Zeebra
Encyclopedia
, real name , is a Japanese hip hop
artist, who made his first appearance in 1995. Zeebra is a former member of the hip-hop group King Giddra, which also included DJ Oasis and K Dub Shine
, and the older brother of fellow hip-hop artist SPHERE of INFLUENCE
. He went on to pursue a solo career shortly after in 1997, and signed with the Future Shock record label.
Zeebra is one of the most popular rappers in Japan, and his popularity is not specific to either gender. He appears not only in hip-hop magazines, but also in fashion and street culture
magazines. He often features in and produces other rappers' songs, and appears in their videos
. He has also performed live with various rappers from America
.
In 1998 Zeebra undertook his first solo tour. He became recognized as an individual rapper for the first time, making hip-hop more familiar to Japanese listeners. In the same year he started the first hip-hop TV program in Japan, titled Beats to the Rhyme. One of Zeebra's songs was used in a Nike promotion video for NBA
Japan games. The following year Zeebra released the single "Mr. Dynamite", the first hip-hop single to break into the top 50 on the Japanese pop charts. In June 2000, he released his new album Based on a True Story, which sold 250,000 copies. At the end of that year Zeebra started his first Japan tour, the first hip-hop event to sell out. In 2001 Zeebra released the single "Never Enuff", the theme song
for a Japanese movie called Brother, directed by Takeshi Kitano
and starring Claude Maki
. In 2002 he temporarily rejoined King Giddra, but has been doing solo work since 2003 and has released many songs. At present, he is producing songs not only for rap artists, but also for pop stars like Namie Amuro
.
He is the grandson of businessman Hideki Yokoi, former president of the Hotel New Japan. The hotel's flagship property in central Tokyo caught fire in 1982, disgracing Hideki Yokoi and causing Zeebra to be bullied by his classmates. Zeebra eventually dropped out of high school during his first year.
He married around the age of 20 and fathered two sons before divorcing his first wife. He kept custody of both sons, and later remarried and fathered two daughters.
King Giddra's popularity grew in Japan. In 1996, He recorded his first solo track "Untouchable" produced by Gang Starr
producer DJ Premier
. By 1997 Zeebra left King Gridda to start a solo career, appearing frequently in trendy hip hop and street culture magazines and TV shows about hip hop. In 1999 he released the single “Mr. Dynamite”, which became the first hip-hop single to make it into the top 50 on the Japanese Oricon pop charts. Through his early and newer work, Zeebra became one of the most popular and influential, yet controversial, Japanese hip hop artists.
In 2008, after the MTV Video Music Awards Japan Ceremony, an unhappy Zeebra went onto YouTube and published a video criticizing the MTV Japan for not appreciating musicians.
2003
2004
2006
2008
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
artist, who made his first appearance in 1995. Zeebra is a former member of the hip-hop group King Giddra, which also included DJ Oasis and K Dub Shine
K Dub Shine
K DUB SHINE is a Japanese hip hop artist and rapper. His real name is .Kagami was born in the Shibuya ward of the city of Tokyo, Japan. In 10th grade K Dub Shine enrolled in an exchange program which landed him in Philadelphia. It was in Philly that he first encountered hip hop...
, and the older brother of fellow hip-hop artist SPHERE of INFLUENCE
Sphere of influence
In the field of international relations, a sphere of influence is a spatial region or conceptual division over which a state or organization has significant cultural, economic, military or political influence....
. He went on to pursue a solo career shortly after in 1997, and signed with the Future Shock record label.
Zeebra is one of the most popular rappers in Japan, and his popularity is not specific to either gender. He appears not only in hip-hop magazines, but also in fashion and street culture
Street culture
Street culture may refer to:* Street market* Children's street culture* Street carnival* Street identity* Cafe culture*Several topics pertaining to outdoors youth subculture or counterculture of urban centers. These can include street art, street dance, street sports and hip-hop culture....
magazines. He often features in and produces other rappers' songs, and appears in their videos
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
. He has also performed live with various rappers from America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1998 Zeebra undertook his first solo tour. He became recognized as an individual rapper for the first time, making hip-hop more familiar to Japanese listeners. In the same year he started the first hip-hop TV program in Japan, titled Beats to the Rhyme. One of Zeebra's songs was used in a Nike promotion video for NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
Japan games. The following year Zeebra released the single "Mr. Dynamite", the first hip-hop single to break into the top 50 on the Japanese pop charts. In June 2000, he released his new album Based on a True Story, which sold 250,000 copies. At the end of that year Zeebra started his first Japan tour, the first hip-hop event to sell out. In 2001 Zeebra released the single "Never Enuff", the theme song
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
for a Japanese movie called Brother, directed by Takeshi Kitano
Takeshi Kitano
is a Japanese filmmaker, comedian, singer, actor, film editor, presenter, screenwriter, author, poet, painter, and one-time video game designer who has received critical acclaim, both in his native Japan and abroad, for his highly idiosyncratic cinematic work. The famed Japanese film critic...
and starring Claude Maki
Claude Maki
is a Japanese surfing champion, actor and hip hop singer, under the stage name A.K.T.I.O.N., from Tokyo Akasaka. He is the eldest son of actor and singer Mike Maki. His mother is , an American-Japanese actress.-Biography:...
. In 2002 he temporarily rejoined King Giddra, but has been doing solo work since 2003 and has released many songs. At present, he is producing songs not only for rap artists, but also for pop stars like Namie Amuro
Namie Amuro
is a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
.
Early life
Zeebra was born and raised in Tokyo. During his childhood, he lived in the United States for a brief time while trying to become a professional tennis player.He is the grandson of businessman Hideki Yokoi, former president of the Hotel New Japan. The hotel's flagship property in central Tokyo caught fire in 1982, disgracing Hideki Yokoi and causing Zeebra to be bullied by his classmates. Zeebra eventually dropped out of high school during his first year.
He married around the age of 20 and fathered two sons before divorcing his first wife. He kept custody of both sons, and later remarried and fathered two daughters.
Pioneer of Japanese Hip Hop
Zeebra began his hip hop career in 1993, joining the rap group King Giddra. Zeebra, along with his group King Giddra, played an important role in the development of the Japanese hip hop scene. In the mid 1990s, King Giddra, then an underground rap group, began addressing social issues of the time. King Giddra's 1995 album “The Power from the Sky” discussed contemporary issues, particularly the economic recession and the inability of many Japanese college graduates to find employment. Zeebra addressed this issue of working towards a good education and being unable to find employment in his song “Bullet of Truth”. Through their music, Zeebra and King Giddra “challenged youth not only to recognize the difficulties faced by Japanese society but also to speak up about them.”King Giddra's popularity grew in Japan. In 1996, He recorded his first solo track "Untouchable" produced by Gang Starr
Gang Starr
Gang Starr was an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guru and DJ/producer DJ Premier. Their style combined elements of New York jazz and hip hop.-Background:...
producer DJ Premier
DJ Premier
Christopher Edward Martin , better known by his stage name DJ Premier , is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru...
. By 1997 Zeebra left King Gridda to start a solo career, appearing frequently in trendy hip hop and street culture magazines and TV shows about hip hop. In 1999 he released the single “Mr. Dynamite”, which became the first hip-hop single to make it into the top 50 on the Japanese Oricon pop charts. Through his early and newer work, Zeebra became one of the most popular and influential, yet controversial, Japanese hip hop artists.
In 2008, after the MTV Video Music Awards Japan Ceremony, an unhappy Zeebra went onto YouTube and published a video criticizing the MTV Japan for not appreciating musicians.
Albums
- [1998.06.17] The Rhyme Animal
- [2000.06.14] Based on a True Story
- [2002.05.29] The First Struggle
- [2003.09.18] Tokyo's Finest
- [2006.02.15] The New Beginning
- [2007.10.17] World of MusicWorld of MusicWorld of Music is the sixth studio album released by Japanese hip hop artist Zeebra. It features appearances from Jesse and Miliyah Kato.-Track listing:# World Of Music# # Reason feat.Simon&D.O...
Singles
- [1997.07.25] "Mappiruma"
- [1998.12.16] "The Rhyme Animal Remix E.P.1"
- [1999.02.24] "The Rhyme Animal Remix E.P.2"
- [2000.03.23] "Mr. Dynamite"
- [2001.01.25] "Neva Enuff" feat. Aktion
- [2001.08.08] "Baby Girl"
- [2003.01.22] "Big Big Money" feat. Hiro
- [2003.04.23] "Supatech (What's My Name)"
- [2003.07.30] "Perfect Queen"
- [2005.06.01] "Street Dreams"
- [2005.09.21] "Oh Yeah"
- [2006.12.06] "Stop Playin' A Wall"
- [2007.07.18] "My People" feat. Miliyah Kato
- [2007.09.19] "Not Your Boyfriend" feat. Jesse (RIZERize (band)RIZE was Formed in 1997, debuting in 2000. Current members are: Jesse/V&G, Kenken/V&B,& N.K/Dr.RIZE music style is a mix of alternative rock, hard rock, punk rock and even some reggae flavor, cultivated & created via their real international music DNA....
) - [2008.03.05] "Bushido"
- [2010.03.17] "Butterfly City" feat. RYO the SKYWALKER, Mummy-D & DOUBLEDouble (singer)Double is the stage name for Japanese R&B singer . Double used to be the name for the two member R&B group consisting of Takako and her sister Sachiko. After the death of her sister in May 1999, Takako started her solo career adopting Double as her stage name...
- [2010.11.17] "Fly Away"
- [2011.07.27] "Blue" feat. AI
Awards and nominations
2002- MTV Video Music Awards JapanMTV Video Music Awards JapanThe MTV Video Music Awards Japan are the Japanese version of the MTV Video Music Awards.Like the MTV Video Music Awards in the United States, in this event artists are awarded for their songs and videos through online voting from the same channel viewers...
– Best Video from a Film – Neva Enuff (feat. Aktion)
2003
- MTV Video Music Awards JapanMTV Video Music Awards JapanThe MTV Video Music Awards Japan are the Japanese version of the MTV Video Music Awards.Like the MTV Video Music Awards in the United States, in this event artists are awarded for their songs and videos through online voting from the same channel viewers...
– Best Hip Hop Video – F.F.B. (with King Giddra)
2004
- MTV Video Music Awards JapanMTV Video Music Awards JapanThe MTV Video Music Awards Japan are the Japanese version of the MTV Video Music Awards.Like the MTV Video Music Awards in the United States, in this event artists are awarded for their songs and videos through online voting from the same channel viewers...
– Best Hip Hop Video – Touch The Sky (Winner) - MTV Video Music Awards JapanMTV Video Music Awards JapanThe MTV Video Music Awards Japan are the Japanese version of the MTV Video Music Awards.Like the MTV Video Music Awards in the United States, in this event artists are awarded for their songs and videos through online voting from the same channel viewers...
– Best Male Video – Touch The Sky
2006
- MTV Video Music Awards JapanMTV Video Music Awards JapanThe MTV Video Music Awards Japan are the Japanese version of the MTV Video Music Awards.Like the MTV Video Music Awards in the United States, in this event artists are awarded for their songs and videos through online voting from the same channel viewers...
– Best Hip Hop Video – Street Dreams
2008
- MTV Video Music Awards JapanMTV Video Music Awards JapanThe MTV Video Music Awards Japan are the Japanese version of the MTV Video Music Awards.Like the MTV Video Music Awards in the United States, in this event artists are awarded for their songs and videos through online voting from the same channel viewers...
– Best Hip Hop Video – Not Your Boyfriend (feat. Jesse (RIZE))