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, born April 2, 1971), known professionally as Zeebra (ジブラ, Jibura), is a famous Japanese hip hop rapper and DJ. He started his music career in 1995.
Zeebra was part of a hip-hop group called King Giddra with DJ Oasis and K Dub Shine. He left the group in 1997 to start his own solo career. He then signed with the Future Shock record label.
Zeebra is one of the most popular rappers in Japan. His music is enjoyed by many people. He appears in hip-hop magazines and also in fashion and street culture magazines. He often works with other rappers, helping to produce their songs and appearing in their videos. He has also performed live with rappers from the USA.
In 1998, Zeebra went on his first solo tour. This helped him become known as an individual artist. He also 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 even used in a Nike video for NBA games in Japan.
The next year, Zeebra released "Mr. Dynamite." This was the first hip-hop song 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, Zeebra's first Japan tour sold out, which was a big deal for hip-hop events. In 2001, he released "Never Enuff," which was the theme song for a Japanese movie called Brother. He briefly rejoined King Giddra in 2002. Since 2003, he has focused on his solo work and released many songs. Today, he produces music for rap artists and pop stars like Namie Amuro.
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Zeebra's Early Life
Zeebra was born and grew up in Tokyo, Japan. When he was younger, he lived in the United States for a short time. During this period, he tried to become a professional tennis player.
He is the grandson of a businessman named Hideki Yokoi. His grandfather was once the president of the Hotel New Japan. In 1982, a fire at the hotel caused a difficult time for his family. This led to Zeebra being bullied by his classmates. He eventually left high school during his first year.
Zeebra got married around age 20 and had two sons, Kento and Ren Yokoi. He later divorced his first wife but kept custody of his sons. Ren is now a DJ who plays House and Techno music. He is also a main MC for Tokyo Scene, a radio show on Inter FM 89.7. Zeebra later married Miwa Nakabayashi and had two daughters with her, Kanon and Rima Nakabayashi. Rima is a member of the K-pop group NiziU. In November 2020, Zeebra and Nakabayashi announced their divorce.
Zeebra: A Pioneer in Japanese Hip Hop
Zeebra started his hip-hop journey in 1993 when he joined the rap group King Giddra. Zeebra and King Giddra were very important in helping Japanese hip-hop grow. In the mid-1990s, King Giddra was an underground rap group. They started talking about important social issues of the time.
Addressing Social Issues Through Music
King Giddra's 1995 album, "The Power from the Sky," discussed current problems. These included economic difficulties and how many Japanese college graduates struggled to find jobs. Zeebra sang about this issue in his song "Bullet of Truth." Through their music, Zeebra and King Giddra encouraged young people. They wanted them to see the challenges in Japanese society and to speak up about them.
King Giddra became more and 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 popular hip-hop and street culture magazines and TV shows.
Breaking Records and Influence
In 1999, he released the single "Mr. Dynamite." This song made history as the first hip-hop single to reach the top 50 on the Japanese Oricon pop charts. Through his early and recent work, Zeebra has become one of the most popular and important Japanese hip-hop artists.
In 2008, after the MTV Video Music Awards Japan Ceremony, Zeebra shared a video online. He criticized MTV Japan for not showing enough appreciation for musicians.
Zeebra's Music
Zeebra has released many albums and singles throughout his career.
Albums
- The Rhyme Animal (1998)
- Based on a True Story (2000)
- The First Struggle (2002)
- Tokyo's Finest (2003)
- The New Beginning (2006)
- World of Music (2007)
- Black World/White Heat (2011)
- 25 to Life (2013)
Compilations
- The Anthology (2008)
- Z – The Best of Zeebra (2010)
- 100 Feat-Zeebra 25th Anniversary Box (2013)
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" (featuring Aktion)
- 2003: MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Best Hip Hop Video for "F.F.B." (with King Giddra)
- 2004: MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Winner of Best Hip Hop Video for "Touch The Sky"
- 2006: MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Nominated for Best Hip Hop Video for "Street Dreams"
- 2008: MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Nominated for Best Hip Hop Video for "Not Your Boyfriend" (featuring Jesse (RIZE))
