Ruby Ibarra is a Cali-bred spoken word artist/rapper/lyricist. Born in the Philippines and raised in the Bay area; she has been writing and rapping for several years, but this past year – decided to take her art to another level and to pursue it professionally.
Penning her lyrical style as 90’s hip- hop sound with elements of raw poetry, Ruby describes her style as “a variety of topics — boastful raps, about my culture, society, politics, my experiences, and stories of others that I feel haven’t been told too often.”
Pursuing more success as a talented a rapper and lyricist, the 24-year old is now ready to take a run at the spotlight. She soon caught the attention of XXL Magazine by being featured on their site column ‘The Break,’ and MYX TV cable channel. “I’ve performed in different bars, clubs, and universities across the United States in the past year – one of my more memorable experience was opening for members of Hieroglyphics in Sacramento, and when I was able to rap a few verses on the Grind Time Now stage at the 2011 Rock the Bells.” says Ibarra.
With the ups and downs that come with being in the industry, Ruby has a strong foundation to stand on from her family, despite the shadiness the business can be at times. “I try not to be intimidated by the fear of rejection or failure in the music industry because at the end of the day, I’m doing this because I love it, enjoy it, and it’s one of things I feel natural in and know that I’m good at.”
Ruby continues to hone her skills, while currently working on a mixed tape. She is focused on reaching her the long-term goals of having multi-platinum selling albums, touring the world, and most of all, maintaining control over her art and image.
By diligently charting her own course, aside from the many other lyricists and Youtube sensations, Ruby is definitely on the industry’s radar as next to blow.
https://www.facebook.com/rubyibarramusic
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4l5-R1P8rxzcdkV8clhThQ
Related Events:
BOW 003: Ruby Ibarra
Filmed at San Roque, Quezon City, Philippines on April 11, 2013
Written & Performed by R. Ibarra
Filmed by Tabakk
BLKD
Sinag De Jesus
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!
