Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, commonly abbreviated by fans as Skapara or TSPO, is a Japanese ska and jazz band formed in 1988 by the percussionist Asa-Chang, and initially composed of over 10 veterans of Tokyo's underground scene. At the time, the band's sound was unlike that of any of its contemporaries in the then fledgling Japanese ska scene, and over the course of the past 31 years, they have been influential on Japanese music as a whole. Its sound, the product of the musical influences of its members, is a mix of traditional ska, jazz, and rock. In the vein of many other more traditional ska acts, many of Skapara's songs are purely instrumental.
Alain David Jourgensen is a Cuban-American singer, musician and music producer. Closely related with the independent record label Wax Trax! Records, his musical career spans four decades. He is best known as the frontman and lyricist of the industrial metal band Ministry, which he founded in 1981 and of which he remains the only constant member. He was the primary musician of several Ministry-related projects, such as Revolting Cocks, Lard, and Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters. Jourgensen is regarded as one of the most prominent figures of industrial music, influencing numerous other groups and musicians, both in alternative and industrial-associated acts.
Steven Hiroyuki Aoki is an American DJ and music producer. In 2012, Pollstar designated Aoki as the highest-grossing electronic dance music artist in North America from tours.
Kissy Sell Out is a British/Canadian DJ, producer, graphic designer, label manager of San City High Records and Stepper Man, part-time astrophysicist and science columnist for Sick Chirpse. Kissy Sell Out gained notability in 2006 for his electro music productions and energetic DJ style. In 2009 Mixmag described him as "one of the most exciting, charismatic and entertaining DJs of the decade".
Shollen Quarshie, known by his stage name DJ Q, is a DJ and record producer from Huddersfield, England. He forms part of the supergroup TQD alongside Flava D and Royal-T.
Ólafur Arnalds is an Icelandic multi-instrumentalist and producer from Mosfellsbær, Iceland. He mixes strings and piano with loops and beats, a sound ranging from ambient/electronic to atmospheric pop. He is also the former drummer for Hardcore punk and metal bands Fighting Shit, Celestine, and others.
Keenon Dequan Ray Jackson, better known by his stage name YG, is an American rapper from Compton, California. In 2010, he released his debut single, "Toot It and Boot It", which peaked at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single's success resulted in his signing to Def Jam Recordings. In the following years, YG released mixtapes such as The Real 4Fingaz, Just Re'd Up,Just Re'd Up 2, 4 Hunnid Degreez, among others.
Marcus Jamal Hopson, known professionally as Hopsin, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Los Angeles.
Quincy Matthew Hanley, better known by his stage name Schoolboy Q, is an American rapper. In 2009, Hanley signed to Carson-based independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and in late 2011, secured a recording contract with major label Interscope Records. Hanley is also a member of the hip-hop supergroup Black Hippy, alongside label-mates and fellow California-based rappers Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and Kendrick Lamar.
Takahiro Moriuchi , known professionally as Taka, is a Japanese singer and musician who is the lead vocalist of the Japanese rock band One Ok Rock. Moriuchi is the band's main lyricist and composer. In 2017, Kerrang! magazine placed him at number 27 on their list of the "50 Greatest Rockstars in the World". He was also listed by Rock Sound magazine as one of "50 Most Influential Figures in Rock".
Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr., better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. With this stimulus, he produced chart-topping singles such as "Niggas in Paris" by Jay-Z and Kanye West, "Trophies" by Drake, "Clique" by GOOD Music, and "Racks in the Middle" by Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch. "Racks in the Middle" won Best Rap Performance at the 2020 Grammy Awards.
Austin Harris Mahone is an American singer and songwriter. Mahone gained popularity performing covers of pop songs on YouTube.
Babymetal is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal", Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal" and Momoko Okazaki as "Momometal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse talent agency. Their vocals are backed by heavy metal instrumentation, performed by a group of session musicians known as the "Kami Band" at performances.
La'Reonte Wright, known professionally as Dizzy Wright, is an American rapper and record producer.
Michael Fall, is a Belgian DJ, producer, and remixer from Moerbeke-Waas, Belgium. Michael Fall is currently signed on different record labels worldwide. In the past, he signed deals with major labels such as Universal Music Group, CNR Records in Belgium & ZYX Music records in Germany. He released many songs that have charted in Belgian and foreign charts. He ended his publishing contract with BMC Universal in November 2012 and signed a new publishing contract in November 2012 at the Dutch independent music publisher Strengholt Music Group until 2018. In 2013 he released his debut album called 'Turn on your radio' and was listed in the official Belgium album charts. Michael is the owner of MFrecords based in Belgium and he owns a record store in Zelzate. In 2014 he received a golden award for his debut album. On 31 July 2015, he released his second album called 'Ain't nothing but a party'. On August 28, 2020 Michael's single 'Winter' reached 1 million Spotify Streams. In April 2021 he released a new album on Zyx Music called 'Million Years'
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, known professionally as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. A prominent figure in the modern-day Afrobeats music scene, Wizkid is regarded as one of the biggest and most influential African artists of all time. He began recording music at the age of 11 and released a collaborative album with the Glorious Five (5), a group he and a couple of his church friends formed. In 2009, Wizkid signed a record deal with Banky W's Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E). He later rose to the limelight after releasing "Holla at Your Boy", the lead single from his debut studio album, Superstar (2011), which also spawned the singles "Tease Me/Bad Guys" and "Don't Dull".
Kenshi Yonezu is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and illustrator who began releasing Vocaloid music under the stage name Hachi (ハチ) in 2009. In 2012, he debuted under his real name, releasing music with his own voice. He has sold at least 4.2 million physical copies and more than 7 million digital copies in Japan.
Monstercat is a Canadian independent electronic music record label based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Since the mid-2000s, a counterculture has taken place where numerous netlabels, online labels that release their music for free, located in Japan have been formed and garnered a huge amount of publicity which, according to writer Patrick St. Michel, has shaped how popular Japanese music is produced. Japan's netlabel phenomenon was the first time in the history of the nation's music industry where underground musicians could produce their works however they wanted to and have their music noticed by the public; this is an aspect that was previously absent at a time when major labels in the country followed a conservative method where they managed how artists would produce their music. Starting in the 2010s, the netlabel scene has crossed over to the mainstream music landscape and all across the world, with netlabel producers transitioning into working for bigger labels and western producers like Cashmere Cat and Ryan Hemsworth being influenced by the music of Japanese netlabels.
chelmico is a rap duo from Japan composed of Rachel Watashiga and Mamiko Suzuki, known professionally as Rachel and Mamiko, respectively. 'chelmico' is a portmanteau of the duo's names.
