Zeebra

Biography

Hideyuki Yokoi (横井英之, born April 2, 1971), known professionally as Zeebra (ジブラ, Jibura), is a Japanese hip hop rapper and DJ who made his first appearance in 1995. Zeebra is a former member of the hip-hop group King Giddra, which also included DJ Oasis and K Dub Shine. He went on to pursue a solo career shortly after in 1997, and signed with the Future Shock record label.
Zeebra is one of the most popular rappers in Japan, and his popularity is not specific to either gender. He appears not only in hip-hop magazines, but also in fashion and street culture magazines. He often features in and produces other rappers' songs, and appears in their videos. He has also performed live with various rappers from America.
In 1998 Zeebra undertook his first solo tour. He became recognized as an individual rapper for the first time, making hip-hop more familiar to Japanese listeners. In the same year he started the radio program in Japan, titled Beats to the Rhyme. One of Zeebra's songs was used in a Nike promotion video for NBA Japan games. The following year Zeebra released the single "Mr. Dynamite", the first hip-hop single to break into the top 50 on the Japanese pop charts. In June 2000, he released his new album Based on a True Story×BASED ON A TRUE STORY14 June 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1INTRO1:242HIP HOP 解放戦線4:233CHILDREN’S STORY5:304男の条件5:075BEAT BOXING1:026MR.DYNAMITE4:197プラチナム・デート / HATERS6:248城南ハスラー4:339結婚の理想と現実4:3310BETWEEN THE BEATS0:5311罠5:3312ANGELS3:5813THE UNTOUCHABLE III4:4114OUTRO0:55, which sold 250,000 copies. At the end of that year Zeebra started his first Japan tour, the first hip-hop event to sell out. In 2001 Zeebra released the single "Never Enuff", the theme song for a Japanese movie called Brother, directed by Takeshi Kitano and starring Claude Maki and Omar Epps. In 2002 he temporarily rejoined King Giddra, but has been doing solo work since 2003 and has released many songs. At present, he is producing songs not only for rap artists, but also for pop stars like Namie Amuro.

Early life

Zeebra was born and raised in Tokyo. During his childhood, he lived in the United States for a brief time while trying to become a professional tennis player.
He is the grandson of businessman Hideki Yokoi, former president of the Hotel New Japan. The hotel's flagship property in central Tokyo caught fire in 1982, disgracing Hideki Yokoi and causing Zeebra to be bullied by his classmates. Zeebra eventually dropped out of high school during his first year.
He married around the age of 20 and fathered two sons, Kento and Ren Yokoi, before divorcing his first wife. Ren is a DJ who plays a mixture of House and Techno, where he is also a main MC for Tokyo Scene; Tokyo’s radio show by Inter FM 89.7. He kept custody of both sons, and later remarried to Miwa Nakabayashi, to whom he fathered two daughters, Kanon and Rima Nakabayashi of NiziU. In November 2020, Zeebra and Nakabayashi announced their divorce.

Pioneer of Japanese Hip Hop

Zeebra began his hip hop career in 1993, joining the rap group King Giddra. Zeebra, along with his group King Giddra, played an important role in the development of the Japanese hip hop scene. In the mid 1990s, King Giddra, then an underground rap group, began addressing social issues of the time. King Giddra's 1995 album "The Power from the Sky" discussed contemporary issues, particularly the economic recession and the inability of many Japanese college graduates to find employment. Zeebra addressed this issue of working towards a good education and being unable to find employment in his song "Bullet of Truth". Through their music, Zeebra and King Giddra "challenged youth not only to recognize the difficulties faced by Japanese society but also to speak up about them."
King Giddra's popularity grew in Japan. In 1996, he recorded his first solo track "Untouchable" produced by Gang Starr producer DJ Premier. By 1997 Zeebra left King Giddra to start a solo career, appearing frequently in trendy hip hop and street culture magazines and TV shows about hip hop. In 1999 he released the single "Mr. Dynamite", which became the first hip-hop single to make it into the top 50 on the Japanese Oricon pop charts. Through his early and newer work, Zeebra became one of the most popular and influential, yet controversial, Japanese hip hop artists.
In 2008, after the MTV Video Music Awards Japan Ceremony, an unhappy Zeebra went onto YouTube and published a video criticizing the MTV Japan for not appreciating musicians.

Albums

[1998.06.17] "The Rhyme Animal×The Rhyme Animal17 June 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1密林都市入口1:342ORIGINAL RHYME ANIMAL3:453I’M STILL NO.13:434SMOKIN' AT THE LOBBY (Your Turn)1:095未来への鍵3:496THE UNTOUCHABLE II3:067東京の中央3:538真っ昼間4:189PARTEECHECKA (Bright Light mix)4:1610再起不能3:3611視点1:0812LOVESQUALL4:2213永遠の記憶4:2914平和'982:26"
[2000.06.14] "Based on a True Story×BASED ON A TRUE STORY14 June 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1INTRO1:242HIP HOP 解放戦線4:233CHILDREN’S STORY5:304男の条件5:075BEAT BOXING1:026MR.DYNAMITE4:197プラチナム・デート / HATERS6:248城南ハスラー4:339結婚の理想と現実4:3310BETWEEN THE BEATS0:5311罠5:3312ANGELS3:5813THE UNTOUCHABLE III4:4114OUTRO0:55"
[2002.05.29] "The First Struggle×The First Struggle29 May 2002 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1真っ昼間2I'm Still No.13Parteechecka (Bright Light mix)4Original Rhyme Animal (Mr. Drunk remix)5未来への鍵 (Osawa's Realized mix)6Zeus 20007Mr. Dynamite8Children's Story9プラチナムデート10Neva Enuff11Baby Girl (Tiny Voice Production remix)"
[2003.09.18] "Tokyo's Finest"
[2006.02.15] "The New Beginning×The New Beginning20 February 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1The New Beginning (intro)1:412Street Dreams3:353The Three 16’s (The Return)2:354Story Of A Sucka MC3:425Escape3:266Taste Of Honey3:377Oh Yeah3:308Let’s Get It Started3:439Wildin’ Part II4:4710Beat Boxing1:0011The Motto3:4312Slow Down (Album Mix)4:4313Beat Boxing1:2514Save the World3:2515Do What U Gotta Do5:03"
[2007.10.17] "World of Music×World of Music7 October 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1World of Music (intro)1:142運命4:303Reason (Let U Know)4:314Top of the World3:135Back Stage Boogie3:566Not Your Boyfriend3:137We Leanin'5:198Shinin' Like a Diamond3:579Stop Playin' a Wall4:4410This is 4 the Locos4:1411360°4:4412Lyrical Gunman4:5513Everybody Needs Love4:3914My People5:2815雲の上のHeaven3:3916Last Song4:11"
[2011.12.14] "Black World/White Heat"
[2013.11.20] "25 to Life×25 TO LIFE20 November 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1The Last Letter3:572Hit 'Em Hard4:243Hate That Booty4:594Sound of Money3:215Exit5:316We Twisted4:527Tequila Monsters3:318Mr. Miyagi3:549Moonlight3:2810Sunshine4:5911Young Soldier5:1112夢でずっと6:3113I Do It4:02"

Singles

[1997.07.25] "Mappiruma"
[1998.12.16] "The Rhyme Animal Remix E.P.1"
[1999.02.24] "The Rhyme Animal Remix E.P.2"
[2000.03.23] "Mr. Dynamite"
[2001.01.25] "Neva Enuff" feat. Aktion
[2001.08.08] "Baby Girl"
[2003.01.22] "Big Big Money" feat. Hiro
[2003.04.23] "Supatech (What's My Name)"
[2003.07.30] "Perfect Queen"
[2005.06.01] "Street Dreams×Street Dreams1 June 2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Street Dreams3:532Wildin'4:003It's all a g@me (UBG remix)4:334Street Dreams (instrumental)3:535Wildin' (instrumental)3:57"
[2005.09.21] "Oh Yeah"
[2006.12.06] "Stop Playin' A Wall"
[2007.07.18] "My People×MY PEOPLE18 July 2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1My People2We Leanin'3Stop Playin' a Wall (A Hundred Birds remix)" feat. Miliyah Kato
[2007.09.19] "Not Your Boyfriend×Not Your Boyfriend19 September 2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Not Your Boyfriend2Not Your Boyfriend (Jhett a.k.a. Yakko remix)3Not Your Boyfriend (Bredren Band remix)4Not Your Boyfriend (instrumental)5Not Your Boyfriend (a cappella)" feat. Jesse (RIZE)
[2008.03.05] "Bushido×Bushido5 March 2008 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Bushido3:382Bushido(Istrumental)3:383Lyrical Gunman(Three Gunz Up Remix)4:56Disc 21Bushido(Music Videoclip)"
[2010.03.17] "Butterfly City×Butterfly City17 March 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Butterfly City4:272Butterfly City (game ver.)3:423Butterfly City (DEXPISTOLS Remix)5:234Take Over (All Guns Up)4:335Street Dreams (GUNHEAD Remix)5:56Disc 21Butterfly City (Music Video)5:57" feat. RYO the SKYWALKER, Mummy-D & DOUBLE
[2010.11.17] "Fly Away"
[2011.07.27] "Blue" feat. AI
[2013] "I Do It"
[2013] "Mr. Miyagi"

Compilations

[2008.9.17] The Anthology
[2010] "Z – The Best of Zeebra"
[2013.12.25] "100 Feat-Zeebra 25th Anniversary Box"