Text & Photo: Atsuko Tanaka
Renee Couto in Shinjuku
-Tell us about your style today.
It's a mix of Harajuku gal and anime. I'll do a lot of things to make it look like an anime character. I change my hair color every month, and this month it's red. I also change my nails accordingly. I like color coordination. I also like black and white. I'm influenced by the Taoism I learned in high school, and I reflect that in my fashion as well.
-Which brands and fashion styles do you like these days?
My style is basically dark, and lately I've been liking goth styles as well. In terms of brands, I don't buy many big brands because everyone wears them and the style ends up being similar to everyone else's. I like to support underground brands, so I often buy Dolls Kill, Grave Wonderland, NAMED COLLECTIVE®, and SHEIN from China. Also, my friend runs a brand called Kikis Tire, they make clothes of anime characters, and gave me a Naruto set up and I really like it.
-When did your current fashion style start?
After I started making money lol. I've always wanted to dress like this, but I couldn't do it when I didn't have the money. After going to California in 2020, I started wearing the brands I mentioned earlier. After I moved back to Atlanta, I was a little scared of how people would react to my style, but I tried not to worry about it because I like being different. I got a lot of compliments though.
-Did you originally like anime?
Yes, when I was little, I watched “Dragon Ball Z'' and “Gundam'' with my brothers, and I also liked “Pokémon'', “Cardcaptor Sakura'' and “Sailor Moon'' which were all popular at the time. Most American anime don't have a story, but Japanese anime have a story and are filled with messages and meanings, teaching us to always be ourselves and the importance of friendship. So I started to like it more and more. When I was in elementary school, I would watch anime all day long on my computer in my room.
-You really like anime! So, which city in the world do you think has the most fashionable people?
Probably China. There are a lot of fashionable people, and it's a crazy and beautiful. I saw videos of fashionable Chinese people on Instagram and thought they were really cool. Also Japan, France, England, and Korea. I see fashionable people in New York too of course, but there are a lot of people coming from overseas, so I can’t really count that.
-Do you have any essential fashion/beauty items?
Necklaces are a must! Ever since I was little, my mom gave me silver and gold accessories and I used to wear them. That's why I feel naked without the necklace. When it comes to beauty, it's eyeliner, eyelashes, and lip gloss.
-What style would you like to try in the future?
I'd like to try a very girly style. I sometimes wear something cute, but I always end up wearing black because I like black. Or maybe something elegant and rich, with short nails and a simple dress. I think I would like to try that kind of style when I get older.
-What is your impressions of the city and people of Tokyo?
I love it, it’s the best! I think many Japanese people are thoughtful and have a good balance. I'm impressed by how much thought and consideration goes into the city's systems. When it comes to fashion, I think there are many different styles. I often see people wearing suits, but anything from business casual to gyaru, rock, Y2K, etc. is fine. All the designs are well thought out and beautiful. My mom immigrated to America from Brazil and raised me and my siblings, but I'd like to live in Japan if possible.
-Oh, I thought you were born and raised in Atlanta.
Well, I was born in New York and grew up in New York and Florida. I moved to Atlanta when I was 21. It's difficult to make a living with music in Florida and Atlanta is close to Florida, has a lot of opportunities, and has a large black population, so it's easy to get hair and beauty products for me, and it's a comfortable place to live. And it's easy to make money.
-What kind of work did you do after you moved to Atlanta?
At first, I worked as a bottle girl at a club, but due to various issues with my boss, I quit. Then I had nowhere to go and became poor, so my friend let me to stay at his place. Then I moved to LA to look for new opportunities, and then the pandemic hit and I became even poorer. Back then, everyone was poor, so I didn't really care. I moved back to Atlanta in 2021 and stayed at my brother's house and a friend's house, but I thought I was done being poor and started an Uber driver. I worked so hard, earned a lot of money, finally found my own apartment, and it’s been great since then.
-I believe your hard work led you here now! So, I’d like to know how the Trap Sushi event was the other night. How was the reaction of people?
It was great! When I said things like “Come closer to the stage'' and “Hello'' in Japanese, everyone was happy and got excited. A lot of people asked me to take pictures with them and some people told me they saw me on “ON THE RADAR!''.
-That’s nice! Have you performed at Trap Sushi before? Is it a popular event in Atlanta?
Yes, it's a very popular event. I had a hard time finding like-minded people in Atlanta, but they treated me like family, welcomed me in, and gave me many opportunities. Trap Sushi is a mix of black and Japanese culture, and they play rap, trap, and anime songs, and you can also eat sushi. Everyone is welcome, and I'm happy to be able to come to Japan with them this time.
-What is the current hip-hop scene in Atlanta like?
Atlanta is a great, cool, fun city, but it's full of all kinds of people. There are people who work hard to make their businesses successful, and there are also people who flaunt their lives by wearing expensive jewelry, diamonds, and high-end clothes, known as “Atlanta Black Hollywood''. I've had a lot of experiences, so I try to focus on what I need to do and not be influenced by those things. It's important to know how I deal with.
-What do you think are the skills and talents necessary to survive as a rapper in Hip Hop now?
If you want to be a rapper, you have to express yourself with confidence. Many people try to set traps for you. It's the same in New York, but in Atlanta you have to stand on your own and not be fooled by those around you. It is important to check everything properly. I was also tested a lot in the past, but I've learned so much that I'm fine now. It's tough, but as long as you gain experience and learn, you'll be fine.
-So, if you describe your musical style in one word, what would it be?
“Very expressive” I guess. I think you can feel all kinds of emotions through my music. When I'm hurt, happy, or angry, each song matches my emotions at that time, so there's diversity. By the way, I'm an Aquarius, and people say that Aquarius people don't talk about their feelings, so I write about my feelings instead. It's like keeping a diary. I used to draw a lot, but when I started making music I felt more comfortable.
-Are there any artists or producers you wanna collaborate with in the future?
There are a lot of them, but I love Future and Young Thug. They don't care about anything and make music out of anything. People sometimes say that today's music is not good, but it’s important how you feels about the music. For example, Future made a song about Gucci's bucket hat and just raps about it. Young Thug can sing, it's like therapy. I also like Yeat. For Japanese, I like Hikaru Utada, FLOW, LiSA, and Creepy Nuts. I think the Japanese people's talent for creating music is amazing. I also like the singer who sang the song “Looking for the Full Moon'' in the anime. A long time ago, I was really inspired by her singing voice. It would be great to do a song with her, but she doesn’t seem to be singing anymore.
-Do you have any goals you wanna accomplish?
Up until now, I've been coming up, but by next year I want more people to know about me. After appearing on “ON THE RADAR”, my work has been recognized more and I think I'm doing well now. I appreciate that. There are times when I get scared of what if people don’t like my, but I try not to worry much and keep making my music.
-Do you have any plans to release an album in the near future?
I feel like an album is something that everyone releases with expectations, and I haven't established a fan base yet, so I think the timing is a little too soon now. A mixtape with 3 to 5 songs would be good, but right now it's important to release singles constantly.
-Did you feel inspired to write songs while this trop in Tokyo?
Yeah, I can write songs about what I'm really experiencing here, like riding a train, going to a show, shooting a music video, relaxing at a cafe, getting coffee at a convenience store, etc. Today is my third day here (at the time of this interview), but I've already done a lot of things.
-I look forward to seeing you again in Japan! Lastly, what does hip-hop mean to you?
To me, hip-hop is a culture that embodies fun, rebellion, and speaking your mind about how you truly feel.