-The title of another song is "Sushi". Why?

Every time I make songs at the studio, I wouldn’t say I’m playing, but it’s more like I make them with the vibe that I’m feeling at that time. I don’t usually decide on a concept before, I just go with the flow. This time I was saying “sushi” in the hook, so I thought "Sushi" would be perfect for the title.

-It was your first collaboration with Candee & Deech, right?  How did it happen?

I've been checking them for a long time and always thought they’re really good. However I didn’t try to contact them. While I was making this song I realized they would be perfect, so I DM’d them a message on Instagram saying "Would you like to do a song with me?".

-I guess they were very surprised when they heard from you.

From what I heard, they went straight to the studio and worked on the song for about 15 hours. I was happy to know that they were very enthusiastic about it. I got dope verses from them. it’s really great.

-Also, it was your first time working with the producer ineedmorebux. How was working with him?

He's really young, only 19 years old. His beats have that American hip hop sound, which really surprised me at first. He hasn't even been abroad yet. It’s amazing that he can bring out the States sound and swag just making beats at home. That inspired me a lot. I met him in person for the first time the other day, I could feel his love for hip hop culture. I was surprised to see his hair was so long though. I guess he hasn’t been out of the studio recently (lol).

-That’s great!  The artwork is also very cool, how did you come up with the idea?

My team and I come up with ideas and share them. This image is one scene we took from the music video and made it look like a cover. The designer, DOPE is a guy I always ask for my art and designs.

-As for the lyrics, do you always write them down when you come up with some new ideas?

I used to do that, but I realized I never looked back the notes I wrote down. Now, I listen to the beats in the studio and start writing there.

-Is there any rule you follow for staying creative?

To have fun as much as possible.  Like hanging out with friends, going to eat and to shop. If I repeat the same days over and over, it will be difficult to put myself into a rapper mode, so I am always looking for stimulation. I haven't been able to go to many places during this pandemic, so I just go shopping in Tokyo or something. I want to go back to America so bad. When I go somewhere like LA, the lyrics just pour out of me and the production there inspires me.

-I see. Let's go back to your old days. Please tell me about your childhood. You are from Hiratsuka, in Shonan. What kind of childhood did you have?

I think it was pretty normal. It wasn't a hard life at all, nor I didn't grow up in a very rich.  We are a really normal family. I might have been quiet as a child, but I guess I haven’t changed much.  I have lots pictures of me laughing so hard when I was a little. I don't remember what made me laugh so much though.

-What were your parents like and how did they raise you?

They let me do what I wanted to do. I wasn't really aware then, but my parents were listening to all kinds of international music from hip hop to soul to rock.

-Are there any songs that stand out in particular?

Afrika Bambaata's "Planet Rock" and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's "The Message".

-What kind of songs did you listen on your own?

In my early age, most of music I was listening was J Pop, but when I was in the sixth grade I heard Eminem's "Lose Yourself" on an Apple commercial and I thought it was cool. I was already listening to Japanese hip hop, like RIP SLYME and TERIYAKI BOYZ®, but I didn't listen to much American hip hop.  Also, at that time I didn't really know what hip hop was, I was just listening because it sounded cool.

-So, after you heard Eminem song you started to listening more American hip hop?

Yes, shortly after that I started dancing to hip hop and I listened to more American hip hop . My best friend from school has been dancing for a long time and he asked me to come along. One day I went and thought it was so cool. Then I started going to a local dance school to take lessons. I was like 14. I went there every day.

-At that time, did you think you wanted to be a dancer in the future?

I wasn’t thinking about my future, but I wanted to be better at dancing. I was into dance like crazy during my school days. At that time, there was a dance TV show called "Super Chample” that I really wanted to be on.

-There was a time you were a part of a hip hop crew called “Do The Right Inc. (D.T.R.I)”.  When and how did it start?

During high school, I was taking dance lessons of HKARU who was the leader of the crew. He asked me if I wanted to participate in a dance show. After that, we all started hanging out more, and we eventually started to doing shows at clubs.  Eventually, some of the members started to rap and HKARU was singing, so we decided to make a song and a music video together.  At that time I didn't do much rap though, just did some recordings I made for myself.

-Then, what did you do after graduating from high school?

Everyday, I was dancing or going to Harajuku/Shibuya and clubs and spending the 10,000 yen I made at my day job. I did that for a long time.

-At some point, you worked part-time at a clothing store, right?

I love clothes so I wanted to work at clothing stores as a clerk, but it was difficult to find a job. The only available jobs were blue collar jobs like building and demolition stuff. One day I heard dancer friend, vividboooy, was working at Off-White and he told that another brand under the same company were about to open a pop-up store and they were hiring. So he connected me and I got the job.

-Did you still dance while working there?

Not much. About two years before that I started becoming more interested in rap than dance. But I didn't know much about the rap scene at all. I was doing it at dance events and my show time would be in the opening or in the middle of the event. I had to sell tickets, but nobody came. It was definitely a hard time of my life that I don’t want to repeat.  But, I got used to performing in front of a crowd and when "Cho Wavy (Cho Wavy De Gomenne / 2017)" become a hit, I was able to pull off the performances without any pressure. 

-Did you think “Cho Wavy” would be such a huge hit? You posted that music video and it went crazy?

I didn't expect that and it changed my life a lot. Until then when I post my songs, the number of views were usually like 10 a day, and if it goes 100 that was really great. “Cho Wavy” went more than doubled that.  When I woke up the next day, I saw tweets on Twitter too. I was like, “what happened?”

-But, it didn’t give you enough confidence that you can make it as a rapper?

I got some good responses and thought it went well, but I didn't think that one song would change my life. That's why I kept the part-time job at the pop-up for 3 or 4 months. At that time my life was difficult.  Go to work in the morning and then do events and photo shoots until late night, and then back to work again without sleep. After I put out a remix with SALU, it went viral and I started doing shows 2 or 3 times a night every weekend. So I started to think I might be able do this without the job. The job was supposed to be for 3 months anyway, so I decided to go only with music.

-So you quit the job and focused on your music.

Yes, but up until about a month before I decided I was thinking of becoming a full-time employee. After the song hit and I started touring, seeing peoples reactions gave me the confidence to decide.

-Were there any artists you had a big influence when you started rap?

When I started, the trends of the scene were changing and rappers like A$AP Mob and Tyler were booming, so I would say they influenced me.

-It's been about 5 years since then, when you look back on what happened in your career, what do you think the turning point was for you?

Maybe when I went to LA. I've always longed to go America, but I had never been there.  I went to LA with my friends for the first time after “Cho Wavy” hit. I think the first-hand experiences while I was there became a turning point. I recorded a song with a rapper, Gab3 who I became friends with in Japan. I can't speak English at all, and the engineers and people in the studio were Americans who don't understand Japanese.  But when I entered the booth and spit my rhymes, everyone went crazy. When I saw that, I had adrenaline or dopamine rushes. Every time I go to America, something that changes my outlook on life happens. The second time I went I was able to meet Gunna, who happened to be in the same studio I was in. In America, you run into other artists on the street or in the shops. The distance to them is much closer than in Japan. I think it’s possible to meet anyone there if I try hard enough. It's very fresh and inspiring.

-Yes, it happens if you are at right place at right time.

I'm really a lucky man, but only in the US (lol). When I went to ComplexCon, I met Pharrell and NIGO®. When I shook Pharrell’s hands, I was so excited and got a fever for about 5 days until I got back to Japan (lol).

-That’s so nice! So, what was the greatest thing happened to you through your career so far?

Ever since I started to rap I always wanted to be famous and be a star, but no matter how hard I tried things didn’t go well enough for me. People around me would say, “you’re doing ok” and nobody said like I’m the shit. I’ve always wanted to go higher, so I'm really happy that now all the people listen to my songs get so excited. Also, being recognized and liked by the people I respect, both in Japan and abroad makes me happy too.

-Have you ever felt any failures?

I have had a lot of frustrations, but no failures. I was thinking if things didn’t go well by the time I reached 26, I would move on to another path. Like, taking over my parents car business or a full-time fashion employee. But I didn't give up.

-So tell me what you value ​​most when writing songs.

Making fun and positive songs. I didn’t come from a harsh background so I don't think I’m good at exposing my inner self and making it interesting in a song.  Since I was a dancer I enjoy making songs that I can dance to, so I think that's what I do.

-You’re in the center of the Japanese hip-hop scene now, and I think the scene has changed a lot since you started. How do you see the change?

I'm so humbled to say I’m in the center, but I think the number of young rappers has increased tremendously. When I came out, I think there were a few like, kZm, kiLLa, BAD HOP and so on. But now, there are so many new ones coming out and it's really a good time because everyone will get better at their skills and real ones shine.

-Doesn’t it make you sweat a bit?

No matter if they’re younger or not, it stimulates me and makes me feel I have to work harder. I will be 29 this year, so as I get older I have to prepare to become an OG. I wanna hook up younger rappers more and it’s becoming my theme now. Everyone is doing that in the States, like hooking up kids from their hood and putting them on the label they’re with. It's nice to see  the young ones becoming stars like that, and I wish I could do the same.

-What do you think about the hip hop scene and culture in Japan and overseas?

As I said earlier, in Japan it’s getting more exciting every year. I think it will be nice if it continues to move into the right direction and I want to contribute whatever I can. Overseas, I think too many people are dying.  It's sad to see rappers dying so young, and I hope the problems can be resolved somehow.

-Do you listen to hip hop from any other countries besides the States? Which country do you think is hot right now?

South Korea and China are good, but I think Japan is by far the best. There are so many rappers with different styles in Tokyo alone. Some are doing the current trap and some are doing the 90's boom bap, both are really good.  Recently, the number of guys doing European drill and grime are rising too. There were a few people doing grime around the time I released “Cho Wavy”. I thought I'd try it too, but it was a little hard for me so I didn’t do it.

-Is there anything you wish that the Japanese hip hop scene would change in the future?

Everything is great as long as it doesn't get worse. I wanna see where the scene goes from here. Like when it’s big enough to do a festival like "ULTRA". When that becomes happens, I wonder if it will continue to go in the right direction, especially for those who have loved hip hop from the very early days.

-How would you describe your musical style in one word?

Vibe.

-What is your own favorite lyric?

There isn’t one I can pick with pride yet. I guess I don’t have confidence about it or maybe a little shy. By the next time, I will make a line I can be proud of.

-What is the word you use most often these days?

“Kyonen-no-bai (Double of last year)". If I find one interesting word, I use it quite often.

-Which of your music videos is your favorite?

I like everything, but I think “Cho Wavy” is the best. Of course I like the remix with SALU, but I like the original one the most.

-You’re a fashion icon as well, what’s your favorite style and brand these days?

My style has been basically the same, but recently I've been wearing high-end brands again. In the last 2 years I only wore one brand, like HUMAN MADE. I also wear a lot of American casual and second-hand clothes and recently I started mixed high-end brands with that. The brands I like are the obvious ones like, Louis Vuitton and Gucci.

-I heard when you get frustrated in writing songs, you go shopping for inspirations.

Yes, always. The other day I wasn't able to go shopping, but instead I went to eat chicken and waffles in Shibuya. Then I could write a song right away. I guess I’m always looking for something that has an ounce of hip hop in it (lol).

-Who would be your fashion role models?

There are so many, but in Japan someone like NIGO® and VERBAL and people who represent Japanese street culture and fashion.  In the States it ranges from NBA players and American football players and all the rappers especially Kanye, A$AP, and Tyler.

-What is your most important fashion item?

This necklace. I've always wanted to have something like this. I wanna keep having these made.

-So, what kind of person do you think you are?

A quiet person (lol). Sometimes I wonder how long I've been so quiet. Well I haven’t changed much since I was small, but after this pandemic I've been at home more often and I feel it’s worse now. This year, I want to go all out on and off of the stage.

-What do you think your strength is that you think is second to none?

When I decide to do something, I will make it happen for sure. I believe I have stronger commitment than other people.

-Who do you respect or admire?

He’s not a rapper, but in Japan it's NIGO®. It's amazing that he gets so much respect by the American hip hop community.  He’s very particular for his creatives and he’s always making really cool stuff. His passion for collecting is amazing. I don’t think you can do it if you don’t have a real deep passion for it, so I have a lot of respect for him.

-Are there any words you got from NIGO® that moved you?

I haven't got a chance to have a real talk with him yet, but last year he sent me some clothes that weren't for sale and I was so happy so I sent him a thank you DM and introduced myself. I got a reply and he said “Of course, I know about you.”  I was shocked!

-Hope you didn’t get fever this time.  What was the most funniest thing happened to you or around you recently?

Something funny is always happening, but it's hard to remember when I’m on the spot. We live in a dark world, but once I stopped focusing on the negative, every day became a lot more fun. I hear the news like, the number of people infected with Covid has increased or the restrictions got more strict, and I have no choice but focus on what I can do at each moment.

-Do you have any favorite artists or songs you’ve been listening lately?

In Japan, Candee & Deech who featured on my new song “Sushi”, and also Issei Uno Fifth who I found when I did audition at TikTok the other day. I can see him doing good things in the future. Overseas, I'm checking out on Kanye the most.  Also, I'm really looking forward to NIGO®’s new album which will be released soon.

-Are there any artists or producers who you would like to work with in the future?

There are so many, especially Americans it’s an endless list, but I would say, Pharrell and Kanye are the top. I was listening to them so much during my youth and they’re still at the top of the game. It would be great honor if I can create a song with them one day.

-How do you feel about what is happening in the world now?

There’s something I saw in someone's Instagram stories the other day.  Japan gave 20 billion yen to Cambodia for covid support.  When the President of Cambodia held a press conference, he wore a 600 million yen Patek watch…. That's the hottest news to me for now (lol).

-Any countries or places you would like to live in?

America. I've only been to LA and Texas, so I don't know where I want to live.  There are too many places I want to go to, like New York, Atlanta, and Miami.

-Can you share your dreams and goals you would like to achieve in the future.

I wanna blow up worldwide. I want to make more hit songs and become popular like TERIYAKI BOYZ® did. I would also like to be respected the way NIGO® is in the States. I don't know what I should do to take it to that next level, but I’m just going to continue the path I’m on.

-Do you have any daily rituals?

Recently, I've been trying not to eat too many carbs, but it's been about only a month since I started. The things I've been doing are drinking coffee and meeting up with my friends and talk about clothes.

-Last question, what does hip hop mean to you?

It’s difficult to say, but it’s the only thing that I really feel in my life. It makes me want to be around this culture forever.