Awich Brings Out XG for Surprise Performance of ‘WOKE UP’ Remix at Japanese Hip-Hop Festival THE HOPE

Fifty-eight artists and 29 DJs took the stage at a special outdoor venue in Odaiba, Tokyo, over the weekend (Sept. 21 & 22) for the hip-hop festival THE HOPE.

Day 2 headliner Awich performed a blistering nine-track set, including her latest single “Are you serious?” being featured as the theme song for the Netflix series The Queen of Villains starring Yuriyan Retriever.

The 37-year-old artist invited a host of fellow rappers and singers onstage to perform some tracks together, including NENE, LANA, MaRI and singer-songwriter AI on “Bad Bi*** Bigaku Remix,” OZworld on “RASEN in OKINAWA,” and JP THE WAVY on “GILA GILA,” putting on a spectacular show for the packed crowd.

The YENTOWN MC also surprised fans by bringing XG’s JURIN, HARVEY, MAYA and COCONA onstage to collaborate on the group’s track “WOKE UP” — which Awich took part in for the remix produced by JAKOPS, featuring a team of South Korean and Japanese rappers Jay Park, OZworld, AKLO, Paloalto, VERBAL, Awich, Tak, and Dok2 — as the audience went wild for the unexpected a live rendition of the hard-hitting rap track.

Katie Atkinson

Billboard