100 Ways to Filipino

Why did rapper Ruby Ibarra and producer Angelo “LASI” Macaraeg decide to work with a P-pop group?

In the first episode of The Filipino Frequency, Lisa Angulo Reid sits down with the Bolo Music Group co-founders to talk about Xonara’s “IMPERFECT.” Ruby and LASI take us behind the scenes of writing and recording the track with seven young women in the Philippines, from its TLC influences to the Zoom sessions that ran until five in the morning.

They also discuss why representation isn’t enough, what P-pop can make possible, and how music might help the next generation find its own connection to Filipino culture.

Kevin Powell is Black. Filipino. Queer. A Sagittarius with a sharp eye and even sharper fits. In this episode, we talk about growing up in PG County, Maryland, navigating mixed identity, and finding voice through style. Kevin shares how fashion became his first language—before he had the words to describe who he was. We talk code-switching, coming out, wholesale vs. e-comm, and what it means to show up as your full self.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to edit yourself to be accepted—or built a persona to survive a room—you might Filipino like Kevin.

Intro/Outro Music: "Sino," by Lotti. Used with permission of the artist. Listen to Lotti on Spotify.

If you’ve ever felt the pull to step up, take charge, and create something bigger than yourself, maybe you Filipino like Rachelle Peraz Ocampo.

In this episode, we talk about language, leadership, and the responsibility of building community. From growing up in a predominantly white suburb to leading the charge for a Filipino Community Center in Queens, Rachelle’s journey is a story of advocacy, resilience, and creating spaces for others to thrive.

Subscribe for more stories that redefine what it means to be Filipino, no matter where you are.

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📲 Follow Rachelle and NaFFAA NY on Instagram to stay updated on her work.

Because there’s no single way to Filipino. But we’re all finding our own.

If you’ve ever felt caught between two places, two identities, or two versions of yourself, maybe you Filipino like Lotti Grae. In this episode, we talk about migration, music, and the struggle to belong. From leaving the Philippines at 17 to renaming herself after an autocorrect mistake, Lotti’s journey is a story of survival, reinvention, and reclaiming space.

Listen now on Spotify and Substack. Subscribe for more stories that redefine what it means to be Filipino, no matter where you are.

🎧 Lotti’s debut EP, Casualty, is out this month—stream it on Spotify and Apple Music
📲 Follow @lotti4evr on Instagram and TikTok

Because there’s no single way to Filipino. But we’re all finding our own.