Since 2021, female emcee Illest Morena has fought tirelessly for a seat at the table in the local hip-hop scene.
Back when she first started, she could only count the number of active Filipina rappers on one hand. But even when it appeared that the less competition there was, the better, it remained a big challenge for her and her fellow “femcees” to actually get people to listen.
It was Illest’s hunger (and outright audacity) as a newcomer that powered her through that — and it was precisely how she lured new listeners into her craft in the first place. There was a fearlessness that came with putting out every new song, and an intense desire to prove herself to the public early on.
“I wasn’t scared when I started. Ibang-iba ang gigil ng isang rookie. Kapag rookie ka (The grit of a rookie is totally different. When you’re a rookie), you don’t think about the consequences of what’s gonna happen. You don’t think about the outcome. You only think about the possibilities of the things you wanna do,” she told Rappler.
Now, she’s entering her fifth year in the industry with her head held high. She carries herself differently this time — with the consolation of knowing who she truly is despite what those around her may say, and a new air of confidence she got from towering over all the noise.
