88rising, From an Idea in a Parking Garage to Showcasing Asian Musicians' Talents on the Global Music Stage

88rising was founded in 2015 by Sean Miyashiro and Jaeson Ma as a continuation of Miyashiro's vision to elevate Asian musicians who have long been underrepresented in the Western music industry. The initial idea was born on the rooftop of a parking garage in the Bronx, New York, while Miyashiro was still working at Vice and felt the need for a media outlet specifically positioning Asian talent to a global audience.

The main reason for establishing 88rising was to create the 'Disney of Asian hip-hop', a hybrid platform that encompasses artist management, record label, video production, and marketing strategies, in order to provide full support for Asian and Asian-American musicians to compete in the global market.

The name 88rising is derived from the number eighty-eight (88) which in Chinese culture symbolizes double happiness or double fortune. This number was chosen by Miyashiro to emphasize the positive spirit and great fortune that is hoped to be present for the artists under his label.

88rising focuses solely on Asian musicians (including Asian-Americans) based on the desire to bridge the representation gap in the Western industry. They want to prove that the quality and uniqueness of Asian music deserve to be widely accepted.

Asian musicians can join 88rising through a scouting process that heavily relies on the success of digital content—whether through viral demos or recommendations from fellow artists. For example, NIKI was introduced to Miyashiro through a demo song played by Rich Brian when they were both still in Jakarta.

Some of the current musicians include Rich Brian, NIKI, Higher Brothers, Jackson Wang, Keith Ape, Dumbfoundead, Stephanie Poetri, BIBI, Milli, Warren Hue, Xin Liu, Akini Jing, Atarashii Gakko!, Higher, Knock2, Lexie Liu, Loren, Milli, RHYME SO, Seori, Ylona Garcia, Zhang Yanqi, and (G)I-DLE. Previously, those who were part of 88rising include Joji, Psy.P, August 08, Brian Puspos, Rina Sawayama, Masiwei, and KnowKnow.

88rising's way of managing its artists adopts the model of 'label as a lifestyle brand.' In addition to producing music, they integrate artists into content platforms (YouTube, TikTok), festivals, and the 88NIGHTMARKET merchandise line. By helping each other grow through shared channels, they build a mutually beneficial ecosystem.

88rising and its artists have achieved several accolades, including Label of the Year 2019 by NetEase Music in China, Joji becoming the first Asian artist to top the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Rich Brian breaking records as the first Asian artist whose debut album topped the iTunes Hip-Hop Chart, the launch of the Head in the Clouds Festival since 2018, now held in Los Angeles, New York, Jakarta, anda collaboration with SiriusXM for the first all-Asian radio channel in North America.

88rising's breakthroughs are not limited to music: they launched the Paradise Rising imprint specifically for Filipino musicians (2020), produced the soundtrack for the film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), and performed a collective set, Head In The Clouds Forever, at Coachella 2022 as the first label with its own billing on the main stage.

Now in the eyes of music lovers in the United States, 88rising is seen as a pioneer breaking cultural and genre boundaries. Media such as Rolling Stone and The New Yorker have crowned them as authorities in Asian pop crossover, while the term 'Disney of Asian hip-hop' further cements their reputation in the global music landscape.