When you mention rap music the continent of Asia usually isn’t the first place that most people associate the genre with. Most people would be hard-pressed to mention the names of a few Asian rappers or rappers of Asian descent. Despite this the continent of Asia is a consumer of hip hop and urban music in general. Japan for instance has a thriving hip hop culture which might surprise many people. Following is a list of rappers of Asian descent who’ve left their mark on hip hop.
Mike Shinoda
Mike Shinoda is most well-known as a key member of the multi-platinum selling rock band Linkin Park. Mike is guitarist, keyboard player, vocalist and songwriter for the band which was formed in 1996. Aside from Linkin Park he has released an album under the Fort Minor project which is a rap undertaking he helms. He has also served as a producer for various artists including The X-Ecutioners and Lupe Fiasco. Mike is an American of Japanese descent. Linkin Park is one of the best selling rock bands of all time.
Jin
Jin came to the limelight in the early 2000s when he participated in 106 & Park Freestyle Friday and was inducted into the Freestyle Friday Hall of Fame after winning seven rap battles in a row. He got a record deal with Ruff Ryders Entertainment and released one album with them before leaving the label. He has since released several albums and mixtapes independently. Jin is an American of Chinese descent.
Psy
Not much needs to be said about Psy. He has the most viewed video on YouTube with his track Gangnam Style which was released in 2012. He was well-known in his home country of South Korea and had an established career there before striking gold and become a worldwide superstar with the aforementioned song. He also broke the online record for most viewed video in 24 hours with his song Gentleman. Psy definitely doesn’t take the normal form of a rapper; he’s eccentric and musically he has his own style. Nonetheless there are elements of hip hop in his music.
Teriyaki Boys
This six member Japanese crew has released 2 studio albums a mixtape and a number of singles. They’ve worked with various well-known artists including Busta Rhymes, Pharrell, Chris Brown, Big Sean, Jay-Z and Kanye West. They also landed a track on the Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift soundtrack in 2006. Their biggest impact though has probably been on the fashion side of hip hop. Nigo, one of the members, founded the highly popular street fashion label A Bathing Ape which was later sold for roughly $2.8 million.
Dumbfounded
Dumbfounded is an American emcee of South Korean descent. He has amassed a huge online following due to his participation in various rap battle leagues, most notably Grindtime and King of the Dot. He has faced big name battlers such as Conceited and Dizaster. Apart from battling he has released four solo studio albums and has appeared on various singles and collaborative albums. He’s arguably the most famous Japanese battle rapper in modern times.
