Meet Filipinx Bay Area emcee, popper, and modern-day warrior Jaeya Bayani

At 21, Jaeya Bayani is a rising emcee repping the Filipino-American Bay Area hip-hop community | Photo from @jaeyabayani/nstagram

Filipina-American rapper Ruby Ibarra has opened the doors for more musicians in the community to take the spotlight and rise as modern-day women warriors.

Jaeya Bayani is one such artist who’s slowly making a name for herself as a Filipinx singer-songwriter, emcee, and popper while striving to serve underrepresented artists as an aspiring music lawyer. Here’s why she should be on your radar.

The 21-year-old Bay Area native, who goes by the mononym Jaeya and the stage name Jaeonic, was raised as a guest to the Bay Area hip-hop community. Her thought-provoking lyrics inspired by other Filipinx emcees and her training as a vocalist shine in her debut EP “Bayani” released in June 2023. Her musical style encapsulates her passion for R&B, funk, jazz, soul, and underground militant rap.

“Righteous name, I was born with it / Instilled that first, I’m victorious, Bayani means / Heroic, natural-born stoic,” Jaeya raps in “510” from the EP. “For my Lumads, for my kapwa / The divine source, my vocal resource / Nuance in our culture reforged / Forget your monolith, my spirits restored.”

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Jaeya Bayani lists Filipina emcees and spoken word artists Ibarra, Klassy, Faith Santilla, and Rocky Rivera as her foremost influences. You may have seen her appear on Ibarra’s “Us” music video. She is also inspired by the sounds of Fil-Am rapper-activist Bambu and other BIPOC hip-hop artists such as G Yamazawa and the Hieroglyphics.

Jaeya Bayani says that her core belief is uplifting and collaborating with fellow BIPOC creatives in all of her endeavors, which is fueled by her love for community and her ancestors. She references the definition of her last name “Bayani,” when she shares her aim to be a “warrior” for her people.

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Part of her story as an artist is how her father Jonathan “Bionic” Bayani—who’s a globally recognized dancer specializing in popping, animation, and boogaloo—has influenced her, not only by immersing her in street dance culture but also in his efforts to break down barriers for and with his community.

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Jaeya and Bionic are two of the faces for Filipino-American brand Kampeon’s campaign for their latest barong Tagalog-inspired line called The Bruno.

If you’re ever wondering what Filipinx pride looks like, take notes from the likes of Jaeya.