An infamous swear curse becomes a rallying cry of Filipino pride

Filipino American rapper Ruby Ibarra joins the PTI challenge.
Follow her work on her Instagram page.

My mom would have washed my mouth out with soap if I said the expletive, "Putang Ina," shorthand for "Putang Ina mo," (Literally, "Your mother is a whore," but when you spit it out, it is used in the same context as the English "mother f****r").

WHen Filipino tennis prodigy Alexandra Eala made history with her first-round victory in the US Open, it wasn't just her killer serve that set social media on fire. It was what some fans claim was a very spicy, split-second, post-point expression caught on camera.

We’re talking about a viral clip that has everyone hitting replay. After a heart-stopping rally in the third set against Denmark's Clara Tauson, the cameras zoomed in just as Eala appeared to mouth a word that sounded a lot like "Putang ina" or maybe even just the infamous "Puta".

The internet, naturally, has zero chill. The debate is raging harder than an Eala forehand: was it a genuine, heat-of-the-moment curse, a classic Filipino expression of surprise, or maybe just a misheard "muntik na" ("almost did")?

And get this—the drama has totally spilled over into the music scene in the Philippines and in the US! The clip is everywhere, with Filipino singers and even local hip-hop artists sampling the moment, creating memes, and giving the expletive a whole new meaning. Forget tennis commentary, we're talking about a new track inspired by a US Open hot mic moment!

The roots of the song began before Eala's historic US Open victory. “PTI” didn’t start off as the war cry for the people it is now. It started off as a swaggy, Filipino pride track," says Carl Angelo, a rapper based in Los Angeles.

The song became a collaboration among Filipino American hip-hop artists in California. Morobeats’ Miss A, Yamz, Talilo and David Ira, were brought in. Ruby Ibarra, fresh off her Little Desk tour for NPR, was brought in. The track pays homage to both Filipino and rap culture.

Then Eala won her match at the US Open and uttered the curse. It went viral and the song exploded all over social media. Eala isn't just making waves in tennis; she's officially gone mainstream cultural icon, one controversial syllable at a time. This is the kind of crossover content we live for!

Eala's US Open clip and the subsequent discussion have been widely shared on platforms like TikTok and Instagram by Filipino artists, media pages, and community groups, amplifying the conversation and leading to various interpretations and memes.

FYI: You can listen to the PTI track on Spotify

A number of Filipino and Filipino Amereican hip-hop artists and singers have notably commented on and even been inspired by the viral clip. The word in the clip, often shortened from "Putang Ina," has been reclaimed by some artists as a rallying cry for Filipino pride rather than a mere curse word.

Filipino American rapper Ruby Ibarra is featured on a track titled "PTI" (short for "Putang Ina"), which uses the expletive as a statement of pride, rage, and community for Filipinos across the world. The song's cover art even spotlights tennis prodigy  Eala, acknowledging the viral moment as the inspiration for its title.

Eala has never admitted to saying it but you don't have to be a lip reader to see Eala mouthed a "P", not an "M" in her spontaneous outburst of disbelief.

A snippet of Eala's soundbite even opens the track, and she is featured on the song's cover art. 

At least one independent artist, Ravenson Biason, was inspired to write a song titled "Vaporwave Hero" dedicated to Eala as a sign of support and national pride, though this was a direct tribute rather than a commentary on the "puta" moment specifically.
The incident has generally led to a broader cultural conversation among Filipino artists and the community about national pride and the various meanings and contexts of the Tagalog phrase.

FYI: The Carl Angelo PTI Challenge is an open-verse rap challenge started by Filipino American rapper Carl Angelo for his hit single "PTI," inviting artists (Filipino or not) to spit a verse over the instrumental, share it online, and tag him to get reposted, celebrating Filipino culture and Hip Hop while reclaiming a Filipino slang term as a rallying cry for artistry and identity.

Eala's authentic exclamation went viral, sparking a national conversation about authenticity, pressure, and just being human under the global spotlight.

Around the same time, the Philippines was rocked by major anti-corruption protests. The swear word is being used as a powerful and defiant rallying cry to express rage, frustration, and condemnation against government corruption, injustice, and political figures, most notably by Vice Ganda directed at the allegedly crooked politicians.

Ganda is a wildly popular and influential Filipino comedian, actor, singer, host, and entrepreneur, known for his flamboyant personality, hit movies and songs, and as a mainstay on the daytime variety show "It's Showtime". He is a major LGBTQ+ icon, a top-earning celebrity, and a powerful force in Philippine entertainment, often called "The Phenomenon" due to his massive success and cultural impact.

The song was always intended to be a "swaggy, Filipino pride track," but these moments solidified its purpose. It's about taking shared struggles and flipping them into collective strength. It unites the Filipino diaspora, from the streets of Manila to L.A. parking lots,  in an unapologetic stand against colonial and political forces who prefer to dilute the power of the people to challenge the powers-that-be.

In the US, the FilAm rappers are using their voices and in particular, "PTI," to tackle serious issues of identity and the challenges facing the Filipino American community through art. The chant is considered a bold and expressive way to challenge authority, as using such language in public discourse pushes boundaries and amplifies the protesters' message against those in power, against the status quo.

Angelo reflected on how real-world events, from Alex Eala’s historic US Open win to Vice Ganda’s fiery protest chant, gave new meaning to the song’s message. Even my mom might have agreed with that.

“We may not have started off as a war cry, but we ended it that way,” Angelo says in an Instagram post.

For Angelo, “PTI” represents every shade of being Filipino – whether you’re “a non-Tagalog speaking, super American Filipino kid” or “a modern-day, tattooed head-to-toe tribal warrior proud of your heritage,” he posts on social media.

“Nobody is more or less Filipino than anybody,” Angelo emphasized. “Once we realize AND accept that we’re all different, we’ll realize we’re actually in unison. We all come from different backgrounds and walks of life, but one thing is for sure — ‘Putang Ina’ means something to all of us.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

FilAm rapper Ruby Ibarra wins Tiny Desk competition; plans include a national tour

Ruby Ibarra

Ruby Ibarra, a Filipino American rapper, is  taking a major step in her music career after learning that she won the 11th annual Tiny Desk Contest.

On Tuesday's Morning Edition, NPR Music announced the winner of the 11th annual Tiny Desk Contest. 

"Tiny Desk is one of the few platforms where music is truly celebrated and artists get to uncompromisingly showcase their artistry, lyrics and stories," Ibarra tells NPR. "I'm grateful and overjoyed to be able to share my music in a space where so many of my musical influences have performed. To me, winning this Contest means to be recognized as a songwriter, and is an affirmation that I'm on the right path as an independent artist from the Bay Area."

The performance of  "Bakunawa," a combination of rap and singing in English and Tagalog, was chosen from nearly 7,500 submissions from independent artists across the country, the Bay Area artist captivated the judges with her striking originality, lyrical depth and commanding presence.

"Ruby's stunning Tiny Desk contest submission was the very first to be featured on our top shelf and the last one standing." 

Tiny Desk producer Bobby Carter tells NPR,  "'Bakunawa' covers all the bases: beautifully arranged music, passion and above all authenticity. We've never seen or heard anything like Ruby Ibarra. She's special and she's ready."

FYI: Watch her perform the winning entry, "Bakunawa," here.

IIbarra, who worked as a health scientist in the Bay Area, took the leap to full-time musician and performer in a few years ago.

Her raps often switches between Tagalog and English with the overriding themes of Pinoy Pride and empowerment, which makes her unique. She's been on the verge of "breaking out," for several years. Her Filipino American raps provided the background music for The Cleaning Lady television series, which centers around an undocumented immigrant Filipino family.

RELATED: From Fanny To Madam Wong's & The GRAMMYs: How The Asian Community Has Impacted Rock

Ibarra says about "Bakunawa: "The song's title is in reference to the Philippine mythology about a bakunawa (dragon) who swallows the moon; similarly, this song interprets the story as a metaphor for resistance and a battlecry against erasure. This song, for me, is a statement that my daughter is my revolution and my hope that she will be liberated from the effects of our cultural history."

She continues to tell Grammy.com, the song "features these amazing, incredible artists who are all Filipinos as well. Han Han, who’s a singer and an MC, Ouida from San Francisco, who is this amazing vocalist, and last but, of course, not least June Millington, who’s just a badass rock guitarist and singer. She was part of this incredible band from the 1970s called Fanny, an all-female band. To have done a collaboration with such a powerhouse of a lineup was just a dream come true. The music video and the live performance video… was just the icing on the cake for me to be able to come together in person."

As this year's winner, Ibarra will perform an intimate concert behind NPR's iconic Tiny Desk in Washington, D.C., joining the ranks of artists like Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii and Usher, as well as acclaimed past Tiny Desk Contest winners, such as Fantastic Negrito, Gaelynn Lea and last year's winner, The Philharmonik.

Following her Washington D.C. showcase, Ibarra will embark on the Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour, bringing her music to audiences across the country.

TINY DESK CONTEST TOUR

The Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour, which brings the winner to stages around the country, will be bigger and better than ever this year. Audiences will have an opportunity to see this year's winner perform live in 10 cities, alongside a showcase of vibrant local music at each stop. And, new this year, each city will also feature a special surprise Tiny Desk alum as the headlining act.

        FYI: Tickets for the tour are on sale now at our Tiny Desk Contest tour page.

Curiously, the performances in Texas and Colorado are already sold out. Below are the scheduled stops along the 2025 Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour:

June 11: The Regent Theater , Los Angeles (Station partners: KCRW, LAist)

June 13: Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, Calif. (Station partners: KQED, KALW, NorCal )

June 16: The Wonder Ballroom, Portland, Ore. (Station partner: OPB)

June 23: Thalia Hall, Chicago (Station partner: WBEZ)

June 25: The Basement East, Nashville (Station partner: WNXP)

June 27: Mohawk , Austin, Texas (Station partner: KUTX) — Sold Out

June 29: Bluebird Theater, Denver (Stations partner: KUVO) — Sold Out

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Quick review: 'It may not be perfect, but you need to watch 'The Cleaning Lady'

From left, rapper Ruby Ibarra, actor Elodie Yung and creator Miranda Kwok at a sneak
screening of 'The Cleaning Lady.'

OPINION

I have to admit, I cheered when I heard Ruby Ibarra's music set the gritty undercurrent of the new Fox series, The Cleaning Lady: Struggle, American urban, underdog, defiant, and "I am not your model minority."

As the camera flew over the Las Vegas' Strip, fiently in the background, Tagalog lyrics were being sung in an aggressive rap, "Island woman rise, walang makakatagil."

"Hey, did you hear that? someone said.

"That's Ruby Ibarra," I proclaimed.

"That's a first!"

"So cool!," I said.

Producer and creator Miranda Kwok purposely chose Ibarra's work for the Filipino pride and cultural complexities she raps about as an immigrant and a woman, which mirror Kowk's own experience and the defines the world of The Cleaning Lady. The lyrics are from Ibarra's hit "Us," an anthem, of sorts, for Filipino immigrant women.

And despite having a French Cambodian actress, Elodie Yung as the central character Thony De La Rosa, the show had elements in it that were definitely and unapologetically Filipino, starting with the first episode's title, "TNT."

"TNT" means dynamite in most English language contexts, but in the Filipino community, TNT stands for "tago nang tago," literally translated to "always hiding," referring to the status of undocumented Filipinos in the U.S. and the status of Thony.

I wasn't alone in the burst of pride of seeing Filipinos as the main characters on an American network series. Filipinos all over the Twitterverse were cheering, crying tears of joy."

Miranda Kwok, the producer who brought The Cleaning Lady to Fox, tweeted:

The first episode got mixed - but, mostly good - reviews. "TNT" performed well, garnering the highest rating ever for a Fox premiere; ruling its time slot and beating out the more established NCIS on CBS.

Although filmed in New Mexico, the story takes place in Las Vegas, where Filipinos, drawn by the glitz, glamor and economic opportunities in healthcare, business and domestic work and an underground infrastructure,  constitute the largest Asian group in Nevada. If the series stays true to its locale, expect to see a lot more Asian Americans and AAPI-themes.

There was a lot  of information to pack in the show's first 45 minutes, but the stage has been set for some interesting possibilities that haven't been covered in other more conventional cop-crime series. The undocumented status of its principle characters; the Filipino cultural references thrown in that Filipinos "get" (mahal kita, ate) will hopefully gain more meaning for regular viewers;  and then there's Ibarra's  music and lyrics, mixing Tagalog and English, providing an undercurrent of anger and defiance.

The world of The Cleaning Lady is so different than the image most non-Filipinos have seen on network television where the Filipino American characters are depicted as members of the model minority, sidekicks, butts of a running joke but. The series show fully fleshed-out human beings with dreams and problems; just trying to create a better world for their families. 

The fact that the central character, Thony, as portrayed by Yung, is Cambodian and not Filipino -- a change from Kwok's original script necessitated by Yung's French Cambodian heritage -- did not bother me because Yung was so good in her role.

As the series goes deeper into the rabbit hole world of TNTs and moral choices between good and evil Thony must make, The Cleaning Lady will get even more complex and not so black-and-white in those predicaments as she struggles between  the moral debt (Filipinos' sense of utang na loob) she owes the crime boss who helped her and her own Filipino/Catholic-influenced moral code.

I know there will be some Filipino Americans who will scoff at the series and the picture it portrays of TNTs. I can hear titas, lolas and nanays tsk-tsking and saying, "We're all not like this."

Of course not, but not all Filipinos are also not all the professionals -- teachers, healthcare workers, lawyers, tech experts -- that you want your children to become. The Cleaning Lady helps round out a broader image of AAPIs outside the pigeon-holes that American society wants to place us in.

In episode four, we are going to be introduced to Filipino American actor Lou Diamond Phillips and his real-life daughter Gracie portraying a Filipino father and his daughter who will have an impact on the future health of Thony's son, who has an immune-deficient condition and needs a transplant.

I can't wait.

The Cleaning Lady airs on the Fox Network, Mondays, 9 p.m., 8 central. It is also streamed on Hulu.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Filipino Americans inspired by today's headlines, write songs of defiance and love

Songwriters, rrom top left, clockwise: H.E.R., Jessica Sanchez,
Ruby Ibarra and Ella Jay Basco.

The younger generation finding their voice during the age of dual pandemics -- the coronavirus and hate -- may be the most self-aware and militant since the 1960s.

Four songwriters -- they happen to be all Filipino Americans -- released their songs reflecting what's happening around them, to them personally and with their friends and families.

H.E.R., aka Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson won an Oscar for her song "Fight For You." written for the movie Judas and the Black Messiah.

Although the movie takes place in another era, the aforementioned 60s at the height of the Black Panthers power, her intent and lyrics are applicable to today as it would have been for that time.

Read the lyrics and it could have been written for George Floyd or any of the other Black, Latino and AAPI who have died at the hands of the police:

All the smoke in the air
Feel the hate when they stare
All the pain that we bear
Oh, you better beware
Their guns don't play fair
All we got is a prayer
It was all in their plans
Wash the blood from your hands

[Pre-Chorus]
Freedom for my brothers
Freedom 'cause they judge us
Freedom from the others
Freedom from the leaders, they keepin' us
Freedom gon' keep us strong
Freedom if you just hold on
Freedom ain't free at all, oh no

"Musicians, filmmakers, I believe we have an opportunity and a responsibility, to tell the truth, and to write history the way that it was, and how it connects us to today, and what we see going on in the world today," says H.E.R. 

Ella Jay Basco is only 14 years old but she's trying to have an impact on the world of her future. The Filipino Korean American actress who debuted in Birds of Prey as Cassandra, the orphan waif who will become the future Batgirl, is a singer and songwriter, too.

She wrote the song "Gold " and collaborated with Filipino American rapper Ruby Ibarra, and Ella’s writing partner (and brother) Darryl J. Basco, the song is a love letter to the Asian American community. 

Sometimes I never win
but I was blessed with the Golden skin
Don’t stress about where you’ve been
Just look inside, find what’s within
Girl you know you’re beautiful
Stand tall, unmovable
It’s undisputable
You a Boss Bitch as usual, You a Boss Bitch as usual!

“GOLD ft. @rubyibarra is out now!!! Mainly streaming on Spotify, Apple, and BandCamp so go check it out!!! We wanted to make a song that speaks out to brown pride and the color of our beautiful golden skin,” Ella Jay Basco wrote on Instagram. 

“(The song) is about me taking ownership and power of my GOLD/Brown skin. Not everyone fits in the typical boxes. I asked Ruby Ibarra to guest on it because she is a Dope Filipino rapper,” she explains.

Jessica Sanchez, the 25-year-old singer, who performed on American Idol’s 11th season, wrote and composed “Us,” a song that she hopes can unite people together against the rash of violence against Asian Americans.

The hate directed at AAPI felt compelled to do something the best way she knew how.

"I'm all about spreading positivity," she told the San DIego Union Tribune. "but I'm a very quiet person at the same time, I'm not very good at talking. The way that I express myself is through my music."

Her lyrics go:

Done, I’m trying to numb the pain
That only we could ever change
Still we’re running everyday
I wanna know why we’re afraid
Can we believe again
If it was just for a day
Would we still feel the same
Can we believe in Justice today
Would we still be the same if...
All of us could see that
No one’s to blame
All of us realize
Our heart beat the same...

“It’s super important to remind each other that, like, we have to find a solution and the solution is to bring each other together, and to unite and to support each other no matter what color, what age, what gender,” Sanchez said. We all have to come together and love each other and support one another, especially when people are being pushed down.”

She hopes her fans will enjoy the song when it is released on May 7. In the meantime, she told the Union-Tribune, “I’m super happy that my first song I’m able to release is something bigger than who I am.”

George Floyd's death solidifying AAPI support for justice and #BlackLivesMatter

The presence of former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao, a Hmng American, during the arrest and death of George Floyd, a black man, has raised a social media storm of commentary on the social media website.

As his fellow officers were holding Floyd to the ground, with former officer Derek Chauvin's knee on Floyd's neck, Thao stood between the officers and the crowd of onlookers, some of whom were recording Floyd's dying breathes and pleading for the officers to let up from the ground.

The Minnesota event has forced AAPI organizations and individuals to admit to the little discussed anti-Black bias that exists within some elements of the AAPI community.

“George Floyd’s cries of ‘I can’t breathe’ parallel the words of Eric Garner, who was killed by police in 2014. As George Floyd lay struggling to breathe, Officer Tou Thao had the opportunity and the authority to stop the situation. It is unconscionable that he chose to do nothing,” said John C. Yang, Advancing Justice | AAJC’s President and Executive Director.

“We are in a time where doing anything while Black garners unwanted attention and unnecessary law enforcement interaction – and too often death," said Yang. "We are also in a time where being Asian Americans means being harassed, attacked, and blamed for COVID-19. As many Asian Americans are speaking out about this hate, we must also show up for the African American community.”

“Racism and discrimination are experienced by every African American, Latino, Native American, and Asian American in this country. We must act against this violence and assault on our communities. It has always been time for racial solidarity, but we need to come together now more than ever.”

Author Louis Leung wrote a commentary for published in Asian Articulations:

"Let’s get this out of the way: Tou Thao is a despicable human being. M.P.D. Badge #7162 has a history of excessive brutality and a settled out-of-court case for $25,000," wrote Leung. "He’s the Asian cop in the infamous George Floyd murder video and his immoral professional choices should absolutely be condemned. The defend-Asians-no-matter-what crowd is wrong here; put the tribalism aside and sit this one out.

In his essay, novelist Leung brought up the "Anti-blackness," that threads its way through the AAPI community. "Yes, the A word. The Asian community hates hearing it. The Asian community can’t make up it’s mind to define it — is bringing awareness of black violence to innocent Asians “anti-blackness”? Is not letting our daughters date black men “anti-blackness”? Is serving black customers in our restaurants and nail salons while whispering negative presumptions about them “anti-blackness”? The answer is, well, that’s really not up for us to decide. We decide anti-Asianness, not anti-blackness.

"Please believe me when I say the Tou Thao is not a representation of us; he is the worst, the bottom 5%. The blatant killing of so many innocent black men is abhorrent to our society; being black in America should not be a death sentence. It can’t be swept under a rug of whataboutisms. Blaming Asians is a waste of valuable energy. It’s too bad the wrong Asian was in the right place to stop a crime at the right time," Leung concludes.

RELATED: A manifesto for AAPI ...

The Japanese American Citizens League sent a letter to Minneapolis Police Dept. strongly condemning the actions of the four police officers involved in Floyd's death and aligned the civil rights organization with the call for equal justice for Black Americans:

The Asian Minnesotans Against Racism and Xenophobia Collaborative an open letter published in their website.

The number of organizations signing onto this letter continues to grow. Click here for the complete letter and the updated list.

In addition, the controversial topic went viral in the twitterverse. Floyd's death at the hands of the police incensed rapper and filmmaker Ruby Ibarra and moved her to post a series of tweets :

Here's a sampling of the tweets calling for justice for George Floyd and #BlaciLivesMatter:

CAAMFest adapts to social distance requirements by going online; watch for free

'I Will Make You Mine' opens the reimagined CAAMFest.

ASAM NEWS

The social distancing rules necessary to fight the spread of the coronavirus has forced the Center for Asian American Media to alter its usual film festival format.

CAAMFest will celebrate its 40th film festival by going virtual and rebranding to CAAMFest Online: Heritage at Home featuring over 20 digital events, ranging from online film screenings to interactive panels, watch parties, and house parties featuring live performances, all free of charge. The San Francisco Bay Area event will now be available online for the world to enjoy.

The film festival opens with Lynn Chen’s long-awaited completion of her Surrogate Valentine trilogy, I Will Make You Mine on May 13. The feature film is about three women wrestling over the same man while dealing with the baggage of past relationships and the difficulties of everyday life.

The festival closes May 22 with the 10th anniversary showing of Filipino American filmmaker H.P. Mendoza’s Fruit Fly. The musical comedy highlights what it means to be gay and Asian in the Hispanic neighborhood of San Francisco’s Mission District. The virtual audience will be encouraged to participate in the sing-a-long version of the film, which features 18 original songs by the director.

CAAMFest will also showcase a performance from the San Francisco-based musician Ruby Ibarra on May 19. The performance from the rapper and spoken word artist will be followed by a sit-down discussion.

The following day on May 20 there will be an interview with filmmaker Alice Wu whose film,  The Half of It premiered on Netflix and is available for streaming today (May 1).

In all, there will be more than 20 digital events. For information about how to register and a full schedule of performances and events, go to CAAMFest.com.

Views From the Edge contributed to this report.

Ruby Ibarra's latest rap: An ode to her immigrant mother

SCREEN CAPTURE / YOUTUBE

Ruby Ibarra, right, performs "Someday" with the Balikbayans.

Filipino American rap artist Ruby Ibarra entered NPR's Tiny Desk contest with her creation "Someday," honoring the travails and sacrifices of her mother, who immigrated from the Philippines.

While she didn't win the contest (with over 6,000 entries) she impressed the judges enough that NPR wrote a separate article about her. She tells National Public Radio:

"It is my declaration that my mother and I will make it in this country. I think that when we talk about immigration, especially in mainstream media, much of that is often romanticized and simplified; the experience and struggles are overlooked and the formation of identity and sense of belonging are neglected.

"When my mom moved to California from the Philippines in 1991, she went from being an accountant to a fast food janitor/cashier. She left everything behind in her motherland in hopes to provide better opportunities for me and my younger sister. She learned quickly how to be on survival mode and realized that the American Dream was far more complex than the mainstream narrative. The song "Someday" captures these themes and most importantly, captures my mother's story, which is ultimately a similar story for many immigrants — trying to find a place to call home."

The San Francisco-based rapper tells NPR that her mother always remained a model of resilience for Ibarra and her sister. "She was the matriarch and the patriarch in our household," Ibarra says. "She was always my example of what it meant to be Pinay, a woman who pretty much did s*** on her own, carried everything on her own back."

The chorus, "Mama we goin' make it here someday" is meant to be a promise, says Ibarra.

"I want to reach a point someday where I can look at her in the face and say that we made it," Ibarra says. "I think that sense of belonging, that sense of hope, is a thread that's very common in a lot of immigrant stories."

On the verge of breaking out nationally, Ibarra says that she hopes through her music and message she is able to pass inspiration on to others who want to do the same. Although she speaks about her Filipino American experience, her message conveys the feelings, hopes and dreams of all people of color.

"I am what I talk about in my music. I am Pinay, I'm powerful, I'm fearless, I'm unfiltered," Ibarra says in the NPR interview. "And I like to hope that there's young women out there who feel the same way. Or even if they don't feel the same way, I hope to inspire young women out there to want to use their voice, to claim who they are and to embrace their identity."

I include the lyrics to "Someday" because my baby boomer ears can't catch all the nuances of contemporary rap. (Sorry!) 

I wrote this album ‘cause I want my life to change
Tired of being shortchanged, I'm tryna remain sane
Hopped off the plane, didn’t stop all the pain
My father’s still in debt and we've been struggling to pay
For a bedroom upon Meekland Ave., reachin for just meeting half
Hands tied against the odds, how the fuck you even that?
The people from the slums once, now livin’ the humdrum
Mama from the barrio so we dreamin’ we can stunt once
Mama, I know it’s gon’ be fine wherever we go
'Cause we know, you raised this girl to dream and be a hero
What’s an ego to an eagle? I free flow when I speak though
My pipe dreams through a peephole, my skin so Filipino
But often times my pride, inside, is fightin’ high tides
The day we broke the ocean was the day I learned to nosedive
Closed eyes, fingerprint ink with the most dye
Those times, mama never blinked, say the oath twice

[Chorus]
I said mama we gon’ make it there someday
I said mama we gon’ make it there someday
I said mama we gon’ make it there someday
I said mama we gon’ make it there someday
I said mama we gon’ make it here someday
I said mama we gon’ make it here someday
I said mama we gon’ make it here someday
I said mama we gon’ make it here someday


[Verse 2]
So what's a freestyle to me? I been doing as a 6-year-old
Thinkin’ on my own 2 feet, survival pick and go
Pick a role - you can be the swimmer or a sunken soul
I was a 6-year-old without a father figure role
No silver spoons or dinner rolls, so will you fold or will you go?
Pretend to sing like Figaro, my people still invisible
When you the spittin’ image of a person that you hate
Makes sense I'm spittin' images of dawn that never breaks
Nirvana never waits, I was a pawn of bitter fate
That spawned from inner hate, I never wanted to be great
I study my mother wonder how she holds this family
That minimum salary, stretched as much as it can be
She stressed but keeps that shit from me, I’m just tryna fit in, see
I crave for that acceptance like it validates my sanity
I wrestle with affirmations, settle for masking faces
After all, the stolen lands are always greener places

(Chorus)

[Verse 3]
At school, reduced lunches while my mama skip her lunchtime
9 to 5 minimum wage, she at the bus line
Here I am, filling a page, waiting to bust rhymes
‘Til I’m nearing the day I’m getting cosigned
Snare rolls and punchlines to payrolls and punch time
We take shows like crunch time, we braved those like front lines
My life on these lines ‘cause we never had lifelines
And these days I’m scared of what might go through my mind
I flow like Rizal and I’m writing like Hagedorn
Mixed with Gabriela Silang, now watch as the page mourns
Say my name, it tastes foreign
Type to make your face form in ways you never made
Born from another place, thorns couldn’t break away
Or am I just a breakaway?
From being centre stage from off the page or will I fade away?
I never been the type to say I’m scared of what I have to face
‘Cause all I ever knew is being me so all I ever need to say is…

(Chorus)

Click here to listen to NPR.

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Fundraiser for civil rights group features Asian American artists.

The usually staid Westin Hotel in San Francisco will pulsate with a hip-hop beat this Friday night (June 7).

A benefit Concert for the Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality will feature up-and-coming Asian American rap and hip-hop artists.

Artists scheduled to perform include Ruby Ibarra, Magnetic North, Mass Base, Rice Rockets and Hunnies & Hot Sauce.

AACRE, which is a network comprised of 11 organizations fighting for justice through an intersectional lens, works with Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander refugees, immigrants, LGBTQ, incarcerated folks, artists, faith leaders, survivors, and more. 

Tickets can be bought at the door or in advance.

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Ruby Ibarra's new video 'Taking Names' released

RUBY IBARRA continues to cement her place as the voice of young Filipino Americans, and other Asian Americans.

There's no flash, glitz or fancy choreography for the young Californian. For rapper Ibarra, the words take center stage, accentuated by a hypnotic rhythm that unleashes the power and pride in us all.

"Taking Names," is the second video directed by Ibarra from her recently released album. Circa91. The first video, the critically acclaimed "Us," is an anthem for Filipinas. It was released earlier this year as the #MeToo movement was gaining momentum and women by the hundreds were campaigning for political offices at every level of government, mostly as a reaction to the Trump administration's policies.

Filmed in Oakland, Calif. "Taking Names" features two other Filipino American rappers, Nump Trump and Bambu, part of a community of Filipino American performers and artists based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I hated roll call in school. Teachers were always mispronouncing my name and some of their mistakes were downright humiliating. You can only imagine how they mangled "Diokno."


I'm certain, though, that some of the gym teachers enjoyed mispronouncing my name, if only to elicit the laughter from my classmates.

As I got older, learned to head them off before they could say my surname. They'd say, "Edward ..." pause. That's when I'd shout out "Diokno." I think they appreciated my interruption.

Times have changed. First of all, there are a lot more Filipino American teachers in California schools. Filipinos are not as rare in the suburbs, anyimore (at least, in California.

And then ... there is Ruby Ibarra. Her raps don't dwell on easy subjects about broken love, anti-cop, sex-driven nor does she denigrates any gender or race, subjects resorted to by many other rappers.

"Taking Names," like "Us," is a protest song. 

Much like Bob Dylan's songs reflected the era of the 1960s, Ibarra's work speaks to the growing presence and influence of the Asian American community; not only the arts, but also in the fields of politics, medicine, education, business, research and innovation; of a people speaking out, shouting out, protesting, standing up, voting.

The times -- as are Asian Americans -- they are a-changing.

Ibarra's lyrics go fast and sometimes it's hard to hear the lyrics. So, to make it easier for you understand, I'm reprinting the lyrics here:

[Intro: Nump Trump]
Yo, Ruby what's happ'n witchu
You got your pare uncle, you feel me, The Gorillapino Pope
You know I be bringin' 'em out but
You brought 'em out man
They got these crazy Filipinos in the building

[Verse 1: Ruby Ibarra]
From Morro Bay to the East Bay, we stay survivin’ where we stay
They keep invading’ where we lay, there’s no debating’ that we pay
That naval base up in Subic Bay
To all the places that they tried to take
From Magellan’s days to Philip’s raid
When the land was raped and they changed the way
‘Til my father drownin’ in that alcohol
And then my mama always be up in that Eskinol
'Cause these thoughts make the brown skin start to crawl
So I take the kush in (cushion) just to break the fall
2nd class citizen never been one
Traded the pesos so we can have ones
Darker the skin and you scared of the sun
Silenced to speak with an accented tongue
All of these faces I‘m lookin' like none
Taught to forget all the places I’m from
But we grew up from the barrio and slums
My aunties be drinkin' that Red Horse and rum!
Never be stoppin’ the work’s never done
Long as they keep on corrupting the funds
Thinking the damage is done and they won
But we stay militant daughters and sons
Let’s take it back to the day of first grade
All of you thinking of throwing me shade
My people are roses that grew in the shade
We came up in places exploited by trade
I kill ‘em wit’ a bar, so hot, ‘cause it’s top notch
Thinking that you top mine? Stop, not on my watch!
Like it’s 12:30 on the dot, on the clock, watch
All I see are “hands up and down” when the beat drops

[Chorus: Ruby Ibarra]
'Cause this is roll call
I'm taking names out
We only go raw
I'm takin' aim now
And when it's roll call
They know my name now
I make them all fall
I'm 'bouta break out

[Chorus: Nump Trump]
There’s some crazy Filipinos in here
From the jungle, yeah the savage is real
There’s some crazy Filipinos in here
From the jungle, yeah the savage is real
There’s some crazy Filipinos in here
From the jungle, yeah the savage is real
There’s some crazy Filipinos in here
From the jungle, yeah the savage is real

[Verse 2: Bambu]
Put my San Miguel in a ziplock so I know it's real
Put my Red Horse in a plastic bag so I know it's real
Ayan nanaman si bam-bam umi init ang ulo parateng ganyan
Pero dapat naman kung wala kang alam
D’bat ka nag poporma ka na ganyan
Para kang Buko Pandan na wala man laman, and that’s “eehhh”
Buhusan kita ng marame
Politicians, police and capital greed, pare, ang dame
I say say my name in the right way
Say her name in a pig’s face
Mispronouncing these linguistics might find you washing up ina East Bay
And at this point in time there are tribal tattoo tribes
All these stupid fools put on costumes like indigenous Etas ain't 
till alive
An' while they massacre the first island man I see Fil-Ams make clans
Sporting tribal tats but not giving back
An' not ensuring the natives can hold land
That's that part I can't stand push that PCN beyond dance
Push that PCN for your college club to build bridges up to homeland
Only time I do the tinikling is when the bullets ring an I gotta’ jump
BIg up to eyes in the jungle that's ready to dump
The guerilla-pinos that's a shout out to Nump
And I murder a drum like it's out selling drugs in the barangay to get by
And Duterte gave green lights to vigilantes - now drums must die
Got a little accent when I rap an I go batshit when on a track
But I hold no candles to the sister-soldier, young Ruby Ibaaaarrrrrrat!

(CHORUS)

[Verse 3: Ruby Ibarra]
You thinkin’ you winnin, but no you ain’t winnin’
They runnin’ this shit...right now
And since the beginning, was taught to pretend
So we bleaching our skin...white now
'Cause even my roots is a product of
When they were killing our kin...wipe out
Oppression from systems that’s holding the power
They huntin’ again...right now
But if they mispronounce my name again
I make em take in every single syllable over again
And so never say my name if you thinkin' you never can
'Cause my name is a part of me and be something I will defend
So if you cross me, you end in the cross hairs
Crossin’ you out when I’m tossin’ the bars there
Twistin’ they face like they mispronounced names
And I’m tearing them down, I’m not stoppin' my reign
Flow so cold goin' off, from the top, so pro
Break ‘em off when the bars go blow
Ain’t no stoppin' though, when I speak get ‘em coffins, so
I’m a problem that’s plottin' slow
Like a sharp bolo, when I’m talkin’ they all get froze
I’m like Pac, MDS, I throw
Hella prophet flows, it’s approximate toxic dose
When I got this I drop it so, keep it raw they know
‘Cause they plot ‘til they stop that soul
When they search off your pockets so
Ain’t no option though, better run when the odds go low
Got your arm in a lock and hold
Hope you say ten fo', or they box and they lock you so
‘Til you rot and you lost control
And they profit though, all these pigs that be plottin' yo
On these kids that they target, oh, it’s a constant flow
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(CHORUS)