If you follow hip-hop and R&B music,
you may have seen these young Asian faces.
They’re all under music powerhouse 88rising.
With its growing impact,
the label is bringing Asian talent to the global stage.
And one man is working behind the scenes
to help shape the look of 88rising.
His childhood years in Canada
and the U.S. exposed him to hip-hop.
When he went back to China in the early 2000s,
he noticed that he was years ahead of everyone else.
The hip-hop scene was still young,
and rappers from Korea and Taiwan were more well-known.
It wasn’t long before James’ parents discovered
his talent for drawing
and started nurturing his artistic side.
Some of James’ early videos featured fight sequences
that he performed himself.
His big break was a short animated sequence for the song
“Ps & Qs” by American trap sensation Lil Uzi Vert.
The video racked up 60 million views on YouTube
and helped him land other gigs, including 88rising.
Now, under 88rising,
James is helping shape the visual identity
of Asia’s hottest musicians.