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RAPPER / YENTOWN
 

Awichは本名の漢字の直訳であるAsia Wish Childを略した造語。1986年、沖縄県那覇市生まれ。幼い頃は夜が怖く、沖縄のことや宇宙のこと、愛や恋に想像を巡らし、ずっと詞を書いていた。中1のときに日本語ラップを聴いてラップを書き始め、レンタルショップで出会った2パックでヒップホップに開眼。小4から学び始めた基地内の英会話教室に通いつつ、海外のヒップホップから生きた英語を学ぶ。14歳のときに沖縄産ヒップホップのコンピレーションアルバム『Orion Beat』に客演で参加。2006年にEP『Inner Research』でデビュー。同時期にビジネスを学ぶため米国アトランタに渡る。サザンラップが隆盛を極めていた現地でストリートライフに身を置きながらファーストフルアルバム『Asia Wish Child』を制作し、2007年にリリース。翌年、アメリカ人の男性と結婚し、長女を出産。3年後、インディアナポリス大学で起業学とマーケティング学の博士号を取得。家族で日本に戻り暮らすことを決めていた矢先、夫が銃殺されるという悲惨な事件に直面する。その後、娘と共に沖縄に帰郷。永遠に続くような自問自答の末に、本当に生きることや愛すること、本当に赦すことを見出し、本格的な音楽活動を再開。同時に、自らのエッセンス（心髄）である故郷・沖縄の役に立とうと制作会社「CIPHER CITY」を設立。映像や番組の制作、舞台演出、ファッションイベント企画など幅広く手掛け、2017年、自ら脚本・監督を務めた短編映画「aimer」がアムステルダム「ニュールネッサンス映画祭」でベスト・ファンタジー部門にノミネートされ受賞。2017年8月、Chaki Zuluの全面プロデュースによる10年ぶりのフルアルバム『8』（読み：エイト）をリリースし、ウチナーグチ（沖縄語）と英語、日本語を自在に組み合わせた歌詞と奥深い歌声で神秘的な世界を表現。人が発する波動、自然がもたらすエネルギーと交わりながら、そこにフェミニンをプラスし、唯一無二の音楽を創作し続けている。

A child growing up on her home island of Okinawa, Awich would stay up through the night writing poetry and fantasizing about the island, love, and the universe. Awich, short for “Asia Wish Child” is a name she created to reflect her passions.  It also happens to be the meaning of her birth name, “Akiko.”  She started writing rhymes when she was 13 years old.  Her first encounter with hip hop was listening to Tupac’s All Eyes on Me.  Although she began learning English in a class on the U.S. military base, her primary English textbook hailed from Tupac’s lyrics, interviews, movies and books.  She was featured on the album Orion Beat showcasing various artists when she was only 14 years old.  In 2006, she released her debut album, EP Inner Research. She went to Atlanta to attend school that same year, during the height of the southern hip hop boom.  Moving between Tokyo and Atlanta, she released her first full album Asia Wish Child in 2007.  During that time, she married a New York native and gave birth to her daughter, Toyomi Jah’mira.
In 2011, she graduated from a university with a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Marketing.  Her husband was murdered in an incident right after her graduation.  She returned home with her daughter and faced seemingly endless internal questioning. This intense process of introspection was cathartic and helped her reevaluate a  more profound meaning of life, love, and forgiveness.

Through this healing process, she established a production company, CIPHER CITY, in her home of Okinawa.  The company produces different content such as music, movies, festivals and TV shows.  In 2017, the short film “Aimer” written and directed by Awich, won the Best Fantasy Short at the New Renaissance Film Festival Amsterdam.  Later that year, she released a full album, her first in a decade,  in partnership with Chaki Zulu.  She flows freely between Japanese, Okinawan and English, piecing together a unique sound while also staying true to the lyrics.  Her deep vocals generates a captivating atmosphere for listeners.  Awich’s ability to submerge herself into multiple global perspectives while also adding her signature feminine touch allows her to create music that is singular but relatable across the world.

Back on it. New Projects first urbanature naturewave album in the works. Feeling inspired again to make some hood music.

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