Okinawa-Born Rapper Awich Known for Gokuaku Joo Theme Song Spotted at Shinagawa Station

The Epic Life of the Queen of Hip-Hop

On a mid-September afternoon, as she exited the ticket gate at Shinagawa Station (in Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward), female rapper Awich (37) was surrounded by multiple fans seeking her autograph.

Awich, who sings the theme song “Are You Serious?” for the popular Netflix drama “Gokuaku Joo,” has now risen to prominence as the queen of Japan’s hip-hop scene.

“Born in Okinawa, she made her indie debut in her hometown after graduating from high school. During the same period, she studied abroad at a university in the United States, continuing her rapping activities while pursuing a degree in economics. She married a 14-year-older Black man and gave birth to a daughter. After successfully obtaining a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship and marketing, she returned to Japan ahead of her family with her three-year-old daughter, but shortly after, she was struck by the tragedy of her husband being shot and killed” (music magazine writer).

After this shock, she stepped away from rapping for a time but resumed her activities in 2017. She made her major debut in 2020. Her single “GILA GILA feat. JP THE WAVY, YZERR,” released in July 2021, has garnered over 31.48 million views on YouTube as of October 10, 2023.

“Her songs often feature a strong Japanese aesthetic, combining gentle sounds with intense lyrics. For example, the single ‘Kuchi ni Dashite,’ released in August 2021, has a vivid title that suggests sexual activity and does not hold back in its lyrics. In an interview, Awich stated, ‘It’s not just about saying extreme things; I was able to share with my team the hidden meanings and the feelings I wanted to convey, which led to the completion of the song’ (QJWeb, published March 15, 2022).

Her lyrics, which vividly recount her intense experiences and way of life, have garnered a wide fan base. Songs like ‘Awich, NENE, LANA, MaRI, AI & YURIYAN RETRIEVER – Bad B*tch Bigaku Remix,’ a collaboration with Yuriyan Retriever (33), and ‘Ashes,’ which expresses her feelings for her late husband in English, are particularly popular” (same writer).

 

 

Petite and cute

Awich’s remarks during her performances and live events have also garnered attention. During her first solo stage at Nippon Budokan in 2022, she said:

“As a widow with children, I can stand here. So, everyone can do anything. When I say it, it has a certain power, doesn’t it?”

This resonated deeply with the audience.

Returning to the beginning, while Awich may sometimes be misunderstood as a bit scary due to her powerful stage presence, her appearance in all-black fashion while pulling a large suitcase revealed her to be a petite beauty. She smiled warmly at fans calling out to her and responded to each one with care. One fan remarked:

“I thought she would be scarier, but in reality, she’s petite and adorable. When I asked for her autograph, she showed her white teeth and wrote for me.”

This gap in perception is undoubtedly part of her charm.

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