88rising, label behind Rich Brian and Keith Ape, is turning Asian hip hop acts into global stars
- Label founded by Sean Miyashiro has gone from representing a collection of underground darlings to boasting a roster of international rising stars
- Not just a hip hop powerhouse, 88rising is also home to Osaka-born DJ Joji, Indonesian R&B and pop singer Niki, and Chinese icon Lexie Liu
Sean Miyashiro, founder of the record label and artist collective 88rising, is tough to get on the phone these days. When we finally get hold of him, he is in his hotel room in Tokyo – “the best city in the world straight up” as he puts it – halfway through his label’s second Asian tour, and feeling equal parts elated and overwhelmed.
Despite the growing impact of the label – home to breakthrough Asian hip-hop acts Rich Brian, Higher Brothers and Keith Ape – in the United States, its clout in Asia has caught even the label’s founder off guard.
Miyashiro hails from the San Francisco Bay Area but is of Japanese and Korean descent. His loose creative collective only started uploading content under the name of 88rising in 2016. But the label’s ascent has been rapid, going from scrappy underdog to aspiring international juggernaut in just its first year.
From employing only three people, 88rising now has more than 60 in offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Shanghai. It has gone from representing a collection of underground darlings to boasting a roster of international rising stars, and playing to audiences of thousands.
In 88rising, Miyashiro has combined his instinct for finding breakout talent with his inherent understanding of the modern internet-centric marketplace. He taps young musicians with boundless potential and gives them the freedom to create their own personas on social media.
His instincts bore fruit early with two undeniable stars: Keith Ape and Rich Brian (previously of the unfortunate moniker Rich Chigga).
