Ruby Ibarra

Ruby Ibarra (born February 25, 1988) is a Filipino American rapper, music producer, and spoken word artist from San Lorenzo, California. She raps in Tagalog, Waray, and English.[1] Her raps concern her cultural heritage and her experiences as an immigrant to the United States from the Philippines.[2]

Ruby Ibarra
Ibarra performing in San Francisco in 2014
Background information
Birth nameRuby Anne Ibarra
Also known asRuby Ibarra
Born (1988-02-25) February 25, 1988
OriginTacloban, Philippines
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper · music producer · songwriter · spoken word artist
InstrumentsVocals · MPC 1000 · MPC 2000XL · synthesizer
Years active2011–present
LabelsBeatrock Music
Associated actsBlue Scholars · Fatgums · Bambu · Rocky Rivera · Odessa Kane · Hopie Spitshard · 6Fingers
Websiterubyibarra.com

Early life

Ibarra was born in the Philippines. As a child living in Tacloban, she was inspired by a television performance by Filipino rapper Francis Magalona. Her family immigrated to San Lorenzo, California and she was raised in the Bay Area. She attended the University of California, Davis and performed with spoken word collective, SickSpits.[3]

Music career

Ibarra released her Lost In Translation mixtape, hosted by DJ Kay Slay, on December 12, 2012. The mixtape debuted that evening on Eminem's Shade45 channel on Sirius XM Radio, where she was interviewed live by DJ Kay Slay.[4]

On November 5, 2015, she officially signed to independent record label, Beatrock Music, and announced that she would release her full-length debut album with them in 2016. She began recording the album with Fatgums in Inglewood, California in March 2016. On October 3, 2017, she released her album “Circa 1991” - where she documents social justice issues like immigration and trauma. [5]

In January 2018, Ruby was featured in a national MasterCard TV commercial with singer SZA and other breakout artists to promote the Start Something Priceless campaign.[6]

In just 2018 alone, Ruby Ibarra has done 6 projects with The Filipino Channel: Cinematografo: Performance and Music Licensing- Discovering Routes: Music Licensing- Kasayahan Festival in Daly City: Performance- 24x24: Feature not yet released- Balitang America: Jocelyn Enriquez x Ruby Ibarra Feature- Gifts of Love: Performance for ABS CBN Foundation.

In addition to Ruby’s individual platforms, she has team support from the following platforms to distribute her content: Myx TV (CableTv & Online broadcast in more than 15 million households on cable providers such as Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Bright House and DIRECTV) and DASH Radio (a global digital radio broadcasting platform with more than 80 original stations and 10 million+ listeners around the world). Dash Radio also partnered with General Motors last year to have the channel built into one million of its car models as a part of the podcast application.

Ruby has a combined presence of over 3 million views on YouTube.

Ruby Ibarra’s last documentary (NOTHING ON US: PINAYS RISING) was featured in multiple countries & film festivals including Guam, Toronto, & San Francisco + Boston in the United States. 

Ruby Ibarra is one of a few Filipino artists from the USA that have gained traction among Filipinos from around world, as reflected by her weekly bookings to perform all around the world, including next week’s Malisimbo music festival in the Philippines.

Recent partnerships & features include the following corporations:

  • Pandora
  • Apple
  • Reebok
  • Forbes (Mastercard)
  • BuzzFeed
  • VICE
  • NBC News
  • NPR

Style

Ibarra describes her style as reminiscent of 1990s hip hop; she cites Lupe Fiasco and Raekwon as her influences.[7]

Personal life

Ibarra is a UC Davis graduate.[8] She lives in Hayward and works as a scientist in the quality-control department of a Bay Area biotech firm.[9][10]

Discography

Albums
  • Circa91 (Beatrock Music, October 3, 2017)

EPs
  • Lost in Translation mixtape (Independent, December 2012)

Videography

See also

References
  1. Kruschewsky, Gabriela (November 6, 2013). "9 Underground Female Rappers You Need To Know About". Buzzfeed.
  2. Bernier, Lisa (March 12, 2014). "11 Asian Musicians Proving That Great Music Knows No Race". Mic.
  3. Pandika, Melissa (July 5, 2014). "This Girl is Breaking the Silence of the Female Rap Scene". OZY.
  4. Fleischer, Adam (October 3, 2011). "The Break Presents: Ruby Ibarra". XXL.
  5. "Rao, S. (2017, Oct). Breaking' Presents: Ruby Ibarra, an MC Turning Immigration Trauma Into Adventurous Rap on Colorlines.com".
  6. "The Fader. (2018, Jan). Watch SZA team up with 6 breakout artists to talk struggle, self-love".
  7. "8 Asian Entertainers Who Are Making Names For Themselves In The States". Huff Post. October 6, 2014.
  8. https://medium.com/@julaipi/ruby-ibarra-scientist-by-day-rapper-by-night-61384bb25d59
  9. https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/08/09/ruby-ibarras-world-bay-area-rapper-by-night-covid-19-researcher-by-day/
  10. https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/Bay-Area-rapper-COVID-vaccine-Ruby-Ibarra-15450383.php
  11. "Rapper Ruby Ibarra says Waray and Tagalog are 'perfect for hip-hop'". Public Radio International. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  12. "One Down: Filipina MC's unite, slay colonial patriarchy on track |". eltecolote.org. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
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