Kohh

Yuki Chiba (千葉雄喜, Chiba Yūki, born April 22, 1990), better known by his stage name KOHH, is a Japanese hip hop recording artist from Oji, Kita, Tokyo.

KOHH
KOHH in 2016.
KOHH in 2016.
Background information
Birth name千葉雄喜
(Yūki Chiba)
Also known as
  • Kohh
  • Yellow T20
Born (1990-04-22) April 22, 1990
Oji, Kita, Tokyo, Japan
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2008–present
LabelsGunsmith Production Columbia
Websitekohh.tokyo

Early life

Chiba was born in Oji, Kita, Tokyo. He was raised by a single mother along with his younger brother. His younger brother is also an up-and-coming rapper known as Lil KOHH. His father committed suicide by jumping off an apartment building while high on drugs; his mother struggled with an addiction to methamphetamine. KOHH grew up around violence and drugs along with his crew of local friends who share the same experience. His tough environment along with his desire to become a rapper gave him a head start in the Japanese hip-hop scene.[1][3]

Career

KOHH started producing and recording music at the age of 18 with while making various mixtapes, until he met producer 318 and started releasing material under the label GUNSMITH PRODUCTION. He saw an early underground success within the sub-urban Japanese scene when he produced the song "Young Forever" of his younger brother 'lil Kohh whose music video went viral in Japan.

In 2014 KOHH released his major 2nd studio album titled MONOCHROME. The album was a fair success among the urban acts and its lead track "I don't mind if I'm poor" (Japanese: 貧乏なんて気にしない, Hepburn: Binbō nante Kinishinai) had a big reception on YouTube.

In 2015, KOHH along with Japanese artist Loota collaborated with Keith Ape's track "잊지마" (It G Ma) which became a major hit single in Japan and South Korea apart from gaining international media attention.[4] Back in Japan, KOHH resumed his work and continued working on his new album DIRT after releasing his delayed 1st album 梔子 (Gardenia). DIRT was released on October 28. The album was also released internationally via iTunes in October 23. KOHH was featured along with OG Maco on the track "BUCHIAGARI" by Japanese DJ RYOW.

In 2016, KOHH collaborated with Frank Ocean on the single "Nikes", available on the physical album copy of Blonde. KOHH was featured in a new song from Japanese American superstar Hikaru Utada, titled "Bōkyaku", from her 6th Japanese album Fantôme. KOHH was featured in an exclusive bonus track "Runway", in the Japanese iTunes version of Mariah Carey's Caution album.

KOHH's fifth studio album Untitled was released by Nippon Columbia on February 2, 2019.[5][6][7]

Reception

KOHH has been mentioned several times as a major influential force to the Japanese hip hop scene in recent years. KOHH has occasionally criticized how small the hip hop scene is in Japan and has tackled major mainstream TVs for its negligence of noticing hip hop. KOHH has also being praised for his smart use of topics like drug use and violence within the Japanese society which are considered controversial in the country.[8] After being featured in "잊지마" (It G Ma), KOHH received an even bigger praise from international audiences who recognized his use of the phrase 'Arigatō' (Thank you) in his verse as the trademark of the hit song and praised the artist whose performance was the one that left the biggest impression on the track.[9] M-flo's Taku Takahashi has appointed KOHH as one of the main acts in the Japanese hip hop renaissance.[10]

Several videos featuring KOHH have gone viral on social media like YouTube, Facebook and Vine among others.[11][12][13]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Oricon chart[14]
Monochrome
  • Released: July 30, 2014
  • Label: Gunsmith Productions
  • Formats: CD, digital download
57
梔子
(Gardenia)
  • Released: January 1, 2015
  • Label: Gunsmith Productions
  • Formats: CD, digital download
26
Dirt II
  • Released: June 17, 2016
  • Label: Gunsmith Productions
  • Formats: CD, digital download
38
Untitled
  • Released: February 2, 2019
  • Label: Nippon Columbia
  • Formats: CD, digital download
80
worst
  • Released: April 29, 2020
  • Label: Nippon Columbia
  • Formats: CD, digital download
12
The Lost Tapes
  • Released: September 25, 2022
  • Formats: Digital Download
n/a

Mixtapes

  • 『YELLOW T△PE』(Released: November 28, 2012)
  • 『YELLOW T△PE 2』(Released: August 31, 2013)
  • 『YELLOW T△PE 3』(Released: June 30, 2015)
  • 『YELLOW T△PE 4』(Released: December 20, 2016)
  • 『Complete Collection 1』(Released: May 20, 2015)
  • 『Complete Collection 2』(Released: May 20, 2015)

Singles

  • Keith Ape – 잊지마 (It G Ma) ft. JayAllday, loota, Okasian, Kohh
  • HIROI SEKAI (Worldwide) – KOHH, J $tash, Young Sachi
  • KOHH & J $tash – Tatted up
  • J $tash X Kohh – HOOD RICH
  • J $tash x Kohh – Don't Get Me Started
  • KOHH, PETZ, Tokarev – 十人十色
  • JOE IRON – Tomareranai feat. KOHH, Steelo & YUKI a.k.a. JUTO
  • Y'S – プリンス feat.KOHH&MONY HORSE
  • DJ RYOW – Don't Stop Remix feat. DJ Ty-Koh, Kohh, Dizzle & Socks
  • DJ RYOW – Turn Up feat KOHH, SMITH-CN & ZEEBRA
  • Goku Green – チョーヤバイ feat. KOHH & MONY HORSE
  • VITO (SQUASH SQUAD) – I Need Her (Remix) feat. Cherry Brown, NIPPS, KOHH
  • 般若 – 家族 feat. KOHH
  • DJ SOULJAH – aaight feat. KOHH, MARIA (SIMI LAB)
  • AKLO – Break The Records (Remix) feat. KOHH & 漢
  • ANARCHY – MOON CHILD feat.KOHH
  • ANARCHY – BANK TO BANK feat. KOHH
  • LORD 8ERZ – TROY feat. KOHH, 三島, RAW-T
  • Lil Herb , Kohh, Seeda, Norikiyo – Chiraq 2 Japan
  • SD, Kohh, Sky-Hi – Ballin
  • DJ KEN WATANABE – G.O.L.D feat. KOHH
  • DJ KEN WATANABE – G.O.L.D PART 2 feat. KOHH, Kayzabro & Y'S
  • Zeebra – Hate That Booty Feat.Y'S&KOHH
  • T.O.P. – I'm So High feat. KOHH
  • KOWICHI – BOYFRIEND#2 REMIX feat. YOUNG HASTLE, KOHH & DJ TY-KOH
  • JOYSTICKK – LOLLIPOP (DJ KM Remix) feat. KOHH
  • AKLO – NEW DAYS MOVE -REMIX- ft.SALU, STAXX T(CREAM), KOHH & SHINGO☆西成
  • Brandon Thomas – 24 7 Feat. KOHH
  • DJ☆GO – MIX GRILLZ feat. KOHH, HORI
  • DJ CHARI & DJ TATSUKI – GIMME THE LIGHTS(A.C.E.TIME) FEAT.YUKI A.K.A. JUTO,KOHH A.K.A. YELLOW T-20 & YOUNG FREEZ 
  • Loota – Somewhere feat.KOHH
  • SALU & the dreambandgunjo – ピラミッド feat. KOHH
  • FIGHT FOR TOKYO – GIRAGIRAガールズ, 巌, MEGA-G, MC漢, MC SHOW, MCクローバー, Y'S, YOUNG HASTLE, KOHH, LOOTA,EGO, 海, エリカ
  • HOPE-TOKYO TRIBE ANTHEM-(TRIBES UNITED VERSION)- 海, 巌, MC漢, MEGA-G, GIRAGIRAガールズ, D.O, T2K, Y'S, KOHH, 十影, YOUNG HASTLE, VITO FOCCACIO,LOOTA, EGO, MC SHOW
  • MINMI – #ヤッチャッタ featuring KOHH
  • Barry Chen – AIR FORCE ONE Feat. MJ116 Kenzy & KOHH
  • TeddyLoid – Break'em all feat. KOHH
  • DJ RYOW – BUCHIAGARI feat.KOHH & OG Maco
  • SOCKS – Bash feat.KOHH
  • RunWay (Remix) - Mariah Carey (prod. by Skrillex & Lido)
  • タイプライター&YMG – Let me Know Feat. AK-69 & KOHH
  • KOHH – PARIS (SAM TIBA REMIX)
  • Frank Ocean – Nikes (Pop-Up Store Version)
  • Hikaru Utada – Boukyaku feat. KOHH
  • 5lack – 24356 feat. KOHH
  • CashPassion Ft. Dumbfoundead & KOHH – All In
  • KOHH-No Makeup

Accolades

MTV Europe Music Award
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2017 KOHH Best Japan Act Won[15]
Space Shower Music Video Awards
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2016 KOHH Best Hip Hop Artist Won[16]
2017 KOHH Best Hip Hop Artist Won[17]

References

  1. Fage, Chloë (September 16, 2017). "KOHH, the new figurehead of Japanese hip-hop". Numéro. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  2. "Asian Trap: Why You Need This Genre in Your Life". Highsnobiety. September 21, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  3. "団地発!東京のアングラ ヒップホップ – Rising From the Tokyo Projects" [Coming from the housing complex! Underground hip hop in Tokyo – Rising From the Tokyo Projects] (in Japanese). VICE Japan. February 28, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2017 via YouTube.
  4. Dexter Thomas (February 15, 2015). ""It G Ma" Made Asian rap History". Noisey. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  5. "KOHH Drops Experimental New Album "UNTITLED"". HYPEBEAST. February 8, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  6. "No Product | musicjapanet".
  7. "UNTITLED: 商品カテゴリー | KOHH | CD/DVD/Blu-ray/レコード/グッズの通販サイト【コロムビアミュージックショップ】".
  8. Cristina Quinn (March 15, 2015). "Rapper Kohh shows a side of Japan that is often ignored". Public Radio International. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  9. Danny Masao Winston (March 15, 2015). "The verse that launched Kohh's rise into rap stardom". Japan Times. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  10. Ronald (March 15, 2015). "m-flo's Taku Takahashi finally clears up his F*ck J-Pop tweets". Arama Japan, The Japan Times. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  11. "Arigato Japanese Trap Music". March 15, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2016 via YouTube.
  12. "Japanese Trap Music". Facebook. March 15, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  13. "None". Vine. March 15, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  14. Oricon (in Japanese). KOHH albums on Oricon
  15. "Nominees for Best Japan Act at The 2017 MTV EMA Announced". Arama Japan. October 5, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  16. "Winners – Space Shower Music Video Awards". Space Shower. February 28, 2015. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  17. "Space Shower Music Award, Radwimps get Artist of the Year, Alexandros most voted (in Japanese)". Natalie.mu. March 28, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
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