Ruby Ibarra Circa 91 album is empowering. It’s about being proud of one’s self, racism, a fight for equality, an audio presentation of life in the other country. It’s raw and vivid. It is an album a real rap fan will surely love and must have. She spits her bars like no one and you need to listen carefully how words are so deep and well written. This one is a classic. It is not an album that will turn you into a hip-hop fan in an instant but if you’re a fan of Ruby Ibarra already it will surely make you stick. This is how you hit them with the realist. #PHSReview

Here’s a quick review of my own about the tracks and the notable verses I like in each one.

Brown Out. A 1st track on the album that’s all about altering one’s self just to fit in.

They teach me to erase that brown, subconsciously I lose my crown
‘Til I don’t even recognize the person that’s inside me now

I look in the mirror then all that I see
Is a version of me that they want me to be

You can feel her stressing and struggling to let go of her roots and embrace that false image they want her to be.

‘Til we become a version: a self that’s lost it’s worth

Here. One of my favorite track. Ayos sa beat and ung bitaw ni Ruby, angas. Pedeng pede mo i-play to while rolling with your ride. Basically telling her presence in the game and no other better way to do this than this track right here. To add more for that rider’s music, magugustuhan nyo rin sguro ung bonus track na Yuh

Tacloban City’s finest, put me on that 5 list

Someday track is that greener pasture dream like any other Filipinos pursuing the life in abroad. OFW’s can totally relate to something like this. Telling her transistion from living in PH to U.S soils. From there on, the struggle begins.

Mama, I know it’s gon’ be fine wherever we go ‘Cause we know, you raised this girl to dream and be a hero

Before pa ‘tong album na to, we already know Ruby is going to be influential and will be making her own name.

The Other Side, Welcome is like a track continuance to Someday. You can hear her fighting the inevitable, the racism, the self-hate that emerges while living in a foreign land.

This country told us welcome but never asked if we wanna stay

Taking Names. I guess my “go-gangsta” track for me (sama mo narin dito ung Here and Yuh) and another favorite of mine. The beat, the collaboration with Bambu and Nump Trump is like listening to a Bone-Thugs track. Wait for the 3rd verse by Ruby, sarap sa tenga nung bitaw dun. Tapang ng track na to as they step up in foreign soils and pinapamukha just how savage Filipinos are.

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! – Bambu

‘Cause this is roll call I’m taking names out We only go raw I’m takin’ aim now – Ruby

Playbill$. A “hustler’s track” ? Not sure sa term pero we will have an article that will discuss this type of hip-hop music or other types. Well, it’s all about gettn’ paid and all pero ang nakakakuha attention dito is ung Verse 2: An all out attack about the Yolanda crisis here in PH ; the obvious corruption. I think we’ll have a separate article or discussion para ma translate ung particular verse na un. 

Watch me make it rain, bitches don’t know that I’m paid though
Watch me make it rain, I made that dollar from a peso

Baka maging bore na if I would tackle each tracks and masyadong lengthy ung post although I can do it all but just to sum it up walang tapon ‘tong Circa 91 by Ruby Ibarra kaya I can have the nerve to discuss it all 😀

Don’t forget though the hit track, Us featuring Working Klass Klassy, Faith Santilla and Rocky Rivera. Isang solid track for women empowerment and the essence of being a Filipina, isa sa fave track ko din. Hook palang ni Klassy, daym

Island woman rise, walang makakatigil
Brown, brown woman, rise, alamin ang yung ugat
They got nothin’ on us (aye!)
Nothin’ on us (aye!)
Nothin’ on us (aye!)
Nothin’ on us

‘Tas eto pa from verse 3:

Goddess of guerilla warfare in every lifetime
We don’t take no shit except an oppressor’s lifeline
If you step out of your line, I will protect what’s mine
Kahit merong rosaryo, sinong magliligtas sa’yo?
Puro dugo, pugot ulo, mula sa dagat hanggang mundo

Angas ng track coming from 4 fem emcees combined. Pakinggan mo rin ung verse ni Rocky Rivera. This is what i love ni rap or in hip-hop in general, pede kana patayin lyrically sa tracks palang, me ipapalag kapa? 😀

We pullin’ up in a Jeepney
All of my soldiers greet me
Hand me bandanas and pull back my hammer
It’s warfare, when you see me
Skin you alive for my country, I live and die for my country
I kill a pig in a white hooded suit on the low….for my country

And lastly ung spoken words ni Faith Santilla, here’s one line na mabagsik:

Your DNA contains building blocks made from the mud of over 500 years of resistance and survival

Men, Filipina yan! at 1st palang palaban na. That’s why we can go anywhere around the world.. and definitely conquer.

In the end, how you define each tracks depend on papano sya nagkaroon ng 1st impression sayo. From a hip-hop fan to another, especially if your looking for a solid female rapper na may kakaibang bitaw, Ruby Ibara’s Circa 91 will be worth it.