Rich Brian In Concert
From overnight YouTube sensation to the face of emerging Asian hip-hop, Brian Imanuel, better known as Rich Brian, has had a devoted fan base at his concerts since his debut U.S. Tour, Come to My Party. On the mic, the 19-year-old Indonesian rapper brings one part comedic banter in the shade of his idol Childish Gambino, and another part emotive wordplay layered atop dense, rhythmic production. Musically speaking, Brian's stage is stripped down to the old-school DJ and MC setup, but he flashes his tongue-in-cheek personality and distinct stylistic flair at every turn. A notably strong performance on The Late Late Show with James Corden saw Brian remove a trench coat to reveal a snakeskin tuxedo, as he danced through "Cold" with pizzazz. The moment served as an apt representation of who he is as an artist: More than just a product of the digital age, he's a face of hip-hop's global appeal. He's headlining the 88 Degrees & Rising Tour, leading the charge on a loaded lineup of Asian hip-hop's best young rappers, all on the 88 Degrees label.
Rich Brian Background
Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 1999, Rich Brian learned to speak English watching YouTube clips and studying the deliveries of rappers like Macklemore, Kanye West, and Childish Gambino. When he was still known as Rich Chigga, he broke through with the viral video for his single "Dat $tick," which gained the attention of the rap community and has since clocked up over 100 million views. A name change, a record deal, and a move to Los Angeles later, Rich Brian's debut LP, ‘Amen,' peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard 200. Now under his belt Brian has an Indonesian Choice Awards Breakthrough Act of the Year accolade, collaborations with other artists including 21 Savage, Ghostface Killah, and Diplo, and a claim to the title of first Asian artist to hit No. 1 on the iTunes hip-hop charts.