WISE

Wise is a Japanese/American rapper who worked in several high-profile hip-hop projects in Japan before going solo to some moderate chart success. Born Seiji Kameyama, he grew up in Japan, but went to the U.S. for high school, developing interest in rapping during that time. When in Boston, he met the future founders of Kaze no Hito, a "genre borderless crew" supporting all types of constructive activity from music to skating, and worked in the JamAinu and W-A-K projects under Kaze no Hito on his return to Japan. The first charting single that featured Wise, "Questionary" by Smorgas, came out in 2000; he continued to contribute to other people's projects in 2002-2003, and began to take part in Rip Slyme live shows in 2003. More importantly, he joined the MC supergroup Teriyaki Boyz, also featuring members of Rip Slyme and m-flo, which debuted in 2004 and released the full-length Beef or Chicken in 2005, when Wise also became the part of the duo together with Sonpub, with whom he already collaborated in 2004; they recorded the album Dakid as Wise & Sonpub. In 2007, Wise finally entered the Oricon charts on his own after his debut solo single, "Shine Like a Star," charted at number 25. He still featured prominently on other musicians' records, working with BoA and Kanon and appearing on a Thelma Aoyama remix in 2007, but also released his own solo full-length, Taiyou no Kodomo, in 2007. He recorded with Salyu in 2008-2009 and worked with Nishino Kana in 2009, when his own second solo album, Love Quest, came out, also featuring a guest appearance by Beat Crusaders. ~ Alexey Eremenko, Rovi