Tuan's Blog-トワンのブログ: Tuân & Friends: Cherry Brown (Jack Rabbitz) aka Yuuyu Aensland aka Lil' 諭吉

Cherry Brown drawn by yours truly...

Part of the new generation of Japanese rappers, Cherry Brown been doing his things under several nicknames and during many years. Discovered by Richee almost a decade ago and now member of Jack Rabbitz, the young and versatile artist is ready to drop his 1st album.

Tuân: Hi there Cherry Brown! Who are you, how old are you, where do you come from, why such a nickname...

Cherry Brown: I am Cherry Brown. I make music. 23 years old born in Yokosuka. My old name was Chalee Brown... I used to diss anybody so a friend told me to change my name in choosing something softer, and he said "how about Cherry"? And I was like "coooool". Damn that's a lot of questions in 1 time man...

T: What did you release so far and what's coming up next?

CB: I released 5 mixtapes as Cherry Brown. This year finally releasing an album.

How did rap music come to your ears for the 1st time?

My father likes Westcoast Gangsta Rap and he was just bumpin' it when I was in my mother's stomache.

You rap as Cherry Brown, but also produce as Lil' 諭吉 (Yukichi) and Yuuyu Aensland. These different identities represent different musical universes. Can you tell us more about them?

Cherry Brown = Idol/Rapper (I guess)

Lil' 諭吉 = Hip-Hop beatmaker

Yuuyu Aensland = Club music beatmaker, remixer, DJ

Did you start to rap and produce at the same time?

No I started rapping first. But there was nobody around me who could make a beat so I started making them myself.

What's Cookie & Biscuit Mafia?...

My label.

You used to rap with Knux (also from Jack Rabbitz) and Christy (related to XXXXXL Inc. and Hood Sound) in a group called Trill Grillz. How did you meet and did you split?

Well... There was a DJ who made the group, we knew each other through him. We split because I had a beef with the DJ and quit the group. And after that they split too.

You're part of the new generation of Japanese rappers and doesn't necessarily have the same influences as your predecessors (G-Funk, etc). So what musically inspires you and what differentiates you from them?

Rappers from the Dirty South. Three 6 Mafia is my idol and I learn a lot from Soulja Boy.

You're close to "new school" rappers such as Klooz. Who impresses you among the new cats?

Fuck everybody else! I fuckin' hate rappers and rapers.

In Europe, where most people talk about "real Hip-Hop", it's almost impossible to mix musical genres such as Rap and Pop music. How can you explain the fact J-Rap can meet J-Pop without being criticized by so-called Hip-Hop purists in Japan? I remember seeing you in Aoyama rapping on J-Pop beats.

There is alot of wack shit over here, Rap and Pop... It's fuckin' horrible... Yeah I rapped on some J-Pop music but those shits are fucking cooool as fuck.

Since you're from Yokosuka and "hafu", did you also grow up on a military base like your groupmate and friend Richee?

Yes I did. I was born inside Yokosuka base and went to the United States, came back to Japan, went to the States, then Hawaii, and back to Japan!...

You're one of the few half black, half Japanese I know. Knowing the conservative state of mind of many Japanese people, have you ever been victim of racism?

Yeah when I fought with some of my classmates they always told me to go back to my country (laughs). And everywhere I go, people look at me with those strange eyes... I always hate that shit.

You're a member of Jack Rabbitz alongside Richee. He told me he met you for the first time when you were 16 and gave him a demo. What were your expectations at that very moment?

I dont know... I just saw him and I was like "oh shit, that's Richee, I know him" and just talked to him and said I rapped too! And he said "give me your demo" so I rapped over J-Kwon, Methodman, T.I. instrumentals and sent it to him. I thought nothing would happen.

By the way, where does the name Jack Rabbitz come from? From the rabbit making mochi on the moon?

Richee chose that name.

You seem to be a very big fan of idols, eroge, cute girls with high socks, etc. Why such a fascination?

I don't know... I just like it (laughs).

Who's Shiorin? The only one I know is the supa dupa hot rapper of the korean girls band Sistar19.

She is a member of and idol group called Momoiro Clover Z. Her full name in Tamai Shiori. She is sooo fuckin' cute, she is my daughter.

Well, I think we're almost done. Thanks man, much love to your mustache! Anything else to say?

Nothing but much love to my mustache??? That shit is super gay!...

Hahahaha!