Filipino Veterano pension It's stereotypes and 1-dimension, character inventions All being fucked by White Supremacy's erection So what is HATE? It's something my 5 year old niece can't feel For her it's a man-made social construct, so it isn't real It's an empty word, insignificant, powerless, and nameless Now I'm just waiting for the rest of the world to follow so we don't know what hate is Let's no longer know what hate is!
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