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PROUD OF YOU FELLAZ~ KEEP SHINING BOYZ~ GOD IS GOOD!!!

Far East Movement hits the dance floor

December 25, 2009 & 5:00 pm

Asian American hip-hop hasn’t received quite the props that it deserves. Far East Movement has come along to change all of that.

Few local venues are tougher to pack for an up-and-coming artist than the Art Deco digs of the 4,000-capacity Palladium. But on the third stop of the Party Rock Tour, the dance floor of the recently refurbished theater resembled a multiracial wailing wall of teenage girls, largely there for the Koreatown-based Asian American rap quartet Far East Movement and urban radio royalty LMFAO.

Two hours before showtime, the mention of Far East’s name by a braying master of ceremonies elicited cheers audible all the way backstage, where Kev Nish, Prohgress, J-Spliff and DJ Virman had congregated in advance of the only hometown date of their first nationwide tour. Organized chaos reigned: Representatives from Interscope Records stood point; a sasquatch-sized security guard barged in to explain show logistics; a camera crew barraged the group with questions about whether they feed off the crowd’s energy during their performances.

Had they waited a bit, the answer to that query would have been obvious. During a frenzied 30-minute set from Far East Movement, in which the musicians sported Kanye West-style Shutter Shades, futuristic chrome-colored hoodies, astronaut helmets and the occasional gorilla costume, it was clear they were drawing inspiration from the audience. Cheering reached its zenith when FM played its hit single “Girls on the Dance Floor,” which rose to No. 1 on the Power 106 (105.9 FM) playlist this summer.

If the Internet has created dozens of overnight success stories, the Far East Movement is a testament to the old model: steady grinding, building a solid hometown fan base and paying dues. Ask nearly any local underground rapper and chances are that performer has shared a bill with FM or at least has seen the band hawking fliers and mix tapes in front of shows — many of which were held in Koreatown halls where they played to exclusively Asian American audiences.

“It was rough, we were playing places that had never had rap performances before,” said Prohgress, who grew up as James Roh only blocks away from the Palladium. “It was a trial by fire. We endured everything from getting electrocuted to getting grapes thrown at us.”

“They had huge fruit platters and they weren’t afraid to throw them,” added Nish of the sometimes unfriendly patrons who came to see them. Born Kevin Nishimura to a Japanese American father and a Chinese American mother, Nishimura and the Filipino American DJ Virman constitute the non-Korean half of the quartet.

Produce pelting aside, Nish said the group also has enjoyed “the highest of the highs,” including playing Power 106’s Powerhouse and performing in a Brazilian airplane hangar before thousands of excited kids. “They were slanting their eyes at us, not because they’re ignorant but because that’s how they acknowledge your race.”

Although it gradually has started to approach a level of ethnic diversity fitting for the Obama era, the world of hip-hop remains largely dominated by heterosexual male African American acts. When the Far East Movement formed six years ago, the notion that four Asian American rappers could ink a deal with Interscope, achieve widespread airplay on urban radio and earn spokesman spots for Verizon Wireless and McDonald’s seemed unlikely.

Indeed, until the 2004 debut from the performer Jin, no Asian American rapper had released a major-label album (in the ’90s, the Mountain Brothers inked a deal with Ruffhouse). Although performers of Asian descent had contributed to hip-hop culture since its inception, the ones who had the most success were typically DJs such as Kid Koala or DJ Qbert; underground MCs including Lyrics Born, Cool Calm Pete and MC Geo of Blue Scholars, or were part of a larger multiracial group (Chad Hugo of the Neptunes & N.E.R.D., Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas).

Realizing the preconceptions they were up against, the members of FM originally went by the name Emcee’s Anonymous, part of a strategy to divert attention from their race and toward their skills. They adopted their current moniker while they were recording their first demo, which included a song titled “Far East Movement.”

“We were trying to convey our lifestyle: street wear, racing, hip-hop and clubs, so we wrote a song called ‘Far East Movement,’ FM on your dial,” said Nish. “We decided to make it our name. Emcee’s Anonymous is wack — that’s about being scared to own up to who you are. We respect and take pride in our culture.”

Though each member of the quartet currently resides downtown, the collective’s origins stem from after-hour freestyle sessions in Koreatown parking lots where Nish, Prohgress and Spliff, then in their early 20s, would rhyme over beat CDs after the coffee shops closed. A former customer service representative, Nish believed in building relationships with individual listeners, insisting that the group personally respond to every MySpace message, comment and friend request.

This diligence helped FM graduate from scattershot nightclub dates to promoting a series of International Secret Agent events geared to the Asian community, each of which drew an average of 1,500 attendees. In the last 24 months, the group has expanded its footprint; two overseas tours have helped amass a sizable fan base concentrated in China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Of course, other cities, including Seattle, have a thriving Asian American hip-hop scene, and the local community has spawned other rappers, including Dumbfoundead. Kublai Kwon, the executive director of the Asian Hip-Hop Summit, has helped nurture L.A.-based performers since 2001, and through relentless promotion and a slow grass-roots build, he has been able to expand his Summit nationally. It now boasts a tour of colleges and small clubs that recently played 30 cities in 30 days.

“When I first moved to Koreatown, the Asian American arts scene was lacking. It inspired me to throw events and plant the seeds of a subculture,” Kwon said. “We created the audience.”

The turning point came in 2005, when the group organized Movementality, a hip-hop night to benefit a Koreatown drug rehabilitation center. Looking for people to spread the word, FM turned to its future manager, Carl Choi, a Hong Kong-born, Koreatown-raised promoter who had built an extensive network of Asian club nights that at one point extended to 13 cities. He also was involved with promotions and management for Jin, the Ruff Ryders-signed, BET freestyle champion, who until that point had been the most successful Asian American rapper in history.

“Before FM, Asian artists often lacked the authenticity and support of the Asian community,” Choi said. “If a Latino guy sees Jin or FM on screen, the first person they’ll turn to to find out whether or not they’re credible will be their closest Asian friend. It was about building an attachment to our fans in order for them to grow with the group.”

FM soon entered the sights of filmmaker Justin Lin, who used the band’s track “Round Round” in his 2006 feature “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” The song also appeared on the movie’s soundtrack and a related video game.

“We took the money and invested it into a music video, which got over a million views,” said Prohgress. “It gave us legitimacy. People would start referring to us Far East Movement, as featured in the ‘Fast and Furious’ soundtrack.”

The director of “Better Luck Tomorrow,” the 2002 independent film that helped redefine racial paradigms of Asian Americans in popular culture, Lin sees the Far East Movement as kindred spirits of sorts. Yet he stressed that their success owes only to their creative abilities.

“Talent and hard work always transcend race,” said Lin, who was born in Taipei but grew up in Orange County. “It was and will always be about the music and its connection with the audience.”

When “Round Round” became a breakout hit, the part-time rappers realized that music could be a full-time career. Prohgress, the son of a piano teacher and a radio show host, dropped out of Loyola Law School to pursue his art, a decision to which his parents vigorously objected.

“After I quit law school, I’d come home to visit and my mom wouldn’t even leave the piano room to say hello,” said Prohgress, who later opted to finish his degree.

J-Spliff (born Jae Choung) worked as a Burbank office manager by day and played shows and recorded at night. He was confident that his parents would scoff at his aspirations; his family learned about his musical endeavors only when they spotted him on Korean television two years ago.

“Los Angeles has the largest Korean population outside of Korea, so whatever media they receive over there, we get here,” said Choung. “We did videos and newspaper interviews for the Korean market, and one day my parents caught the feed of us doing a promo tour in Korea. I thought they were going to throw things at me, but they were more surprised than anything.”

In 2007, the three founding members invited DJ Virman into the fold. It was a savvy move that not only brought them a venerable local DJ but also opened up a world of contacts through his brother DJ E-Man, assistant program director at Power 106 and DJ on the national radio program “Big Boy’s Neighborhood.”

That access and related airplay helped break a pair of singles — “You’ve Got a Friend,” featuring Mexican American rapper Baby Bash, and the car-culture ode “Lowridin”, from the group’s independently produced debut “Folk Music” — earning Far East Movement a following in the Latino community. Its songs also were featured in such TV series as “CSI: Miami” and the VH1 reality show “The Pickup Artist.”

Jin recruited the group to produce his 2007 Cantonese-language debut, “ABC Jin,” which went platinum in its first week, making it the highest-selling debut album in Hong Kong history.

“They’ve built their brand from the ground up,” Jin said. “From Day One, they’ve always been about good music that appeals to all walks of life. They’re not intentionally setting out to redefine the role of Asians or break stereotypes, they just do it by virtue of being good artists.”

The independent release last year of the band’s sophomore effort, “Animal,” which featured “Girls on the Dance Floor,” further elevated Far East Movement’s profile. Produced by the Stereotypes, the single, a pulsing house track, augurs a return to hip-hop’s disco roots and places it squarely within the contemporary zeitgeist of dance floor-focused rap, a genre that Choi calls “hiptronica.” The pop shift positioned the group well for mass appeal. Martin Kierszenbaum, head of A&R at Interscope and the chairman of Cherrytree Records, the Interscope subsidiary that recently signed FM, sees the group as a part of the continuum of his imprint’s progressive pop stars, including Lady Gaga, Feist and Flipsyde.

“Pop isn’t supposed to be a dirty word; it’s a craft and an art form, and FM are pushing the envelope of pop music within the hip-hop tradition,” said Kierszenbaum, who plans to release FM’s major-label debut next year. “Their ‘hiptronica’ sound is exciting and new, and they’re great songwriters. They represent the future kind of kid, one that’s more inclusive, who lives on the Internet. I think they have huge global potential.”

– Jeff Weiss | PROUD OF YOU FELLAZ~ KEEP SHINING BOYZ~ GOD IS GOOD!!!

Far East Movement hits the dance floor

December 25, 2009 & 5:00 pm

Asian American hip-hop hasn’t received quite the props that it deserves. Far East Movement has come along to change all of that.

Few local venues are tougher to pack for an up-and-coming artist than the Art Deco digs of the 4,000-capacity Palladium. But on the third stop of the Party Rock Tour, the dance floor of the recently refurbished theater resembled a multiracial wailing wall of teenage girls, largely there for the Koreatown-based Asian American rap quartet Far East Movement and urban radio royalty LMFAO.

Two hours before showtime, the mention of Far East’s name by a braying master of ceremonies elicited cheers audible all the way backstage, where Kev Nish, Prohgress, J-Spliff and DJ Virman had congregated in advance of the only hometown date of their first nationwide tour. Organized chaos reigned: Representatives from Interscope Records stood point; a sasquatch-sized security guard barged in to explain show logistics; a camera crew barraged the group with questions about whether they feed off the crowd’s energy during their performances.

Had they waited a bit, the answer to that query would have been obvious. During a frenzied 30-minute set from Far East Movement, in which the musicians sported Kanye West-style Shutter Shades, futuristic chrome-colored hoodies, astronaut helmets and the occasional gorilla costume, it was clear they were drawing inspiration from the audience. Cheering reached its zenith when FM played its hit single “Girls on the Dance Floor,” which rose to No. 1 on the Power 106 (105.9 FM) playlist this summer.

If the Internet has created dozens of overnight success stories, the Far East Movement is a testament to the old model: steady grinding, building a solid hometown fan base and paying dues. Ask nearly any local underground rapper and chances are that performer has shared a bill with FM or at least has seen the band hawking fliers and mix tapes in front of shows — many of which were held in Koreatown halls where they played to exclusively Asian American audiences.

“It was rough, we were playing places that had never had rap performances before,” said Prohgress, who grew up as James Roh only blocks away from the Palladium. “It was a trial by fire. We endured everything from getting electrocuted to getting grapes thrown at us.”

“They had huge fruit platters and they weren’t afraid to throw them,” added Nish of the sometimes unfriendly patrons who came to see them. Born Kevin Nishimura to a Japanese American father and a Chinese American mother, Nishimura and the Filipino American DJ Virman constitute the non-Korean half of the quartet.

Produce pelting aside, Nish said the group also has enjoyed “the highest of the highs,” including playing Power 106’s Powerhouse and performing in a Brazilian airplane hangar before thousands of excited kids. “They were slanting their eyes at us, not because they’re ignorant but because that’s how they acknowledge your race.”

Although it gradually has started to approach a level of ethnic diversity fitting for the Obama era, the world of hip-hop remains largely dominated by heterosexual male African American acts. When the Far East Movement formed six years ago, the notion that four Asian American rappers could ink a deal with Interscope, achieve widespread airplay on urban radio and earn spokesman spots for Verizon Wireless and McDonald’s seemed unlikely.

Indeed, until the 2004 debut from the performer Jin, no Asian American rapper had released a major-label album (in the ’90s, the Mountain Brothers inked a deal with Ruffhouse). Although performers of Asian descent had contributed to hip-hop culture since its inception, the ones who had the most success were typically DJs such as Kid Koala or DJ Qbert; underground MCs including Lyrics Born, Cool Calm Pete and MC Geo of Blue Scholars, or were part of a larger multiracial group (Chad Hugo of the Neptunes & N.E.R.D., Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas).

Realizing the preconceptions they were up against, the members of FM originally went by the name Emcee’s Anonymous, part of a strategy to divert attention from their race and toward their skills. They adopted their current moniker while they were recording their first demo, which included a song titled “Far East Movement.”

“We were trying to convey our lifestyle: street wear, racing, hip-hop and clubs, so we wrote a song called ‘Far East Movement,’ FM on your dial,” said Nish. “We decided to make it our name. Emcee’s Anonymous is wack — that’s about being scared to own up to who you are. We respect and take pride in our culture.”

Though each member of the quartet currently resides downtown, the collective’s origins stem from after-hour freestyle sessions in Koreatown parking lots where Nish, Prohgress and Spliff, then in their early 20s, would rhyme over beat CDs after the coffee shops closed. A former customer service representative, Nish believed in building relationships with individual listeners, insisting that the group personally respond to every MySpace message, comment and friend request.

This diligence helped FM graduate from scattershot nightclub dates to promoting a series of International Secret Agent events geared to the Asian community, each of which drew an average of 1,500 attendees. In the last 24 months, the group has expanded its footprint; two overseas tours have helped amass a sizable fan base concentrated in China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Of course, other cities, including Seattle, have a thriving Asian American hip-hop scene, and the local community has spawned other rappers, including Dumbfoundead. Kublai Kwon, the executive director of the Asian Hip-Hop Summit, has helped nurture L.A.-based performers since 2001, and through relentless promotion and a slow grass-roots build, he has been able to expand his Summit nationally. It now boasts a tour of colleges and small clubs that recently played 30 cities in 30 days.

“When I first moved to Koreatown, the Asian American arts scene was lacking. It inspired me to throw events and plant the seeds of a subculture,” Kwon said. “We created the audience.”

The turning point came in 2005, when the group organized Movementality, a hip-hop night to benefit a Koreatown drug rehabilitation center. Looking for people to spread the word, FM turned to its future manager, Carl Choi, a Hong Kong-born, Koreatown-raised promoter who had built an extensive network of Asian club nights that at one point extended to 13 cities. He also was involved with promotions and management for Jin, the Ruff Ryders-signed, BET freestyle champion, who until that point had been the most successful Asian American rapper in history.

“Before FM, Asian artists often lacked the authenticity and support of the Asian community,” Choi said. “If a Latino guy sees Jin or FM on screen, the first person they’ll turn to to find out whether or not they’re credible will be their closest Asian friend. It was about building an attachment to our fans in order for them to grow with the group.”

FM soon entered the sights of filmmaker Justin Lin, who used the band’s track “Round Round” in his 2006 feature “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” The song also appeared on the movie’s soundtrack and a related video game.

“We took the money and invested it into a music video, which got over a million views,” said Prohgress. “It gave us legitimacy. People would start referring to us Far East Movement, as featured in the ‘Fast and Furious’ soundtrack.”

The director of “Better Luck Tomorrow,” the 2002 independent film that helped redefine racial paradigms of Asian Americans in popular culture, Lin sees the Far East Movement as kindred spirits of sorts. Yet he stressed that their success owes only to their creative abilities.

“Talent and hard work always transcend race,” said Lin, who was born in Taipei but grew up in Orange County. “It was and will always be about the music and its connection with the audience.”

When “Round Round” became a breakout hit, the part-time rappers realized that music could be a full-time career. Prohgress, the son of a piano teacher and a radio show host, dropped out of Loyola Law School to pursue his art, a decision to which his parents vigorously objected.

“After I quit law school, I’d come home to visit and my mom wouldn’t even leave the piano room to say hello,” said Prohgress, who later opted to finish his degree.

J-Spliff (born Jae Choung) worked as a Burbank office manager by day and played shows and recorded at night. He was confident that his parents would scoff at his aspirations; his family learned about his musical endeavors only when they spotted him on Korean television two years ago.

“Los Angeles has the largest Korean population outside of Korea, so whatever media they receive over there, we get here,” said Choung. “We did videos and newspaper interviews for the Korean market, and one day my parents caught the feed of us doing a promo tour in Korea. I thought they were going to throw things at me, but they were more surprised than anything.”

In 2007, the three founding members invited DJ Virman into the fold. It was a savvy move that not only brought them a venerable local DJ but also opened up a world of contacts through his brother DJ E-Man, assistant program director at Power 106 and DJ on the national radio program “Big Boy’s Neighborhood.”

That access and related airplay helped break a pair of singles — “You’ve Got a Friend,” featuring Mexican American rapper Baby Bash, and the car-culture ode “Lowridin”, from the group’s independently produced debut “Folk Music” — earning Far East Movement a following in the Latino community. Its songs also were featured in such TV series as “CSI: Miami” and the VH1 reality show “The Pickup Artist.”

Jin recruited the group to produce his 2007 Cantonese-language debut, “ABC Jin,” which went platinum in its first week, making it the highest-selling debut album in Hong Kong history.

“They’ve built their brand from the ground up,” Jin said. “From Day One, they’ve always been about good music that appeals to all walks of life. They’re not intentionally setting out to redefine the role of Asians or break stereotypes, they just do it by virtue of being good artists.”

The independent release last year of the band’s sophomore effort, “Animal,” which featured “Girls on the Dance Floor,” further elevated Far East Movement’s profile. Produced by the Stereotypes, the single, a pulsing house track, augurs a return to hip-hop’s disco roots and places it squarely within the contemporary zeitgeist of dance floor-focused rap, a genre that Choi calls “hiptronica.” The pop shift positioned the group well for mass appeal. Martin Kierszenbaum, head of A&R at Interscope and the chairman of Cherrytree Records, the Interscope subsidiary that recently signed FM, sees the group as a part of the continuum of his imprint’s progressive pop stars, including Lady Gaga, Feist and Flipsyde.

“Pop isn’t supposed to be a dirty word; it’s a craft and an art form, and FM are pushing the envelope of pop music within the hip-hop tradition,” said Kierszenbaum, who plans to release FM’s major-label debut next year. “Their ‘hiptronica’ sound is exciting and new, and they’re great songwriters. They represent the future kind of kid, one that’s more inclusive, who lives on the Internet. I think they have huge global potential.”

– Jeff Weiss | PROUD OF YOU FELLAZ~ KEEP SHINING BOYZ~ GOD IS GOOD!!!

Far East Movement hits the dance floor

December 25, 2009 & 5:00 pm

Asian American hip-hop hasn’t received quite the props that it deserves. Far East Movement has come along to change all of that.

Few local venues are tougher to pack for an up-and-coming artist than the Art Deco digs of the 4,000-capacity Palladium. But on the third stop of the Party Rock Tour, the dance floor of the recently refurbished theater resembled a multiracial wailing wall of teenage girls, largely there for the Koreatown-based Asian American rap quartet Far East Movement and urban radio royalty LMFAO.

Two hours before showtime, the mention of Far East’s name by a braying master of ceremonies elicited cheers audible all the way backstage, where Kev Nish, Prohgress, J-Spliff and DJ Virman had congregated in advance of the only hometown date of their first nationwide tour. Organized chaos reigned: Representatives from Interscope Records stood point; a sasquatch-sized security guard barged in to explain show logistics; a camera crew barraged the group with questions about whether they feed off the crowd’s energy during their performances.

Had they waited a bit, the answer to that query would have been obvious. During a frenzied 30-minute set from Far East Movement, in which the musicians sported Kanye West-style Shutter Shades, futuristic chrome-colored hoodies, astronaut helmets and the occasional gorilla costume, it was clear they were drawing inspiration from the audience. Cheering reached its zenith when FM played its hit single “Girls on the Dance Floor,” which rose to No. 1 on the Power 106 (105.9 FM) playlist this summer.

If the Internet has created dozens of overnight success stories, the Far East Movement is a testament to the old model: steady grinding, building a solid hometown fan base and paying dues. Ask nearly any local underground rapper and chances are that performer has shared a bill with FM or at least has seen the band hawking fliers and mix tapes in front of shows — many of which were held in Koreatown halls where they played to exclusively Asian American audiences.

“It was rough, we were playing places that had never had rap performances before,” said Prohgress, who grew up as James Roh only blocks away from the Palladium. “It was a trial by fire. We endured everything from getting electrocuted to getting grapes thrown at us.”

“They had huge fruit platters and they weren’t afraid to throw them,” added Nish of the sometimes unfriendly patrons who came to see them. Born Kevin Nishimura to a Japanese American father and a Chinese American mother, Nishimura and the Filipino American DJ Virman constitute the non-Korean half of the quartet.

Produce pelting aside, Nish said the group also has enjoyed “the highest of the highs,” including playing Power 106’s Powerhouse and performing in a Brazilian airplane hangar before thousands of excited kids. “They were slanting their eyes at us, not because they’re ignorant but because that’s how they acknowledge your race.”

Although it gradually has started to approach a level of ethnic diversity fitting for the Obama era, the world of hip-hop remains largely dominated by heterosexual male African American acts. When the Far East Movement formed six years ago, the notion that four Asian American rappers could ink a deal with Interscope, achieve widespread airplay on urban radio and earn spokesman spots for Verizon Wireless and McDonald’s seemed unlikely.

Indeed, until the 2004 debut from the performer Jin, no Asian American rapper had released a major-label album (in the ’90s, the Mountain Brothers inked a deal with Ruffhouse). Although performers of Asian descent had contributed to hip-hop culture since its inception, the ones who had the most success were typically DJs such as Kid Koala or DJ Qbert; underground MCs including Lyrics Born, Cool Calm Pete and MC Geo of Blue Scholars, or were part of a larger multiracial group (Chad Hugo of the Neptunes & N.E.R.D., Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas).

Realizing the preconceptions they were up against, the members of FM originally went by the name Emcee’s Anonymous, part of a strategy to divert attention from their race and toward their skills. They adopted their current moniker while they were recording their first demo, which included a song titled “Far East Movement.”

“We were trying to convey our lifestyle: street wear, racing, hip-hop and clubs, so we wrote a song called ‘Far East Movement,’ FM on your dial,” said Nish. “We decided to make it our name. Emcee’s Anonymous is wack — that’s about being scared to own up to who you are. We respect and take pride in our culture.”

Though each member of the quartet currently resides downtown, the collective’s origins stem from after-hour freestyle sessions in Koreatown parking lots where Nish, Prohgress and Spliff, then in their early 20s, would rhyme over beat CDs after the coffee shops closed. A former customer service representative, Nish believed in building relationships with individual listeners, insisting that the group personally respond to every MySpace message, comment and friend request.

This diligence helped FM graduate from scattershot nightclub dates to promoting a series of International Secret Agent events geared to the Asian community, each of which drew an average of 1,500 attendees. In the last 24 months, the group has expanded its footprint; two overseas tours have helped amass a sizable fan base concentrated in China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Of course, other cities, including Seattle, have a thriving Asian American hip-hop scene, and the local community has spawned other rappers, including Dumbfoundead. Kublai Kwon, the executive director of the Asian Hip-Hop Summit, has helped nurture L.A.-based performers since 2001, and through relentless promotion and a slow grass-roots build, he has been able to expand his Summit nationally. It now boasts a tour of colleges and small clubs that recently played 30 cities in 30 days.

“When I first moved to Koreatown, the Asian American arts scene was lacking. It inspired me to throw events and plant the seeds of a subculture,” Kwon said. “We created the audience.”

The turning point came in 2005, when the group organized Movementality, a hip-hop night to benefit a Koreatown drug rehabilitation center. Looking for people to spread the word, FM turned to its future manager, Carl Choi, a Hong Kong-born, Koreatown-raised promoter who had built an extensive network of Asian club nights that at one point extended to 13 cities. He also was involved with promotions and management for Jin, the Ruff Ryders-signed, BET freestyle champion, who until that point had been the most successful Asian American rapper in history.

“Before FM, Asian artists often lacked the authenticity and support of the Asian community,” Choi said. “If a Latino guy sees Jin or FM on screen, the first person they’ll turn to to find out whether or not they’re credible will be their closest Asian friend. It was about building an attachment to our fans in order for them to grow with the group.”

FM soon entered the sights of filmmaker Justin Lin, who used the band’s track “Round Round” in his 2006 feature “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” The song also appeared on the movie’s soundtrack and a related video game.

“We took the money and invested it into a music video, which got over a million views,” said Prohgress. “It gave us legitimacy. People would start referring to us Far East Movement, as featured in the ‘Fast and Furious’ soundtrack.”

The director of “Better Luck Tomorrow,” the 2002 independent film that helped redefine racial paradigms of Asian Americans in popular culture, Lin sees the Far East Movement as kindred spirits of sorts. Yet he stressed that their success owes only to their creative abilities.

“Talent and hard work always transcend race,” said Lin, who was born in Taipei but grew up in Orange County. “It was and will always be about the music and its connection with the audience.”

When “Round Round” became a breakout hit, the part-time rappers realized that music could be a full-time career. Prohgress, the son of a piano teacher and a radio show host, dropped out of Loyola Law School to pursue his art, a decision to which his parents vigorously objected.

“After I quit law school, I’d come home to visit and my mom wouldn’t even leave the piano room to say hello,” said Prohgress, who later opted to finish his degree.

J-Spliff (born Jae Choung) worked as a Burbank office manager by day and played shows and recorded at night. He was confident that his parents would scoff at his aspirations; his family learned about his musical endeavors only when they spotted him on Korean television two years ago.

“Los Angeles has the largest Korean population outside of Korea, so whatever media they receive over there, we get here,” said Choung. “We did videos and newspaper interviews for the Korean market, and one day my parents caught the feed of us doing a promo tour in Korea. I thought they were going to throw things at me, but they were more surprised than anything.”

In 2007, the three founding members invited DJ Virman into the fold. It was a savvy move that not only brought them a venerable local DJ but also opened up a world of contacts through his brother DJ E-Man, assistant program director at Power 106 and DJ on the national radio program “Big Boy’s Neighborhood.”

That access and related airplay helped break a pair of singles — “You’ve Got a Friend,” featuring Mexican American rapper Baby Bash, and the car-culture ode “Lowridin”, from the group’s independently produced debut “Folk Music” — earning Far East Movement a following in the Latino community. Its songs also were featured in such TV series as “CSI: Miami” and the VH1 reality show “The Pickup Artist.”

Jin recruited the group to produce his 2007 Cantonese-language debut, “ABC Jin,” which went platinum in its first week, making it the highest-selling debut album in Hong Kong history.

“They’ve built their brand from the ground up,” Jin said. “From Day One, they’ve always been about good music that appeals to all walks of life. They’re not intentionally setting out to redefine the role of Asians or break stereotypes, they just do it by virtue of being good artists.”

The independent release last year of the band’s sophomore effort, “Animal,” which featured “Girls on the Dance Floor,” further elevated Far East Movement’s profile. Produced by the Stereotypes, the single, a pulsing house track, augurs a return to hip-hop’s disco roots and places it squarely within the contemporary zeitgeist of dance floor-focused rap, a genre that Choi calls “hiptronica.” The pop shift positioned the group well for mass appeal. Martin Kierszenbaum, head of A&R at Interscope and the chairman of Cherrytree Records, the Interscope subsidiary that recently signed FM, sees the group as a part of the continuum of his imprint’s progressive pop stars, including Lady Gaga, Feist and Flipsyde.

“Pop isn’t supposed to be a dirty word; it’s a craft and an art form, and FM are pushing the envelope of pop music within the hip-hop tradition,” said Kierszenbaum, who plans to release FM’s major-label debut next year. “Their ‘hiptronica’ sound is exciting and new, and they’re great songwriters. They represent the future kind of kid, one that’s more inclusive, who lives on the Internet. I think they have huge global potential.”

– Jeff Weiss |誇りにおもうよ、お前ら　～輝き続けろよ～　神様ってサイコー!!!

Far East Movement がダンスフロアで熱演

2009年12月25日＆午後5時

アジア系アメリカ人のヒップホップはそれに値する支持を全く受けてなかった。Far East Movementがそのすべてをくつがえすためにやってきた。 新進アーチストが地方の会場を満員にするのはアールデコ調の4000人収容のパラジウムでやるよりも難しいことだ。しかしパーティ　ロックツアーの3番目 の開催地となった　最近改装された劇場のダンスフロアでは　十代の女の子たちの　他民族の嘆きの壁のようだった。彼女たちは主にコリアンタウンに拠点を置 くアジア系アメリカ人のラップカルテット、Far East Movementと都市ラジオ所属のLMFAOがお目当だった。

開演２時間前から、Far Eastの名を叫んで盛り上げるMCのわめき声が舞台裏まで　聞こえてきていていた。その舞台裏にはKev Nish、Prohgress, J-Spliff や DJ Virman らが彼らの初めての全国ツアーのなかで1日だけホームタウンでやる日に先立って集まってきていた。一種まとまったカオスが支配していた： インタースコープ レコードの代表がきていたし　雪男みたいな警備員がショウのゴタクを説明しに割って入り；カメラ班は彼らのパフォーマンスの間の観衆の熱気を撮るかどうか グループに質問を浴びせた。

彼らがちょっと待てば、その質問に対する答えはわかっただろうに。熱狂的なFar East Movementの30分の設定された時間の間　カニエウエスト風のシャッタ ーシェ イド サングラス、　未来的なメタリックな色のパーカ、宇宙飛行士のヘルメットや時どきゴリラの衣装などをまとった彼らだったが　それは観衆からインスピレー ションを得ていたことは明らかだった。FMがそのヒット曲”Girls on the Dance Floor”を流したときに声援は頂点に達した。今年の夏Power 106 (105.9 FM) のプレイリストの第1位になった曲だ。

インターネットが数多くの一夜のサクセスストーリーをつくったとしても、Far East Movement は古株だ。：着実に力を磨き確固たる地元のファンを築きながら下積みを送ってきた。たいていどんな地元のアングラのラッパーたちでもおそらくFMで宣伝し てもらったり、バンドのチラシやミックステープなどをショウの前に置かせてもらってーその多くはもっぱらコリアンタウンのホールでアジア系アメリカ人を相 手にやってるようだ。

「大変だったよ、俺たちの演る場所はこれまでラップってものをやったことのないとこなんだから」と、パラジウムからほど近くのところで育ったJames Rohこと Prohgressは言った。「厳しい試練だったね、俺たちに葡萄（罵声）を浴びせて感電死（処刑）させようとするあらゆることに耐えたよ。」

「やつらにはでかい果実器があったからどんだけ投げつけても平気だったのさ」時々不親切な彼らのとこにくるパトロンのNishが付け加えた。日系アメリカ 人の父と中国系アメリカ人の母の子として生まれたKevin Nishimuraは、Nishimuraとフィリピンン系アメリカ人DJのVirmanで非韓国系ハーフの4人組を構成した。pelting のプロデュースのほか、Nishはグループもまた「最高の中の最高」を誇っていると言って、Power 106's Powerhouse やブラジルの飛行機格納庫で何千ものエキサイトした若い子たちの前でのパフォーマンスなども含めて。

オバマ時代に適した民族の多様性のレベルに徐々に近づきはじめてきたけれども　ヒップホップの世界はいまだにゲイではない男のアフリカ系アメリカ人の歌手 が幅をきかしている。6年前Far East Movement が結成されたとき、4人のアジア系アメリカ人のラッパーがインタースコープとの契約にサインすることができるなんて、アーバンラジオで曲が広くオンエアさ れるようになるなんてこと、Verizon Wirelessやマクドナルドの広報のお墨付きを得ることができるなんてことは起こりそうにないことだった。

いかにも2004年にパフォーマーJin のデビューまではアジア系アメリカ人ラッパーはメジャーレーベルからアルバムを出すものはいなかった（90年代にはthe Mountain Brothersが Ruffhouseと契約した）。アジア人のパフォーマーがその発端以来　ヒップホップ文化に貢献してきたけれど　最も成功した者は一般的にKid Koala あるいは DJ Qbert；Blue ScholarsのLyrics Born、Cool CalmPeteやBlue ScholarsのMC　GeoといったアンダーグラウンﾄﾞのMCたちだ。あるいはもっと大きな多民族グループ（ the Neptunes & N.E.R.DのChad Hugo 、Linkin ParkのMike Shinoda 、Black Eyed Peasのapl.de.ap とか）。

彼らの直面している先入観を意識しながら　FMのメンバーは当初　匿名のエムシー　という名前でやった。彼らに対する注意を人種からスキルにそらそうとす る作戦の一部だった。彼らの初デモを録音する際、現在の呼び名　“Far East Movement”と言う曲のタイトル　を採用した。

「俺たちは俺たちのライフスタイルを伝えようとしたんだ；ストリートウエア、競争、ヒップホップやクラブなんかをね、それで ‘Far East Movement’’ FM on your dial（ダイアルをFMに合わせて）’っていう曲を書いたのさ。」と、Nish。「俺たちはそれを俺たちの名前にすることにしたんだ。匿名エムシーなん てサイテーだぜーそれって自分が何者であるかってことを白状するのを恐れてるってことだろ。俺たちはおれらの文化をリスペクトしてるし誇りをもってん だ。」

4人組の各メンバーは現在ダウンタウンに住んでいるが　集団の起源はNish,ProhgressにSpliffがコリアンタウンの営業時間外の駐車場で フリースタイルのセッションしてたとこからだ。その後彼らが20代前半のころには　閉店後のコーヒーショップでCDかけてライムをかぶせて詠ったりして た。元顧客サービス担当のNishはリスナーと個々の関係を築くことは良いと信じ、グループがあらゆるMyspaceのメッセージに個人的に、コメントし たりフレンドリクエストに応えようと主張した。

こういった努力がアジアのコミュニティ向けへの一連の国際スパイのような手当たり次第で宣伝活動するナイトクラブの日々からFMを卒業させるのに役に立っ た。それは毎回平均1500人の参加者となっていた。この24ヶ月でグループはその足跡を拡大した。2回の海外公演は中国、日本、韓国、香港とシンガポー ルにかなり大きなファンベースを集中させるのに役に立った。

もちろん、シアトルなど他の都市でもアジア系アメリカ人のヒップホップシーンは盛り上っており、地元のコミュニティでもDumbfoundeadなどの他 のラッパーたちも生み出した。アジアンヒップホップサミットの事務局長のKublai Kwonは2001年以降　L.A.に基づくパフォーマーたちを育成を支援した。絶え間ないプロモーションを通してゆっくりと草の根を根付かせ、彼は彼の サミットを全国的に拡大することができた。最近大学や小さなクラブで30日で30都市のツアーを行った事を誇るほどになった。

「私が最初にコリアンタウンに移って来た頃はアジア系アメリカ人の芸術シーンが欠けていた。それが、私にイベントを開いて、サブカルチャーの種を植える気にさせたのです。」と、Kwonが言った。「我々が、観衆をつくったんだ。」

2005年にターニングポイントがやってきた。グループMovementalityが組織され、コリアンタウンの麻薬リハビリセンターで支援するためヒッ プホップナイトをした時だ。世間に広めるために人を探していたら、FMは後にマネージャーとなる、　香港生まれで、一時は13都市にまで広げたAsian club nightsネットワークを作り上げたコリアンタウンのプロモーター、Carl Choiに行き当たった。　彼は　JINやBETフリースタイルチャンピオンのRuff　Rydersらのプロモーションやマネージメントにも関係してい た。彼は過去においてその時点で最も成功したアジア系アメリカのラッパーだった。

「FM以前は、アジアのアーティストには、しばしば　アジアコミュニティにおける　信頼性や　支持　が欠けていました。」と、Choiは言った。「もしラ テン系のやつらがスクリーンでJinやFMを見たら　最も親しいアジアの友人として信用できるかどうか確かめるために頼る最初の人物です。」

FMはすぐに　映画監督のJustin Linの眼に留まり、2006年の作品『ワイルドスピードX3 TOKYO DRIFT（邦題）』の中でバンドの曲「Round Round」を使いました。その歌は映画のサウンドトラックと関連のビデオゲームの中にも出てきます。

「俺たちは金取ってそれをミュージックビデオにつぎこんだんだ。それは100件以上の視聴があったよ。」と、Prohgressが言った。「俺らに正当性 を与えてくれた。人が俺たちFarEastMovementを‘Fast and Furious’ のサントラのヤツだとわかりはじめたんだ。」

大衆文化でアジアのアメリカ人の人種的な模範を再定義するのに一役買った　2002年のインディペンデント映画“Better Luck Tomorrow” の監督で、LinはFarEastMovementを一種の同類のような気がしたようだった。それでも、彼は彼らの成功が彼らの創造的な能力だけのおかげ であると強調した。

「才能があって勤勉たれば常に競争を勝ち抜けるものだ」と　台北で生まれたがオレンジカウンティで育った　Linは言った。「音楽と観衆とのその関係においても常にそうなんだ。」

“Round Round”がブレークしてヒットしたとき　バイト稼ぎのラッパーたちは音楽が専業職にできるのだと理解したのだった。Prohgress（ピアノ教師の 息子でラジオショー番組の司会者）は　両親はその決定に激しい反対をしたが芸術活動を続けるためにLoyola法学校を中退した。

「俺が法学校を辞めたあと　家に帰ってもおふくろはピアノ室から出てこなくて挨拶もしてくれなかったよ。」とProhgressは言った。彼は後に学位を取得する道をえらんだ。

J-Spliff（本名　Jae Choung ）は日中はバーバンクのオフィスマネージャーとして働き　夜はショーに出たりレコーディングをしていた。彼は彼の大望を親はぜったい嘲笑すると思ってい た。彼の家族は　2年前韓国のテレビで彼をみつけた時にはじめて彼の音楽への努力を知ったのだった。

「ロサンゼルスは韓国以外の地では最大の韓国人口を有しているのでいかなる情報であろうと向こうで受ければこっちにも届く。」と、Jae Choungは言う。「俺らが韓国市場向けにビデオや新聞インタビューを受ければ　いつか両親も　俺たちが韓国でプロモツアーをしてるの放送を見てくれる だろう。彼らは俺に丸投げするつもりだろうが何よりも驚くだろうな。」

2007年に3人の3人の創立メンバーはDJ Virmanを迎え入れた。そのことは地元の崇拝するDJを連れてきただけではなく彼の兄弟DJ ＥMan（Power 106と国営ラジオ番組“Big Boy’s Neighborhood”のDJでADの）を通してコネの世界が開ける抜け目のない誘致でもあった。

そのアクセスと関連した放送は2枚のシングルのブレークに役に立った。―メキシコ系アメリカ人のラッパーBaby Bashをヒューチャーした“You’ve Got a Friend”そしてグループの個人プロデュースしてデビューしたFolk Music” のカーカルチャーode韻歌“Lowridin”“―は　ラテン系コミュニティでFar East Movement の支持者を稼いだ。その歌もTvドラマ“CSI: Miami”やVH1 reality showの“The Pickup Artist.”で取り上げられた。

Jinは彼の2007年の広東語盤デビュー作”ABC JIN”を作るためにグループに新メンバーとなった。そしてそのアルバムは第1週でプラチナヒットになり　デビューアルバムとしては香港の中でも最多売り上げを記録した。

「アイツらは、最初から最後まで独自のブランドをつくったんだよ」Jinが言った。「最初から　あらゆる民族の人々にうけるいい音楽だったんだよ。別にアジア人の役割がどうのこうのと言うつもりなんかなくて　ただ　アーチストとして最善をつくしただけさ。」

昨年、バンドの2枚目のアルバム　“Animal” 　を単独　リリース、それには Far East Movementののしあがっていく様子が描かれている　“Girls on the Dance Floor” がはいっている。the Stereotypesや、シングル、ビートのきいたハウストラックなどによって生みだされる、ヒップホップのディスコルーツへの回帰を予測して　真っ向 から　ダンスフロアに焦点をおいたラップの現代のツァイトガイスト（時代精神）、Choiが言うところのジャンル”ヒップトニカ”のなかに位置する。 「ポップは大衆にアピールするためにグループの位置をうまくシフトさせた。インタースコープのA&R（アーティスト・アンド・レパートリー）の主 任で最近FMが契約をしたCherrytree Records　の会長であるMartin Kierszenbaumは　そのグループと言うのを　Lady GagaやFeistやFlipsydeなどといった斬新的だと彼がインプリントしてるものの並びのものだとみなしている。

「POPは禁句だとは思わない。；それはひとつの技法や芸術形態なんだ。それにFMはヒップホップの流派の範囲内で　ポップミュージックの枠を押してるん だ。」と、Kierszenbaum。彼は来年FMのメジャーなレーベルでのデビューを公表する計画を立てている。「彼らの”ヒップトニカ”の音は　エキ サイティングで、新しい。それに彼らはすばらしいソングライターだよ。それに彼らは未来の子供の代表のようなものだ。しかもインターネットの世界に住んで る。私は、彼らには膨大な世界的な可能性を持っていると思う。」

ーJeff Weiss