April 11 , 2025 | Tokyo, Japan | Team RJHH
Born in the Bronx in the 1970s, hip-hop has transcended its origins to become a global phenomenon. What began as neighborhood parties where black-American youth expressed their creativity through turntables and microphones has transformed into a worldwide cultural movement profoundly influencing music, dance, and visual art worldwide, including Japan. Today, innovative Japanese artists skillfully merge traditional Japanese music with contemporary hip-hop rhythms, creating unique works from a fascinating intercultural collaboration.
The Japan Society of New York is honored to host a conversation on the intercultural horizons of hip-hop with Japanese and New York artists who bridge these worlds. This special evening will bring COMA-CHI, Asuka Yoshizaki, and MeccaGodZilla to share their journeys in the hip-hop universe and explore the unique bridges this musical genre has built between New York and Japan.
An Evening Not to Be Missed
Address: 333 East 47th Street New York, NY 10017 | Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 | Hour: 7:00 pm | In-Person Event | Reserved Tickets
This gathering promises to be a privileged moment to discover how hip-hop, born in the streets of the Bronx, has crossed oceans to influence the Japanese music scene and how, in return, Japanese artists enrich this musical genre with their unique cultural heritage. Participants will have the rare opportunity to hear these artists share their experiences, mutual influences, and vision for the future of hip-hop as a universal language capable of transcending cultural and linguistic boundaries. For fans of hip-hop, Japanese music, or simply intercultural dialogues, this event at the Japan Society promises to immerse them in a universe where tradition and modernity meet to create new forms of artistic expression.
The Guest Artists
COMA-CHI
Instagram: @coma_chi
A pioneer of Japanese hip-hop, COMA-CHI made history by becoming the first female finalist of the famous B-Boy Park MC Battle, paving the way for women in Japanese rap. After collaborations with ZEEBRA, RHYMESTER, and AK-69, her album “Red Naked” dominated the charts with tracks like “name tag”, “Perfect Angel”, and “B-girl IZM”. Founder of the independent label Queen’s Room, she collaborated with Sly & Robbie, earning her a Grammy Award nomination. Her JOMON GREEN project demonstrates her creative versatility, with tracks in English produced in collaboration with Josef Leimberg (a collaborator of Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg). Her latest project, OTO, fuses hip-hop and neo-Japanese folk with traditional instruments, illustrating her desire to push boundaries while honoring tradition.
See also:
Asuka
Instagram: @asuka_koto
Asuka Yoshizaki, a virtuoso of the koto (traditional Japanese string instrument), graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts. She distinguishes herself through her exceptional mastery of this ancestral instrument’s classical and contemporary techniques. Since 2013, her career has been marked by prestigious international performances, notably at the Armenian Embassy, before the Princess of Thailand, and during diplomatic ceremonies between Japan and Korea. She constantly pushes the boundaries of her art by collaborating with renowned artists such as Jazztronik, Quick Style, and Monday Michiru. Since 2016, she has been a creative duo “YY” member. She has captivated audiences in Japan and internationally, accumulating over 2 million listens on Spotify.
MeccaGodZilla
Istagram: @meccagodzilla
Originally from Brooklyn and raised in Long Island, MeccaGodZilla is a multidisciplinary artist whose influence extends to music, activism, and visual art. A founding member of G.A.ME (Grassroots Artists MovEment), a non-profit organization offering free health, dental, and legal services to independent artists in NYC and Philadelphia, he has forged a career combining hip-hop tradition and global influences. His collaborations with Japanese rap legends like COMA-CHI, Sean Price, Mega Ran, and Masia One have strengthened his international stature. Founder of the independent label MANAFEST VISION, he is also a cultural ambassador of hip-hop for Next Level USA, inspiring communities in Uzbekistan, Nepal, Malawi, and beyond.
