Time to get popping, locking and spitting sizzling verses into a microphone as the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN WEEK festivities switch up the beat. Aligning with the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026's values of spotlighting diverse music and performance scene, the week long festivities leading up to the show highlight different facets of the Japan's most outstanding talents.
THE SUCCESSOR - MAJ HIP HOP TRIBUTE turns up the volume on the boom box, spotlighting 40 years of Japan's hip hop culture. Produced by none other than hip hop heavyweights Kan Takagi, Zeebra and YZERR, the show brings together legendary artists who owned the genre to take the stage alongside newcomers who are creating sick beats to this day. Beyond highlighting the significance of hip hop in Japan's music landscape, the event also champions avenues such as rap, DJing, breakin’, graffiti, dance and beatbox.
The stacked lineup definitely does not disappoint as it features some notable hip hop artists including RHYMESTER, King Giddra, NITRO MICROPHONE UNDERGROUND, STUTS, PUNPEE, T-Pablow, ¥ellow Bucks, MC TYSON, OZworld, Watson, DJ CHARI & DJ TATSUKI, MaRI and 3Li¥en creating a multigenerational cocktail of artists who have pioneered the rise of the genre in Japan.
The BBOY SHOWCASE is bound to keep the groove going, getting the crowd moving with performances by defining figures in the Japanese breakin' scene including DJ BEAT, CRAZY-A, MACHINE, HORIE, Harucalloway, KATSU ONE, YURIE, TENPACHI, RAM, SHUTO, ON1GIRI and REN. Keeping with the smooth rhythm of dance, a NEW DANCE SHOWCASE is also set to feature ROOTS OF EXILE TRIBE.
The venue is set to be decked out and transformed to become a Graffiti Art Gallery featuring pieces by some spectacular artists curated by KAZZROCK, TOMI-E, TABOO1 and SNIPE1, celebrating the significance of culture and visual arts on top of music and performing arts. The vibrant artwork is set to serve as the backdrop to some electrifying DJ sets by DJ Ta-Shi, DJ Kentaro, DJ IZOH, and DJ Rena who are set to ignite the amazing DJ SHOWCASE portion of the event.
The event’s presenter lineup showcases the rich legacy of Japanese hip hop, bringing together influential cultural figures and pioneering artists such as Haruo Chikada, Seiko Ito, DJ KAORI, and COMA-CHI alongside other respected names from across the scene.
As the countdown to the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026 continues, THE SUCCESSOR - MAJ HIP HOP TRIBUTE adds to the amazing roster of genre-diverse events that showcase the vibrance of Japan's music scene and the abundance of talent that it presents.
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