Catibayan, known as Drecat: "My parents from P.I., but then they made me in Daygo."

If the scent of lumpia and the thump of bass-heavy rap tracks about Filipino culture caught your attention while driving along the 805 or 54 freeways recently, you were within earshot of the "Party With Paré And Maré — Part 3" event.

On August 17, the parking lot of Heart Revolution Church in National City transformed into more than just a gathering space — it became a stage where Filipino rap artists, R&B singers, and D.J.s united with church staff, vendors, and chefs to celebrate their heritage. Part of the event's name, “paré and maré,” is Tagalog for “homeboy and homegirl,” perfectly capturing the sense of community and camaraderie among those present.

"Man, that was a blessing to be a part of!" exclaimed Andre Catibayan, known in the local music scene as DreCat. "It was a huge turnout. To be around all these Fil-Am artists and entrepreneurs in one space supporting each other is what it’s all about."

The parking lot of Heart Revolution Church in National City transformed into more than just a gathering space

Catibayan, a 35-year-old Filipino rap artist from San Diego, profoundly connects to his roots and the evolving landscape of Filipino-American hip-hop. "The event was really put together with no funding from the city or sponsors," he added. "It was all for the love, culture, and community."

During the event, Catibayan performed his 2018 track "MadeInDaygo," which resonated with hundreds of attendees. Some of the song's lyrics, which he wrote and published in 2018, go like this: "My parents from P.I., but then they made me in Daygo ... In the ring, I'm unorthodox with rap lines, and they punch like Roy — Got spaghetti from Jollibee, on the side a two-piece of Chicken Joy."

Just like the globally renowned Jollibee fast food chain, founded in the Philippines in 1978 and with 1600-plus locations around the world, including Chula Vista, Mira Mesa, and National City, Filipino artists are introducing Filipino culture to a broader audience.

The event was the brainchild of Filipino rappers G Derty and ShYboi, along with local promotional teams WYAFunctions, The Uplifters, and San Diego Kollective. Dozens of vendors showcased their businesses, products, and food, drawing long lines of foodies.

The Kujo Eats food truck was a crowd favorite. It served up homestyle Filipino dishes like short ribs, sisig, barbecue pork skewers, pancit, halo-halo, and garlic fried rice. Another vendor offered Filipino-inspired clothing with logos like "San Diego Parés" and "Coffee & Pandesal."

For decades, long before the internet connected us all, Filipino families in San Diego and the Philippines used hip-hop and food to bridge generational gaps and assert our identities.

And in the local Filipino rap scene, before Catibayan, there were Filipino trailblazers like Dannu of the Visionaries, whom Catibayan acknowledges as someone who has been “holdin’ it down for S.D. and the Filipinos in rap, fasho!”

Another notable figure is Allan Pineda Lindo, known to the world as APL.DE.AP of the Black Eyed Peas, who visited Chula Vista for a running & jogging event in 2018. 

The local Filipino rap scene has other "dope" roots, with artists like Noah "Wuv" Bernardo from P.O.D. and King D from Lyrical Prophets Strictly Dope (LPSD), who have Filipino heritage and rapped in the 80s and 90s. Dale Soliven, a half-Filipino and Mexican boxing coach and former D.J., managed the Legion of Doom, the first San Diego-based rap group to achieve national distribution.

But even before these artists made their mark, Filipino rapping had its origins among U.S. Navy sailors who would recite original lyrics and mimic bars from popular rap tracks while on ships or during flights between San Diego and the Philippines in the early to mid-1980s. Because of these U.S. Navy recruits, the hip-hop culture — thanks to rap cassettes, Betamax tapes, and books — soon found its way to the Philippine Islands. And kids in the Philippines, including myself, embraced rap music, break dancing, graffiti art, and DJing — and embedding it within our Filipino culture. These four elements of hip-hop seeped into our parents' Fil-Am gatherings, karaoke machines, 1980s Filipino television shows like Eat Bulaga and Penthouse, office parties, and even elementary school talent shows and show-and-tell sessions. Then, when many of us Filipinos moved to the U.S. and settled in San Diego, we witnessed and participated in the full-circle evolution of Filipino rap and hip-hop culture. This cultural exchange and celebration were evident at the recent "Party With Paré And Maré — Part 3" event.

While rapping and the hip-hop lifestyle were once frowned upon by our elders in the Filipino community during the 80s and 90s, times are changing, as evidenced by the success of events.

"Hip-hop is one of the top genres in music now; how can you hate it?" Catibayan concluded our interview with a smile. "But still, in a traditional Filipino family, pursuing music as a career is never taken seriously. In the beginning, my family was against me shifting my focus to music. But once they saw how serious I was and the work I was putting in, the support is nonstop now, and I’ll be forever grateful for that."