In early June, I had the chance to interview JP THE WAVY via video for The Japan Times. This interview marks five years since I started writing for the newspaper. In the course of our conversation, we discussed many topics, including the state of Japanese hip hop, how the genre serves as a bridge between Japan and the rest of Asia, and his love of the J-Urban boom of the 00s. One topic that I was particularly interested in, given the conversation around race that is currently happening in many places around the world, is his thoughts on cultural appropriation, seeing as how he is a Japanese rapper. Check the interview out below!
I’d also like to take this chance to thank everyone here over the years for supporting me, my writing, and this site!