What better place to hold a launch party for an album titled Konnichiwa than Japan itself, and what better place to make your Japanese debut than Tokyo? Well that’s where English-born grime superstar Skepta held the launch party of his latest full-length effort a few weeks ago, and the video is now available to watch.
Japan isn’t exactly the first country you think about when you think about hip-hop, or grime for that matter, but the scene is by all accounts booming, and it’s cool to see a major artist take his launch event somewhere other than, say, London or New York or Los Angeles. Showcasing the best in upcoming hip-hop from Japan, Skepta invited Japanese rappers KOHH, Dutch Montana, Loota and DJ Riki to open for him at the event. Watch their sets below:
Following this opening, Skepta came out and rocked the tiny Tokyo venue, at which he performed some of the biggest hits from Konnichiwa as well as a few new songs. Although his set only clocks in around 25 minutes, it’s a hectic, energetic 25 minutes that undoubtedly left a satisfied, exhausted audience in its lurch. I don’t think anyone could keep up such a crazy show for much longer. Watch the full set below, hosted by Boiler Room.
Image: Hypebeast