ZEEBRA
A founding member of Japan's seminal hip hop group King Giddra, Zeebra was part of the force in Japanese hip hop turning from the party-rap promoted within the usual confines of J-Pop into a socially conscious version of the genre. Building upon a foundation of Public Enemy, King Giddra used rap as a platform for social commentary and built a massive following. By 1997, Zeebra had left the group (to return briefly for a new album in 2002) in favor of a solo career. Furthering the fame accorded as a result of King Giddra's popularity, Zeebra expanded his style into wider territories. Quickly becoming the brightest star in the emerging market, Zeebra released Mr. Dynamite in 1999, the first hip hop single to break the top 50 on the Japanese pop charts. Concurrently, the Zeebra brand expanded into television with Beats to Rhyme, the first show devoted to hip hop in the country, into fashion, into advertising, and into movie soundtracks. A number of albums were released as Zeebra's star grew, starting with 1998's The Rhyme Animal and reaching major success with 2000's Based on a True Story. 2008's Bushido quickly reached the top 10 on the Japanese pop charts, as Zeebra expanded into collaborations with American artists and producers (working with Scott Storch and Swizz Beatz) and production of other Japanese rappers as well as J-Pop artists (mirroring to a degree the absorption of hip hop aesthetics into pop music taking place in America concurrently).
© Adam Greenberg /TiVo
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Discography
15 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Mr. Miyagi
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 20 Jun 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Recurring Tendencies (Original Mix)
House - Released by Plastic Magic Records on 8 Nov 2016
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Black World/White Heat
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Ariola Japan Inc. on 14 Dec 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Butterfly City
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 7 Nov 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Black World / White Heat
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 7 Nov 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Do It - Single
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Ariola Japan Inc. on 20 Jun 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Summertime In The City
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 9 Jul 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mr. Miyagi - Single
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Ariola Japan Inc. on 20 Jun 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Young Soldier
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 30 Oct 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
25 To Life
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 20 Nov 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Diamond In The Sand
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 9 Jul 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fly Away
Rock - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 17 Nov 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Blue
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 27 Jul 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Do It
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 20 Jun 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Moonlight
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Sony Music Labels Inc. on 13 Aug 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo