Popular Japanese rappers. Recommended Japanese (J-pop) rappers.
Japanese hip-hop has now gained enough mainstream recognition to appear on J-POP charts.
From veteran rappers who have built the scene to up-and-coming artists who’ve risen to prominence in recent years, a wide variety of rappers are active today.
In this article, we’ll introduce these rappers all at once, regardless of generation!
It’s a lineup that will catch the eye of hardcore hip-hop heads as well as those who are just thinking about getting into hip-hop.
Let’s dive right in!
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- Popular Japanese Music / J-POP Artist Rankings [2026]
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Popular Japanese rappers. Recommended Japanese rappers (41–50)
spellingChipuruso
Chipruzo is one of the premier rappers in Japan’s hip-hop scene, known for his distinctive style and highly message-driven lyrics.
Rising from his local scene, he captivates many heads with a musical approach that skillfully incorporates elements of jazz, soul, and funk.
His lyrics, which delve deeply into social issues and the inner conflicts of human beings, have earned high praise from many music critics and garnered numerous music awards.
In live performances, he emphasizes a sense of unity with the audience, delivering energetic staging.
He also actively collaborates with other artists, constantly pursuing new musical challenges.
He’s an artist highly recommended for those seeking profound messages and rich musicality.
Popular Japanese rappers. Recommended Japanese (J-pop) rappers (51–60)
On FireBuppon
This is a work by Buppon, marked by lyrics that cut to essential truths and a hard-hitting, no-nonsense track.
It boasts a level of craftsmanship worthy of being called a classic, and it carries a force that seems to push his position in the underground hip-hop scene one step forward.
DaysSAM
SAM, a rapper from Saitama who has brought a fresh breeze to the rap scene, began performing around the summer of 2015 and released his debut track in 2019.
His strong rhyming skills in freestyle battles have earned high acclaim, leading to multiple victories at events such as Sengoku MC BATTLE and the UMB Tochigi preliminaries.
In 2020, he launched his own label, Per Life, expanding the scope of his musical activities.
His tracks, characterized by jazzy acoustic guitar and crisp beats, convey his thoughts and struggles about life and music, resonating with listeners.
He’s an artist recommended not only for hip-hop fans but also for anyone looking to discover something new.
ART OF PAIN REMIX feat,SEEDA,Jesse McFaddinSIMON JAP
SIMON JAP is a rapper from Setagaya known for his hardcore style.
He’s a quintessential underground MC who’s also highly active in the freestyle scene.
Despite his intimidating appearance, one of his charms is his intelligent way of speaking.
In his tracks, just like in his freestyle, his hard flows and rhymes—close to gangsta rap—leave a strong impression.
If you like masculine rap, his work will definitely hit the spot!
YOKAZEHentai Shinshi Kurabu
Hentai Shinshi Club is a genre-defying Japanese music unit consisting of three members: WILYWNKA, VIGORMAN, and GeG.
They chose their unique name to reflect their individuality and make people do a double-take.
Their hit song released in June 2021 has amassed 60 million total streams.
With down-to-earth lyrics and a smooth, heartfelt sound, they have moved many listeners.
While rooted in hip-hop and reggae, they develop a distinctive style within the J-pop category.
The beats produced by GeG are compelling and rich in entertainment value.
Each new release draws renewed attention to their past tracks, steadily expanding their fanbase.
Do it till I dieKan a.k.a. GAMI
Han a.k.a.
GAMI, the boss of the loudspeaker crew MSC based in the ailing city of Tokyo, Shinjuku, runs 9SARI Recording together with his partner D.O, who is currently incarcerated.
The lyrics, packed with depictions of crime, are simply a write-up of reality in Shinjuku, and the themes of violence, retaliation, disorder, and crime are backed by things that actually happen here in Japan.
If you dislike criminal expressions, it’s best to skip this—he’s a rapper with danger level set to MAX.
guidanceYZERR
YZERR and NAMEDARUMA sparked one of the biggest beefs in Japan.
It was a huge dispute that also involved Japanese Maganese and RYKEY, among others.
YZERR’s track “guidance” is a classic released in the middle of that beef.
The song dropped as a response to NAMEDARUMA’s diss track “FEEL OR BEEF BADPOP IS DEAD.” His lyrics warn them and call out the contradictions in their flexing, showcasing the clear gap in caliber between YZERR and the others as a rapper.
BAD HOP has also faced plagiarism accusations, which NAMEDARUMA brought up too, but in this track’s lyrics YZERR acknowledges fault there, so as heads, all we can do now is watch and support the continued moves of BAD HOP, including YZERR.
And the respect he pays at the end to hip-hop born from the streets makes for a verse that’ll have you reaching for a handkerchief.
Definitely give it a listen while following the lyrics closely.