Lately, I feel like I’ve been hearing the name “ Wu-Tang Clan ” more often in Japan.
That’s because on May 24, 2026, they will hold their first concert in Japan in 29 years—and their final one—titled “Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber” at K Arena Yokohama.
The last time they performed was in 1997 at Akasaka BRITZ, but not all members were able to attend due to circumstances such as “ GZA ” (Genius) having to return home on short notice.
Now, 29 years later, they’re returning to Japan. Unfortunately, “ ODB ” (Ol’ Dirty Bastard) passed away in 2004, but
his son, “ Young Dirty Bastard ” is scheduled to join them. I’m really looking forward to it.
However, reports indicate that some members were unable to participate in the recent Australian tour, resulting in refunds being issued.
Given that the “ Wu-Tang Clan ” has so many members—each with their own distinct personality—it’s understandable that sudden issues might prevent them from performing, but I really want to etch the sight of the Wu-Tang members performing in Japan one last time into my memory.
The Impact of the Collaboration Between ” RZA ” (Wu-Tang) and ” Awich ” (Japanese Artist)
Even in Japan, this collaboration came as a shock to hip-hop fans.
I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the fact that this “ RZA ” was actually the “ RZA ” from the Wu-Tang Clan.
I wondered if there was some upstart artist in Japan going by the name “ RZA ”, but after looking into it, I found out it was indeed the genuine “ RZA ” from the Wu-Tang Clan.
I thought that collaborating with “ Awich ”—who is incredibly famous in Japan and known for her talent—was the perfect timing for her.
The title of the lead track from OKINAWA WOMAN, “Wax On Wax Off” is also fantastic! And the choice to feature “ Lupe Fiasco ” was absolutely spot-on.
【Explanation 1】
What does “Wax On Wax Off” mean?
The movie “The Karate Kid” tells the story of Daniel, a boy who is bullied at his new school. He meets Mr. Miyagi (a Japanese-American karate master), learns the principles of mind, technique, and body, and faces his arch-rival.
In one scene where he’s learning techniques, he’s inexplicably ordered to wax a car, and the line spoken at that moment is “Wax On, Wax Off.”
Daniel expresses his dissatisfaction, but in the next match, there’s a scene where the results of this special training become evident… I’ll leave the rest for you to discover for yourself. It’s a really great movie.
A remake starring Jackie Chan as Mr. Miyagi has also been released.
【Explanation 2】
Who is “ Lupe Fiasco ”?
A rapper from Chicago, he released his debut album, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, in 2006.
He rose to fame with the track “Touch the Sky,” featured on his fellow Chicagoan Kanye West’s second album, Late Registration.
Since then, he has visited Japan several times and collaborated with Japanese DJ WATARAI and Japanese hip-hop artist BIG-O on the track “City Wings” from their album Straight to Next Door.
I was particularly struck by the song, which blends Japanese and English lyrics.
And there’s a deep connection behind my decision to participate in this “Wax On Wax Off” .
Since my father ran a karate dojo, I grew up familiar with martial arts like karate and kendo, as well as Japanese culture, from a young age.
That’s RZA for you! His choice of participants is spot-on, too.
The excellent casting for this track is reminiscent of the collaboration between “Ma$e” and ‘Common’ on Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks (Remix).”
“Jesus Walks” is a track imbued with personal faith, social commentary, and sharp criticism of the music industry.
For the remix, they enlisted “Ma$e,” who left the scene at the height of his career with Bad Boy Records, having declared his “transition to the ministry.”
I was truly blown away by the brilliance of this casting choice.
How well do Japanese rappers and international producers work together, and what kind of music do they create?
I’ve been listening to Japanese hip-hop since around 2000, which was around the time DEF JAM JAPAN—the Japanese branch of a major overseas label—was established.
Their first release was the legendary album NITRO MICROPHONE UNDERGROUND by NITRO MICROPHONE UNDERGROUND.
【Selected DEF JAM JAPAN Artists】
DEF JAM JAPAN’s First Signed Artist: DABO (NITRO MICROPHONE UNDERGROUND)
DEF JAM JAPAN’s Second Signed Artist: S-WORD (NITRO MICROPHONE UNDERGROUND)
DEF JAM JAPAN’s Third Signed Artist: SPHERE of INFLUENCE (ZEEBRA’s half-brother)
DEF JAM JAPAN’s Fourth Signed Artist: AI
DEF JAM JAPAN’s Fifth Signed Artist: HI-D (First singer)
DEF JAM JAPAN’s Sixth Signed Artist: TOKONA-X (Reportedly bought a Hummer H2 with his signing bonus)
That’s all I can remember, but the Japanese branch was dissolved at one point.
After that, AK-69 joined in 2016, and the Japanese branch made a fresh start.
Getting back to the topic at hand, as far as I can recall, here are the collaborations between Japanese rappers (HIP-HOP) and international producers
Year：2003年
Artist：S-WORD （NITRO MICROPHONE UNDERGROUND）
Album Title：STAR ILL WARZ
Song Title：WORLD SUMMIT
International Producer：JUST BLAZE
Explanation：The track was produced by none other than “ JUST BLAZE ”, who was also working as a producer for the then-superstar “ Jay-Z ”.
You can even hear the familiar “JUST BLAZE↑” chant! I think this collaboration came about through their connection to DEF JAM back then, but it pairs incredibly well with S-WORD’s lyrics and flow—it still holds up perfectly even today. ※This song wasn’t on YouTube.
Year：2005年
Artist：BIGZAM（NITRO MICROPHONE UNDERGROUND）
Album Title：THE BIGGEST
Song Title：THE BIGGEST
International Producer： WARREN G
Explanation：This track features West Coast superstar Warren G as the producer.
Both the music and the music video have that West Coast vibe, and they still hold up today, but I wish BIGZAM would put a little more effort into their lyrics…
Year：2005年
Artist：TERIYAKI BOYZ
Album Title：BEEF or CHICKEN
International Producer： Adrock (Beastie Boys)、Cut Chemist（Jurassic 5）、JUST BLAZE、The Neptunes、DJ Premier、DJ Shadow、Mark Ronson、Daft Punk
Explanation：NIGO’s BAPE, which was hugely popular at the time, became an icon among international hip-hop artists, and it’s likely that this connection led to the creation of these incredibly star-studded collaborations with top international producers.
It’s the kind of thing that makes you wonder, “What kind of good deeds would you have to do to get to work with such an all-star lineup of producers?”
Year：2009年
Artist：TERIYAKI BOYZ
Album Title：Serious Japanese
International Producer： Adrock (Beastie Boys)、The Neptunes、Mark Ronson、Jermaine Dupri、Kanye West、Supa Dave West
Explanation：Following up on the previous album, this second release features The Neptunes, Mark Ronson, and Adrock, as well as Jermaine Dupri and Kanye West, who were at the peak of their popularity at the time.
It also includes “TOKYO DRIFT (FAST & FURIOUS)”, the theme song from the movie The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists gained fame on YouTube for their “TOKYO DRIFT FREESTYLE” videos, which feature freestyles set to the beat of “TOKYO DRIFT” (from The Fast and the Furious).
As of now, Satomi Shigemori feat. Tomodachi is by far the most-viewed video. I think I know why.
Speaking of Kanye, there was also that now-legendary appearance by Kanye West on a Japanese music show.
The song he performed was, of course, “I Still Love Her”.
And when this album was released, it sparked a “beef” that became the talk of the town among Japanese hip-hop fans.
It was a diss track by SEEDA titled “TERIYAKI BEEF”. As far as I’m concerned, the humor and polish of this diss track are unmatched.
Although a dispute arose between them, no blood was shed, and after they were invited to appear on a radio program, their differences were resolved.
Year：2020年
Artist：PUNPEE
Song Title：The Dream Chaser (Yume-oi-bito) feat. KREVA
International Producer：Nottz
Explanation：He is known for his work with West Coast legend Snoop Dogg, Houston-based artist Scarface, 50 Cent (who reportedly earned 5 billion yen in 2004), Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, Dr.Dre-produced artist The Game, and Kanye West, among others.
I’m not that familiar with recent Japanese hip-hop, but
aside from the artists mentioned above, KOHH (Yuki Chiba), JP THE WAVY, and BAD HOP have released tracks featuring international producers.
Well, anyway, I just wanted to say that I was blown away by the “RZA × Awich” collaboration.
For the next collaboration, I’d love to see a track featuring an international artist with Japanese lyrics by Awich.
Recently, the collaboration track “Home” by Charlie Puth featuring Hikaru Utada was released.
It was surprising to hear Utada singing in Japanese. Be sure to check it out.
