Avril 17, 2020 | Tokyo, Japan | Interview by ATTANGO
Since his debut, PEAVIS has already delivered several notable musical projects — a four-part EP series and a debut album released between 2018 and 2019. This young Fukuoka-born rapper continues to experiment and build on his musical legacy. We sat down with PEAVIS to discuss his early career, his creative process, and the world behind his music. From the concept of his album Peace In Vase to his many influences and musical identity, one thing becomes clear: PEAVIS operates in a world of remarkable depth and complexity.
Hey, PEAVIS. Thanks for taking the time to speak with RJHH. Before we dive in, could you introduce yourself to our readers?
PEAVIS: My name is PEAVIS, and I’m a rapper based in Fukuoka. I’m part of a rap crew called Yelladigos. I grew up immersed in street culture from a young age and started rapping around middle and high school. Through my art — my music — I try to express the truths of the world, with the hope that people around me, and people everywhere, can find a sense of peace of mind.
Very little is known about your early days. Could you walk us through how you first got into hip-hop?
PEAVIS: I was drawn to American culture early on — skateboarding, MTV, that whole world — and hip-hop came naturally out of that. Before I knew it, I was rapping. I started writing lyrics at 13, and performed live for the first time at 15, right after finishing middle school.
You’re a member of the hip-hop group Yelladigos. Are they still active? Your last video as a group, It’s All Right featuring kiki vivi lily, came out in 2018. Are there new projects in the pipeline?
PEAVIS: Yelladigos was formed in 2015. The members are me — PEAVIS — Rio, Bashi the Bridge, and DJ KENBEAT. The crew shares the same philosophy as my solo work. Right now I’m primarily focused on my solo career, but Yelladigos material will continue to be released gradually. Stay patient — it’s coming.
All I Know and Plastic City were the videos that first put you on my radar. Do you feel those tracks played a significant role in building your reputation within the Japanese hip-hop scene, or would you point to different songs?
PEAVIS: All I Know was the first solo track I ever made, and it got a lot of plays on SoundCloud, so it holds a special place for me. That said, my recent song Nobita has gotten the most views of anything I’ve released so far. It’s an homage to Nobita, the main character from the Japanese anime Doraemon — I drew parallels between him and myself. I think it’s a video that people overseas would find interesting too. Definitely check it out.
Between 2018 and 2019, you released three EPs — Slowly Tape 1, Slowly Tape 2, and Slowly Tape 3 — your first solo releases. Which one did you put the most work into? Do you have a favorite? And how would you sum up each of the three in a word or phrase?
PEAVIS: The Slowly Tape series was something I put together as a kind of mixtape before getting to work on my debut album. They’re pretty laid-back overall — a lot of the tracks have a loose feel, and love and relationships are recurring themes throughout.
Jazadocument produced several tracks for you. How did that relationship come about, and what do you consider your best collaboration with him?
PEAVIS: Jazza is someone I’ve known since we were young — he’s been a talented producer from the very beginning. We became close after performing together at a show in Hokkaido. One of my favorites is Blessing, from Slowly Tape 3, which he produced. I’m really happy with how that one turned out.
In 2019, you released your debut solo album, Peace In Vase. Looking back on it now, how do you feel about the project? How did it come together — the themes you explored, and the choices you made around featured artists?
PEAVIS: Peace In Vase is a project built around the theme of peace. It traces the journey I went through to reclaim a sense of peace of mind during what has been a very difficult era. When it came to choosing featured artists, I wasn’t thinking about their profiles or notoriety — I chose people based on whether they fit the songs’ themes.
Listening to Peace In Vase, one of the most striking things is the sheer diversity of its production. You brought in a range of producers — GRADIS NICE, Tigaone, KM, Fog, Lil’Yukichi — to name a few. What drove that decision?
PEAVIS: I wanted the album to feel colorful sonically — to capture different sides of who I am. So I reached out to producers I thought were doing something exciting, regardless of genre. I wasn’t trying to stay in one lane.
Let’s talk about Mirai, which features DAICHI YAMAMOTO and Taquwami and was produced by GRADIS NICE. It’s a deeply underground rap track. What was going through your mind as you wrote it?
PEAVIS: Mirai is about how the year 2020 — which once felt like the distant future when we were kids — is now just reality. I wrote about what it actually feels like to be an adult living in this moment, in this era.
Do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
PEAVIS: There’s a collaboration I’m featured on that should be dropping soon, and I’m also in the middle of working on my next single.
A question I like to ask artists: Who are your top three Japanese rappers right now?
PEAVIS: I genuinely love everyone I’ve worked with, but the artists who have caught my attention lately are Kato Jackson and Pizza Love. They’re unique and interesting — I’d really encourage people to check them out.
Many countries, including Japan, are currently grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Japanese government has suspended most cultural and musical activities in Tokyo and several other cities. What’s your personal take on the situation?
PEAVIS: I think calling for a state of emergency and asking people to stay home is the right call. But offering zero support to the people who pay taxes and to artists? That’s genuinely unacceptable. A lot of people are losing their livelihoods, and I think we’re heading into a brutal period. What I can do is make music — so I’m going to keep doing exactly that, and try to put something good into the world.
PEAVIS, thank you so much for your time. Any final words for our French-speaking readers at Real Japanese Hip Hop?
PEAVIS: Japan has a lot of rappers, but honestly — across the arts in general, not just music — there are a lot of people lacking real substance. Compared to the international scene, the level is still catching up. That’s exactly why I believe the Japanese scene needs fresh.
Interview by ATTANGO
