Kohei Japan

Kohei Japan is a famous Japanese hip-hop emcee, and a member of the Japanese rap group, Mellow Yellow. He was born in Yokohama, Japan, and discovered rap and hip-hop while working as a chef. Many of his songs illustrate the contrasts between his Japanese culture and Western hip-hop influences. Indeed, in his song "Hungry Strut", he proclaims that he eats "rice, not bread, and fish, not meat", thereby asserting that while being a member of the hip-hop culture, he remains Japanese. He shows his attachment to Japanese culture by wearing a traditional kimono in many of his appearances. In fact, on his album "The adventures of Kohei Japan", he appears on the cover as a kabuki character in a woodblock print.^[1] On the album cover, his hands make the universal "funk" sign, showing the contrast between a traditional Japan and a hip-hop culture.

Discography

Albums

• The Adventures of Kohei Japan (File Records, 2000)
• Funky 4 U (Sony Music Japan, 2003)
• Family (Pony Canyon, 2008)

Singles

• Together Forever (Sony Music Japan, 2003)

References