By Catzie Vilayphonh  |  Send to Friend

A few months back, I interviewed Adriel Luis of the super spoken word group Ill-Literacy from the Bay Area. Well I’m glad to announce that they’re back in town this week (performing at Swarthmore this Friday) and this time the feisty lady of the pack, Ruby Veridiano-Ching has also just published her first book Miss Universe. I haven’t read it yet, but I know Ruby’s words, she’s fierce when talking about the struggles of interracial relationships, funny when she remarks the complications of a text message relationship and touching when reflecting upon her back and forth speaking of Tagalog and English. Plus she’s one hot mama who can spot a tight manicure from miles away.

I caught up with Ruby, on tour with the rest of Ill-Literacy, right as they were descending into the East Coast.

 

Catz: I know I asked Adriel this but what's your version of how you came about forming a multi-ethnic, multi-gender spoken word group?

Ruby: Most of iLL-Literacy and I went to school in UC Davis, which, like many college campuses, had a dominantly white student population. On top of that, there wasn’t a space that supported art that I could relate to, at a budding time of my life when I discovered a love for hip-hop along with an impassioned hunger for knowledge. I suppose it was this initial foundation that naturally attracted other artists who upheld the same missions to use art as a tool for social awareness, supa-saucyness, and education, and thus, iLL-Literacy was born.

And you know, I have to note it’s also pretty amazing to roll deep with a crew that’s just hella fly in all kinds of bronze and brown, lighting up the world wherever we  go. All my peoples are pretty sexy.

Catz: How does it feel being the only female in the group?

Ruby: You know, I get asked this question a lot, and honestly, it can be both beautiful and hard at times. I mean, within the crew, I might get overwhelmed or left out on some occasions, but what’s helpful is that we’re poets, so we’re good with our words -- we communicate well. We respect and love each other very much, and it shows on stage. Rolling with dudes has taught me about the power of my own voice, and how fierce I can be.

However, I think what’s more noticeably discouraging for me is the fact that the male portion of our audience don’t always show me the same love as they do with the guys; which may not have anything to do with me, but more so with the fact that I challenge gender dynamics by offering a strong voice that threatens the concept of a traditional female. Truthfully, it frustrates me at times, the fact that the world isn’t always ready to welcome or acknowledge a powerful (and relevant) female voice. But you know, I think this generation is changing that, especially with Michelle Obama on our side. Woot Woot! 

Catz: How do you actually divvy up shows, and who performs what and when?

Ruby: It happens pretty naturally; we don’t have a front man (or front woman for that matter) in our crew, its just about keeping the aesthetic of the overall set in mind and knowing what sounds good, flows well, and will keep our audiences engaged. We’re pretty democratic; we share the priority of giving our audience an experience that will stick with them long after we’re gone. We cover pretty heavy topics, so having the material flow well and effectively is important.

Catz: I have my own opinions about life as an artist (I still have a day job!) but what's it like for you?

Ruby: Oh dear, as hard and crazy as it can be sometimes, I do love it. I am passionate about what I do, and I’m never bitter about the amount of work I put in because I love it so much. I meet incredible people, and connecting with folks and pushing the boundaries for art and progressing together by collaborating on inspiring projects gives me so much life. However, its definitely got its ups and downs, and you really have to have an authentic love for your art or you can get discouraged. Being an artist is a hustle, so it involves patience, diligence and a positive outlook. If you’re ready to put that in, then you’ll be good.

Catz: You also worked for Jive Records. Does being in the music industry give you insight into marketing?

Ruby: I worked with Jive Records last summer, and it helped me a lot in terms of envisioning how I want to craft my own artistic career, independently. I have a better understanding of how mainstream artists get radio plays, and what the nature of the industry can be. When people say the industry can be a beast, I never fully grasped that until I saw firsthand what kind of work and dynamic it takes to market an artist. It can be good and ideal for some people, definitely, but I think that it helped me realize that even though there are a lot of perks being with a record label, I prefer to do my own art the independent route.

Catz: Tell us a little bit about your book Miss Universe, and what new readers and adoring fans can expect.

Ruby: Miss Universe is an honest documentation of a woman’s experience: the insecurities we go through, the pageantry we play into while we grow up trying to mold ourselves into someone else’s idea of beauty, and how that affects our relationships with the world, ourselves, and you know, our ex-boyfriends (those fuckers.)

It’s about being woman, Pinay and immigrant, while learning how to love with American sensibilities (ie. dating interracially). It offers a vulnerable voice unafraid to seek and demand love in a world of war, but a voice gangsta enough to say “gyeah!” to a shot of Hennessey when need be. Nawmsayin.

Catz: Is there anything you would like to see from fellow performers and artists?

Ruby: Honestly, I think its pretty simple. I have fun when I know a performer is having fun. I like to feel people. I hella love watching Janelle Monae on stage because I can tell she’s giving it her all up there, and she’s having the time of her life. She’s doing something that makes me believe that I should love her work because she loves it that much. Music and art is about letting go and having fun. In every show, I want to feel like I can do that, and be buoyant!
 

Check out Ruby's adventures at ill-literacy.com/glamourbaby