INTERVIEW: Awich, the making of a queendom

With the release of her latest album Queendom just last month, Awich has become one of the most talked about names in Japanese hip-hop.

Making strides towards her goal of becoming the Queen of hip-hop since returning to the scene in 2017, she joined Japan’s renowned hip-hop collective YENTOWN as its first female member. Since then she has gained ever increasing acclamation from both Japanese and overseas listeners with every release.

Reaching this point in her career has not been easy, but despite the struggles and tragedies she has faced from a young age, her drive to succeed in the harsh world of the music industry has made her a powerful source of inspiration for aspiring artists and industry veterans alike.

Now with her highest charting album yet, massive singles like GILA GILA, WHORU?, and Bad Bad, and her biggest headline show to date under her belt, Awich now has her eyes set on taking her music to international stages.

We talked with Awich to find out more about her life, the rise of Japanese hip-hop, and her plans for her future queendom.

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You’ve been a part of Japan’s hip-hop scene since you were 14, how did you first get into the scene?

I went into the rental CD shop, thinking that I’ll pick up a CD with my eyes closed and rent that. And that was Tupac. That was my first encounter with real hip-hop. Because I had been writing poems since childhood, I immediately thought that I can write rap too. Ever since then, I went around telling people that “I am a rapper” and as more people started to notice me and find me interesting, I started getting invited to perform at day events and participate on a compilation album.

Growing up in Okinawa you were exposed to a lot of American media. Was American hip-hop as prevalent elsewhere in Japan or was Okinawa the hub for the genre?

Not just in Okinawa but in the Japanese music scene, rap music was starting to get popular around that time. That’s when I first learned about the music genre rap. But as I previously mentioned, my first encounter with real hip-hop was through Tupac. Okinawa, however, is a place where you can feel closer to the American music and culture compared to other parts of Japan for sure.

Was there a particular spot you would go to in Okinawa to find new music?

Clubs in Koza and Naha.

“I was only 14 when I started rapping and I was 19 when I was signed to a label so at the bottom of my heart, I was scared.”

– Awich

How was Japan’s hip-hop scene when you were younger compared to the US at the time?

At that time, I felt like the Japanese rappers were obsessed with rapping in Japanese and Japanese only! They wanted to take the techniques they learned from listening to English rap and apply that to their Japanese rap. So when I heard about the place where hip-hop came from and its history, I was surprised that a lot of them were not communicated into the Japanese hip-hop scene. Being able to touch that in Okinawa, I felt like I had an advantage over a lot of other Japanese rappers, even the ones from Tokyo.

The scene in the US and the UK has been no stranger to misogyny in the past. You’re one of the most powerful female artists in Japan right now, but how was it trying to stand-out in the industry when you first started out?

It was hard as you can see. It took me a long time to get here. I was only 14 when I started rapping and I was 19 when I was signed to a label so at the bottom of my heart, I was scared. I had a lot of fear. To hide my fear, I was trying to be tough and I think I was stubborn in a lot of ways. Even though I think I had what it took, I couldn’t communicate it to my team in the right way so I ran away from the Japanese music industry to the States. I told them I wanted to study but ended up getting pregnant and all that. So it was hard.

Are there any other female musicians that you admire? 

CHANMINA, AI, iri.

“For me, the most important growth was to accept that I need help, ask for help and say it is OK to get help.”

– Awich

You’ve performed side by side with your daughter at live shows as well as on your 2017 track ‘Jah Love’, she’s got great flow! Has she expressed interest in following in your footsteps as an artist?

No. I actually wrote a lot of that song. If she had written it, I would sign her right now! I asked her what she wanted to say and I wrote it with flow and rhymes, making it a cool song.

But as far as her presence on stage and her delivery, how she demands attention in front of people, I feel like she’s got it. She is now into dancing. She surprises me every time she gets on stage. She’s killin’ it. I think that’s what she wants to do and of course, I’ll support it if she wants to pursue it.

How has it been managing being a single parent while managing an ever-growing musical career?

I‘ve been helped by a lot of people. Sometimes, I don’t think I’m balancing them well but I’m just blessed to have a lot of help. For me, the most important growth was to accept that I need help, ask for help and say it is OK to get help. So as far as raising a child, I definitely couldn’t do it by myself.

People call me a single parent but I’m not by myself. I got my friends and my family. Even my co-workers helped me raise my child. It took a whole village to raise that baby!

That also goes for my career. I could not do it by myself.

Japan has a long history of rap and hip-hop, but in the last 5 years the amount of standout rap artists has increased exponentially. Artists like yourself and many others, as well as a slew of underground rappers have been releasing some of the best rap to ever come out of Japan. What changed in Japan in the last decade that caused such a surge in quality hip-hop and rap artists?

I think information technology. Being open to information and understanding what is going on outside of this small island country. I think that is what really opened our minds. I’ve always been open, but for the Japanese community to be open to me is the evidence that they’re wanting more information outside of themselves. Young people are really excited to connect with other parts of the world. I feel like that is the biggest difference.

“In my queendom, I ask everyone to respect diversity and accept each other as who they are to make it a better place for everyone.”

– Awich

Your new album Queendom dropped earlier this month, it’s truly a powerful record. Queendom really captures your aura in a single word. How did the album title come about?

I actually had an album completed with a different title back in March of 2021, but I decided to do it all over from scratch and made Queendom. The album was a cool album even before I started over but as a rapper, I wanted to expose my life more and express my determination through the album. At first, I was scared of declaring myself as a “Queen”, but I had my heart set on becoming one and named the album Queendom.

In my queendom, I ask everyone to respect diversity and accept each other as who they are to make it a better place for everyone. That’s the role and responsibility of the Queen in my opinion.

Queendom is your highest-ranking LP to date in the Oricon charts. What has the international reaction been like to the album so far?

All the reaction has been amazing, domestic and international. Interviews like this one shows me that people are really interested and they think highly of my album as well as my recent activities. I also see more reaction videos to my music. That’s a good sign.

The album’s title track is a moving and personal song that displays your determination as an artist. How did it feel releasing it into the world?

That song is about my life so far and my determination for the future. I have so much to say, but to break them down and simplify them into a song was the tough part. It’s very personal, but I believe everyone can relate to that song in some ways.

Queendom is an album with so much variety, from hard drill to club tunes, soulful R&B, and rap ballads. It all feels like one big love letter to hip-hop. Now the album is out, are there any tracks in particular that you look back on fondly?

Link Up, Queendom, and 44 Bars are the tracks in particular. Queendom is my life story. What happened in my life to what I’m doing right now and my determination for the future. That’s me paying and showing respect to this genre of music. Being true to what hip-hop is. Also Link Up is a literal thank you letter to hip-hop. Showing our appreciation to hip-hop for traveling around the world, saving our lives. 44 Bars is a love letter to myself through hip-hop.


You’ve worked with some of Japan’s biggest names in hip-hop like JP THE WAVY and ¥ellow Bucks, but you’ve also collaborated and toured with RADWIMPS. How was it working with a band outside of the hip-hop world?

I learned so much from touring with them. I am so grateful that they’ve invited me to join them.

If you had to pick 3 artists to work with in the future, who would they be?

Rubi Rose! I love her voice and energy. She’s really cute. RZA! The God! He is one of the pioneers of this culture and for me to be in close proximity to him and to work with him, it would be a true, true, true dream come true. I would tell my 14 year old self like “in the future, you’ll be working with RZA!” I would probably not believe myself. That would be a very important moment of my life if I get to work with someone like him.

Since I’m doing Yoga and learning about Ayurveda, I’m so interested in art and science of the body and to actually feel the vibes of the people in India. I’m curious to see what would happen when hip hop and their roots combine. It would be interesting to work in that atmosphere and work on the song together with Indian musicians.

Are there any up-and-coming Japanese hip-hop artists that you think international hip-hop heads should be keeping an eye on?

Awich!


You recently played a massive headline show at Nippon Budokan, a huge milestone in your career. How was the whole experience?

Through my Budokan show, I realized that “hard work pays off”- as simple as that. As people responded to the show, I also strongly felt that they really got my message and my music moved them and gave them a push in their backs. I am so grateful for that.

Playing the Budokan is, for some musicians, the end goal, but you’ve made it very clear that this is just the beginning. Are there any venues not just in Japan but across the globe you want to conquer next?

Definitely a lot of international festivals. In Japan, arenas and touring in venues, the size of Budokan.

It feels like 2022 has just started and already you’ve released your biggest album and played your biggest headline show. What would be your ideal way to end the year?

For the rest of the year, I’m going to collect all the pieces that I need to challenge bigger stages and accomplish bigger goals next year so I’m gonna be busy. Maybe not on the surface, but I’m gonna be really challenging myself AGAIN! 

We’re looking forward to seeing what’s next in your journey to creating your queendom. Is there anything you want to say to our readers to close this interview?

I definitely want to go to the UK and meet all the people who have been telling me to come to the UK! I cannot wait and please don’t get tired of waiting because I’m coming really soon!

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