Japanese Hip Hop: A Cross-Cultural Conversation featuring COMA-CHI, ASUKA & MeccaGodZillaNEW

Hip Hop is a genre of music and culture born in the Bronx in the 1970s. It grew out of park jams and block parties where Black and Latino youth, artists and DJs united through turntables, a microphone and creative energy. More than music, Hip Hop fostered dance, art and camaraderie, becoming a powerful force that has since evolved into a global movement - including a deep influence in Japan.

Now innovative artists in Japan blend traditional Japanese music with modern Hip Hop, and artists from across the world create new works built from cross-cultural collaboration.

Tonight, Japan Society is honored to host a conversation about the cross-cultural horizons of Hip Hop with Japanese and New York artists bringing worlds together. Join us for a special dialogue with artists COMA-CHI, ASUKA and MeccaGodZilla about their Hip Hop journeys, and the unique Hip Hop bridges connecting cultures from New York to Japan.

Speakers

Coma-Chi
COMA-CHI is a pioneering MC, singer and drummer from Japan whose influence helped define the early days of Japanese Hip Hop. She made history as the first female runner-up in Japan’s iconic B-Boy Park MC Battle in 2005, and her career skyrocketed through collaborations with ZEEBRA, RHYMESTER, AK-69 and others before making her major label debut in 2009. COMA-CHI’s debut album, Red Naked, dominated charts, and two years later, she made the bold decision to go independent, founding her own label, Queen’s Room, with a vision of expanding her artistry on a global scale. Her collaboration on Sly & Robbie’s Reggae Connection earned her a Grammy nomination, and her JOMON GREEN featured English-language tracks produced in partnership with Josef Leimberg, known for his work with Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg. In her latest project, OTO, she fuses Hip Hop and neo-Japanese folk with traditional Japanese instruments with the aim of pushing boundaries while honoring tradition.

Asuka
Asuka Yoshizaki, going by stage name ASUKA, is a trailblazing koto player, composer, arranger and producer who graduated at the top of her class from Tokyo University of the Arts. She stands out as a rare talent, mastering both classical koto performance techniques and cutting-edge contemporary styles with unparalleled artistry. Her career launched in 2013 with a series of prestigious international performances in Korea, Thailand, Germany, Austria and more. Beyond representing Japan at international cultural events, Asuka actively pushes the boundaries of her craft by collaborating with globally renowned artists across diverse genres including Jazztronik (musician, Japan), Quick Style (dancer, Norway), Monday Michiru (musician, USA), Queen Bee (musician, Japan) and Lew Tabackin (musician, USA). Since 2016, Asuka has been part of the creative duo YY, captivating audiences across Japan and internationally.

MeccaGodZilla
MeccaGodZilla is a Brooklyn-born multidisciplinary artist whose influence spans music, activism and visual art. A pioneer in underground Hip Hop, he began his journey as a founding member of G.A.ME (Grassroots Artists MovEment), a nonprofit providing free health, dental and legal services to indie artists in NYC and Philadelphia. As a producer, MC and cultural ambassador, MeccaGodZilla has forged a legacy of innovation, merging traditional Hip Hop with global influences. His early creative contributions include production, lyrics and visual art for albums like Rodan’s Theophany: The Book of Elevations, and Kong’s Shackles Off. He has collaborated with legends including COMA-CHI, Sean Price, Mega Ran and Masia One and partnered with brands including NIKE Japan, Capcom, Universal Japan, Warner Japan and Applebum Tokyo. He is the founder of the indie label MANAFEST VISION and serves as a Hip Hop cultural ambassador for Next Level USA, actively working with the communities of Uzbekistan, Nepal and Malawi.

Autographs and CD Sales
Attendees will be able to purchase the artists’ music on CD and vinyl at this event during a signing session following the talk.