There’s no mistaking Japanese rapper Awich.
Born as Akiko Urasaki, Awich—which is short for “Asian Wish Child”—has been breaking ground in the music scene for almost two decades now. Since she debuted in the industry back in 2006, she has consistently stayed true to herself, proudly showcasing her Okinawan background.
Even after facing personal tragedy and setbacks, the Japanese rapper didn’t let these deter her from emerging as one of the prominent figures in the Japanese rap scene. Instead, she boldly told her journey of healing through her work.
Awich, indeed, proved why she’s the best of the best.
Now, the queen of Japanese rap continues to emerge in the global music scene. Crossing from one border to another, Awich joined forces with some of the talented artists from around the world.
Early this year, Awich released “ASIAN STATE OF MIND,” a collaborative single featuring an all-star lineup of Asian rappers, featuring India’s KR$NA, China’s Masiwei, South Korea’s Jay Park, and Cambodia’s VannDa.
And most recently, she blended the American and Japanese hip-hop styles together in her newest track “Butcher Shop,” which features New York rap legend FERG and is produced by Wu Tang Clan’s RZA.
The making of “Butcher Shop” with FERG and RZA
“Butcher Shop” is meant to capture the “spirit of [a] borderless era,” merging the diverse cultures of Japan and New York City. This powerful track showcases a unique international flair mixed up with the soul of the classic, old-school hip-hop.
In an exclusive interview with POP!, Awich shared her experience on how the three of them linked up to create “Butcher Shop.”
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“‘Butcher Shop’ was created when I met RZA at the time he went to Okinawa… Then we went through a couple of beats for the song and after that, we started working on some lyrics. When I was working on it, that was the time I met FERG,” the queen of Japanese rap recalled, saying that she shared with the New York City rapper about the track she was working with RZA.
“He was like, ‘RZA? Well, that’s crazy! So like you know, whenever you have a hot track, let me know.’ And after I did my hook and verses for the ‘Butcher Shop,’ I sent it to FERG and he was like, ‘This is fire. Let’s do it!’ So that’s how we get it done,” Awich added.
The Okinawa rapper also shared how their bond made it easy for them to finish the track, describing working with them as “fun and enlightening.”
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“We bonded on a human level, not just over work or business. And I feel like that’s the only right way to work with somebody on a creative level,” said Awich.
The rapper then expressed her appreciation to the two artists for allowing her to express herself through the track.
“They’re great listeners. They have an open heart and they welcome me to their realm… It’s a great feeling to have worked with them,” she added.
Why “Butcher Shop” is different from Awich’s other tracks
For Awich, “Butcher Shop” stood out from all her other works because, in it, she took pride in going full out with the lyrics and rapping all her verses in English.
“I always wanted to rap in English. Since I was 14 and up to all my 20s, I practiced and studied and just kept on writing lyrics,” Awich shared. “When I started, all my songs were in Japanese and now, finally, I’m able to test my skills in English.”
This has been a challenge for Awich because while she’s proud of herself for writing a track in English, she also has to think about the message she wants to tell her listeners and how she’d perform the song.
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All of her worries vanished and her hard work eventually paid off because since its release, the reception has been positive with rap legends even praising her.
“I think it came out great and all of the legends have been giving me props. So, that was like a good sign to keep me going,” Awich beamingly said.
More than just showcasing her talent using a different language, Awich shared a glimpse of her reality in the track, particularly her experience growing up in Okinawa as described in the lyrics:
“Used to be that girl on the gate two street / Now I’m making yens like a real Japanese / Rounding all my numbers to the nearest hundred thousand / I ain’t got the time to count the ones who’s doubted, bow.”
According to Awich, “Gate Two Street” is a reference to the street in front of the Kadena Gate Two, a large U.S. military air force base in Okinawa.
“In that street, it’s where all the Americans going out, and girls who also want Americans go there as well for the music and chaos and whatnot. So I used to be that girl on the ‘gate two street’, like you know, I was that bitch,” Awich recalled.
She also explained that people who are raised in Okinawa are always being questioned about their real identity, asking whether they’re real Japanese or not.
“If you come from Okinawa, people will ask whether you’re a real Japanese. That’s the question we always get asked because we’ve been through different history and our culture is so much different,” she shared.
“And now coming out of that and having been through different phases of my life, finally getting recognition and having been successful, it’s like I’m now a real Japanese,” she added. “The irony is in the line, ‘Like I’m a real Japanese.’ And I like that part actually.”
The evolution of Awich
Awich first made her mark in the music scene in 2006 when she first released her EP “Inner Release.” At the same time, she also moved from her home island of Okinawa to Atlanta, Georgia in the United States where she also produced her debut album, “Asian Wish Child,” which was released in 2007.
After moving back to Japan, Awich faced endless internal questioning and in that process, she reevaluated “a more profound meaning of life, love, and forgiveness.” And shortly after that, the queen of Japanese rap returned to the music scene after a decade, releasing her 2022 album “Queendom.”
Since then, she continued to establish herself not only in the Japanese rap scene but also expanding herself globally. However, this has not been an easy feat, according to the rapper.
“The first phase in coming into this industry is to prove yourself to the people,” Awich began. “Looking back, I had to take the step of creating music based on how much people should know about me. At first, all of the songs I made were about an introduction to who I am. You know, why I was saying all these things and how I could persuade them to listen to me.
“After that phase, you’d break into people’s minds and when you do that, that’s where you can tell them your message,” she continued.
She then added that she had to do this process again because “Butcher Shop” is her bold entrance to enter into the U.S. hip-hop scene. This track, according to her, marks her introduction to a new market of listeners who are all curious as to who she is.
“I need to introduce myself all over again because people don’t know about me yet. They’ll be like, ‘Who’s this bitch? Where did she come from?’ I have to prove myself once again to them in order to break into their mind. And when you break into them, that’s when you can really say that you have inspired them, touched their hearts. And I feel that’s the evolution pattern of my music,” Awich said.
But how can new listeners learn about Awich and her story? There’s only one right answer: listen to her title track “Queendom.”
“Queendom is written in Japanese, but it sums up my whole life story,” she shared when she was asked about which song in her discography best represents her. “It will help people get to know me, where I’m from, and what I’ve gone through.”
What’s next for Awich?
Things seem to be going well for Awich, especially with the release of “Butcher Shop.” But she’s just only getting started because Awich still has surprises up her sleeves and that includes another banger which fans have to wait for.
“I have another song coming out in June that was also produced by RZA. It’s about karate, the Okinawan culture, martial arts, it’s a really fun song,” she teased.
Aside from teasing her fans with an upcoming project, the “Queendom” hitmaker also thanked them and her new audience for taking the time to listen to her music.
“Thank you for taking interest in me, in my story, and in my music… If you like my music, then come see my show because I will not disappoint you, I promise. I hope you get some inspiration from my music and from what I’m doing,” Awich concluded.
Want to know more about Awich? Listen to “Butcher Shop” here and her entire discography here and don’t forget to check out her official Instagram and TikTok accounts.
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AloJapan.com