10 Asian rappers to check out 1. Rich Brian From: Indonesia
JAKARTA-BORN rapper Brian Imanuel Soewarno found global fame while still a teenager when his 2016 song and music video, Dat $tick, went viral.
Now 20, he has since changed his stage name from the controversial Rich Chigga to Rich Brian. A social media celebrity known for his comedy before he made a name as a rapper, his videos have received more than a billion views on YouTube.
In 2018, he became the first Asian rapper to go to No.1 on the iTunes hip-hop charts with his debut album Amen. He released his sophomore album The Sailor last year.
2. Daboyway From: Thailand
An established hip-hop artiste in Thailand, Daboyway is a member of Thaitanium, one of the most successful rap acts in the region.
An artiste with two decades of experience under his belt, his self-titled solo debut album – released in March this year – was the first album put out by iconic American hip-hop label Def Jam’s new South-East Asian wing.
3. Sunoi From: Vietnam
Known as Vietnam’s first female rapper, Suboi, who is based in Ho
Chi Minh City, has released two albums, Walk (2010) and Run (2014).
In 2016, she made global headlines after doing a freestyle rap for former United States president Barack Obama when he visited the city.
4. Divine From: India
Mumbai rapper Divine’s rags-toriches story inspired hit 2019 Bollywood rap-themed movie Gully Boy.
The artiste, whose real name is Vivian Fernandes, broke into the mainstream in 2015, when his collaboration with fellow Mumbai rapper Naezy, Mere Gully Mein, became a hit.
5. Joe Flizzow From: Malaysia
From his early beginnings as part of celebrated hip-hop duo Too Phat in the late 1990s to his current position as managing director of record label Def Jam South-East Asia, rapper Joe Flizzow is rap royalty in Malaysia.
A tastemaker known for grooming new talent, he is also one of the founders of 16 Baris, a popular YouTube series that features performances from budding rappers across South-East Asia.
6. Tiger JK From: South Korea
A member of hip-hop trailblazers
Drunken Tiger, rapper Tiger JK played a pivotal role in popularising the genre in South Korea. The founder of record labels Jungle Entertainment and Feel Ghood Music also formed hip-hop trio MFBTY with two other rappers, his wife Yoon Mi-rae and Bizzy.
7. Ex Battalion From: The Philippines
Ex Battalion, also known as ExB, is a Filipino hip-hop collective that comprises rappers such as founder Bosx1ne, Emcee Rhenn, Flow-G, King Badger and Skusta Clee.
Formed in 2012, the group’s members have also made appearances on television series and movies.
8. Alyph From: Singapore
Rapper Alyph, also known as Alif, first made his name in the Singapore and Malaysia music industry as part of hip-hop duo Sleeq, formed in 2005 with his cousin Syarif, scoring hits and winning awards along the way. He struck out on his own after Sleeq split up in 2015.
He is also known as a successful producer as well as songwriter for Malaysian pop and hip-hop acts.
9. Kohh From: Japan
Japanese rapper Kohh has five albums to his name, including debut Monochrome (2014) and his most recent full-length work, Untitled (2019).
He has also worked on songs with acclaimed US R&B artiste Frank Ocean and JapaneseAmerican star Hikaru Utada.
10. Vava From: China
Sichuan-born rapper Vava first found fame in 2017 as a contestant on the inaugural season of the television reality show The Rap Of China.
She did not win, but has since become one of the most popular rap names in China. She released her debut album, 21, in 2018 and had her song My New Swag
featured on the soundtrack of Crazy Rich Asians. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network