Zeebra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zeebra
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Zeebra at Pattaya Music Festival 2006, Thailand
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Hideyuki Yokoi |
| Also known as | Zeebra |
| Born | April 2, 1971 Tokyo, Japan |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, songwriter, DJ |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Polystar (1995–2003) UBG Records/Pony Canyon (2003–2010) Ariola Japan (2010–present) |
Hideyuki Yokoi (横井英之), known as Zeebra (ジブラ, Jibura), is a famous Japanese hip hop rapper and DJ. He was born on April 2, 1971. Zeebra first started his music career in 1995.
He was a member of the hip-hop group King Giddra. Other members included DJ Oasis and K Dub Shine. Zeebra began his solo career in 1997. He signed with the Future Shock record label.
Zeebra is one of the most popular rappers in Japan. His music is liked by many people. He appears in hip-hop magazines and also in fashion magazines. He often works with other rappers. He produces their songs and appears in their videos. He has also performed live with rappers from America.
In 1998, Zeebra went on his first solo tour. This helped him become known as a solo artist. He helped make hip-hop more popular in Japan. That same year, he started a radio show called Beats to the Rhyme. One of his songs was used in a Nike video. This video was for NBA games in Japan.
The next year, Zeebra released "Mr. Dynamite." This was the first hip-hop single to reach the top 50 on the Japanese pop charts. In June 2000, his album Based on a True Story sold 250,000 copies. Later that year, he had his first sold-out Japan tour. This was a big event for hip-hop music. In 2001, he released "Never Enuff." This song was the theme song for a Japanese movie called Brother. He rejoined King Giddra for a short time in 2002. Since 2003, he has focused on solo work. He also produces songs for pop stars like Namie Amuro.
Early Life and Family
Zeebra was born and grew up in Tokyo, Japan. When he was younger, he lived in the United States for a short time. He wanted to become a professional tennis player back then.
He has two sons from his first marriage, Kento and Ren Yokoi. Ren is a DJ who plays House and Techno music. He is also a main MC for a radio show in Tokyo. Zeebra later married Miwa Nakabayashi. They had two daughters, Kanon and Rima Nakabayashi. Rima is a member of the K-pop group NiziU. Zeebra and Miwa Nakabayashi announced their divorce in 2020.
Zeebra: A Hip Hop Pioneer
Zeebra started his hip-hop journey in 1993. He joined the rap group King Giddra. Zeebra and King Giddra were very important. They helped Japanese hip-hop grow a lot. In the mid-1990s, King Giddra was an underground group. They started talking about social issues in their music.
King Giddra's 1995 album, "The Power from the Sky," discussed problems like the economy. It also talked about college graduates not finding jobs. Zeebra addressed this in his song "Bullet of Truth." Through their music, Zeebra and King Giddra encouraged young people. They wanted them to see society's problems and speak up.
King Giddra became more popular in Japan. In 1996, Zeebra recorded his first solo song, "Untouchable." It was produced by Gang Starr producer DJ Premier. By 1997, Zeebra left King Giddra to start his solo career. He often appeared in hip-hop and street culture magazines. He was also on TV shows about hip-hop.
In 1999, he released "Mr. Dynamite." This was the first hip-hop single to reach the top 50 on the Japanese Oricon pop charts. Zeebra became one of the most popular and important Japanese hip-hop artists.
Awards and Recognition
Zeebra has won several awards for his music videos.
- 2002
- MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Best Video from a Film for "Neva Enuff" (with Aktion)
- 2003
- MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Best Hip Hop Video for "F.F.B." (with King Giddra)
- 2004
- MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Best Hip Hop Video for "Touch The Sky" (Winner)
- MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Best Male Video for "Touch The Sky"
- 2006
- MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Best Hip Hop Video for "Street Dreams"
- 2008
- MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Best Hip Hop Video for "Not Your Boyfriend" (with Jesse from RIZE)
