Hip-hop gems in Asia
US music company 88rising putting Asian acts on the world map.
IN the past few years, United States-based music and media company 88rising has played a significant role in pushing hip-hop and pop artistes from Asia onto the world stage.
The onset of the coronavirus pandemic has not scuppered its activities. It recently put on the Asia Rising Forever virtual music festival that leading music industry publication Billboard described as “a must-watch livestream”.
The online concert featured not only 88rising artistes who have been making waves globally, such as Indonesian rapper Rich Brian, Korean-American rapper Dumbfoundead and China rap group Higher Brothers, but also fellow Asian acts such as South Korean singer Kang Daniel and Malaysian singer Yuna.
In an email interview, 88rising’s California-born, New York-based founder and chief executive Sean Miyashiro talks about the increasing visibility of Asian rappers in the hip-hop world.
Hip-hop started in the streets of New York. How did the culture become so big among young people in Asia, where the background, language and lifestyle are different?
Hip-hop as a genre had to evolve a lot to get to where it is today.
Thirty years ago, you had to go to a studio and record. Today, anybody can buy a laptop, start making beats and record with a microphone in his or her bedroom and post the song online.
If the song is good, it’ll get attention naturally. The Internet definitely made hip-hop more accessible to people around the world. For now, hip-hop’s most commercially successful acts are still from the United States. With the success of K-pop and also a film like Crazy Rich Asians, will we see more Asian faces and voices in Western pop culture?
Of course. There has definitely been a shift in perception when it comes to being a hip-hop musician.
There are so many great artists of all backgrounds out there, it’s just about getting their work to an audience properly. That’s one of the main things that inspire us.
There are a lot of talented rappers from the big cities in China, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and more. Are there undiscovered gems in the lessdeveloped areas in Asia?
One hundred percent. Hip-hop is continuing to spread across the world through the Internet.
Kids from all areas, including rural ones, are listening to the same music we all are and getting the same inspiration.
It’s only a matter of time before some of them from these places start making their own bangers.
How do you know when someone who is new or undiscovered can potentially make a big impact with his music?
I look for someone whose music is an immediate standout. Someone who is not afraid of failures.
The road to success is a tough one and it is not for everyone. I know someone is special when he or she keeps trying because I know eventually, that person will succeed and make an impact.
How has the coronavirus pandemic affected 88rising’s plans for its artistes this year?
88rising has a significant online presence and we were able to utilise that to continue feeding our fans exciting content during the pandemic.
The Asia Rising livestream was an example of how we created a platform for people to come together for the cause of representation through music, creativity and culture. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network