On top of his music endeavours, he is actively involved as a fashion model on the runway, such as providing artworks that he had a core involvement in at various exhibitions, proving himself to be an artist that goes beyond that of a rapper and musician.
In November 2012, as no-name artist he released his first piece “YELLOW T△PE”. In the song “FAMILY” recorded in the 2012 release, the daily struggles of a drug dependent mother in a metropolItan city and her coming-out as an addict was portrayed in a raw and realistic way that had listeners wanting more.
In August 2013, he released his second mixtape called “YELLOW TAPE 2”. The song “JUNJI TAKADA” was introduced in Mr. Junji Takada’s radio show “Daily Paradise of Takada Junji” and gained wide spread attention.
In February 2014, he was featured on the digital media platform VICE which holds viewership over 30 countries. It was VICE’s first feature on a Hip Hop artist from Japan.
In July 2014, he released his 2nd album “MONOCHROME”. This was his first album that was released and turned heads when it was released due to the sequence of releasing the second produced album first. This release ranked 6th in the iTunes overall album chart and 1st in the Hop Hop/ Rap category, an immense feat for a new artist. In October 2014, he was the show model for FACETASM, a fashion brand by Hiromichi Ochiai featured on the Mercedes Benz Fashion week Tokyo.
In January 2015, he released his 1st Album “Kuchinashi”. It ranked 1st on the iTunes overall album chart and 1st on the Hip Hop/Rap charts. In the same month, he took part in the song “It G Ma (feat. Jay Allday, Loota, Okasian, KOHH)” by Korean artist Keith Ape. The music video was a hit worldwide with over 1million views within the first month of release. As of April 2016 the view counts have exceeded 21million. In June 2015, he released his third mixtape “YELLOW TAPE 3”. On October 28th 2015, he released his third album “DIRT”. Upon the release of the music videos, there was a tremendous reaction.
In December 2015, at LIQUIDROOM in Ebisu Tokyo, the tickets to his event “DIRT” CONCERT & GALLERY was sold out within 1 minute.
In March 2016, he was part the line-up of FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL 2016. In April 2016, he gained recognition for his artistic works in France, for which he was invited to take part in the F rench Foreign Ministry exchange meeting. In June 2016, he released his 4th album “DIRT II”
Instagram: @kohh_t20
Twitter: @kohh_t20
Business and Art
KOHH Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
でもお金は必要
money come and money go
お金じゃないアート
money come and money go
ビジネスと芸術
反比例していく
やりたいのはアート
お金でアートが死んでいく
やってるのはアート
やってるのはアート
男たちが欲しがってるのはマxコ
アイツらは俺の数字だけを見てる
ビジネスじゃなくて芸術だけしてく
ビジネスクラスの飛行機
足元プラダの靴
いくら大金貰っても絶対抱かないブス
綺麗でも汚い
本当の事は知らない
ドブネズミの美しさは写真に写らない
人生は短い けど芸術なら長い
お金で見た目を作れるけど
買えない中身
皆お金の事
でもお金は必要
money come and money go
お金じゃないアート
money come and money go
お金で買う芸術
乗り回せるベンツ
でも買えないセンス
誰も買えないセンス
ビジネスなら電通
お金よりも芸術をやりたい
ガリガリなこの体に落書き
今も あきない
ピカソ ジョアンミロ
何も 無いのも 最高
まるで田中泯
クソな肩書
ラッパーじゃない
ラッパーなんかじゃない
俺は俺でいい
俺のまま生きる
お金の為に生きるなら死ぬ
俺のまま生きる
お金の為に生きるなら死ぬ
皆お金の事
でもお金は必要
money come and money go
お金じゃないアート
money come and money go
The Japanese rapper KOHH's song "Business and Art" is a commentary on the paradoxical relationship between commerce and creativity. He talks about how the pursuit of money often leads a person away from their artistic aspirations, but at the same time, they need financial resources to develop their art. The opening lines, "Mina okane no koto/ Demo okane wa hitsuyou," which roughly translates to "Everyone talks about money/ But money is necessary," set the tone for the theme of the song.
KOHH argues that money comes and goes, but art endures. Therefore, one should prioritize creativity over business. He addresses the pressure artists face to cater to the market's demands for mass appeal, which may compromise their artistic vision. He emphasizes the importance of having one's unique sensibility, which cannot be bought with money. KOHH uses examples from his own life, such as his preference for drawing graffiti on his skinny body instead of running after fame by buying designer clothes or driving a Benz. Ultimately, the song emphasizes the artist's need to stay true to their creative instincts and not be swayed by the monetary incentives of the business world.
Line by Line Meaning
皆お金の事
Everyone's thinking about money
でもお金は必要
But money is necessary
money come and money go
Money comes and goes
お金じゃないアート
Art is not about money
ビジネスと芸術
Business and art
反比例していく
Are inversely proportional
やりたいのはアート
What I want to do is art
お金でアートが死んでいく
Art dies with money
やってるのはアート
What I'm doing is art
男たちが欲しがってるのはマxコ
What men want is sex
アイツらは俺の数字だけを見てる
They only see my numbers (sales)
ビジネスじゃなくて芸術だけしてく
I want to do only art, not business
ビジネスクラスの飛行機
Business-class plane
足元プラダの靴
Prada shoes at my feet
いくら大金貰っても絶対抱かないブス
I won't sleep with an ugly woman no matter how much money I get
綺麗でも汚い
Beautiful but dirty
本当の事は知らない
They don't really know
ドブネズミの美しさは写真に写らない
The beauty of a rat doesn't show in a picture
人生は短い けど芸術なら長い
Life is short, but art is long
お金で見た目を作れるけど
You can buy looks with money, but
買えない中身
You can't buy substance
お金で買う芸術
Art bought with money
乗り回せるベンツ
Riding in a Benz
でも買えないセンス
But you can't buy taste
誰も買えないセンス
No one can buy taste
電通
Dentsu (Japanese advertising agency)
お金よりも芸術をやりたい
I'd rather do art than make money
ガリガリなこの体に落書き
Graffiti on this skinny body
今も あきない
Still not tired of it
ピカソ ジョアンミロ
Picasso, Joan Miro
何も 無いのも 最高
Having nothing is also the best
まるで田中泯
Just like Tanaka Min
クソな肩書
A shitty job title
ラッパーじゃない
I'm not a rapper
ラッパーなんかじゃない
I'm not just a rapper
俺は俺でいい
I'm fine just being me
俺のまま生きる
I'll live as myself
お金の為に生きるなら死ぬ
If I have to live for money, I'd rather die
皆お金の事
Everyone's thinking about money
でもお金は必要
But money is necessary
money come and money go
Money comes and goes
お金じゃないアート
Art is not about money
money come and money go
Money comes and goes
Contributed by Liam I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-ur6oz3kc9e
皆お金の事
でもお金は必要
Money come and money go
Money come, money come and money go
お-お-お金じゃないアート
お-お-お金じゃないアート
お-お-お金じゃないアート
Money come and money go
皆-皆お金の事
で-でもお金は必要
Money come and money go
Money come, money come and money go
お-お-お金じゃないアート
お-お-お金じゃないアート
お-お-お金じゃないアート
Money come and money go
[Verse 1]
ビジネスと芸術 (Money come and money go)
反比例していく
やりたいのはアート (Money come, money come and money go)
やりたいのはアート
お金でアートが死んでいく (Money come)
やってるのはアート (お-お-お金じゃないアート)
やってるのはアート (Money come, money come)
男たちが欲しがってるのはマ (Woo!)
アイツら-アイツらは俺の数字だけを見てる (数字だけを見てる)
ビジネスじゃなくて芸術だけしてく (芸術だけしてく)
ビジネスクラスの飛行機, 足元プラダの靴 (足元プラダの靴)
いくら大金貰っても絶対抱かないブス (絶対抱かないブス)
綺麗でも汚い
本当の事は知らない
ドブネズミの美しさは写真に写らない
人生は短い けど芸術なら長い
お金で見た目を作れるけど
買えない中身
I'ma rich!
@calebscalzo
this man said "money will give you an image but who you are cant be bought"
real
@YowanRCKBrckb
me tlap
@ubah1337
it's a basic observation, really
@MA-ck4wu
+Ma Te you have to keep in mind that it probably sounds a lot more poetic in Japanese
@JunJunisKing
Donny Burgon ye the subtitles dont rly do it justice
@47clem
+Donny Burgon お金で見た目を作れるけど買えない中身。That's what he said
@arnaureig4409
"Money is the death of art" He has some good lyrics atleast
@mr.showtime6139
Arnau Reig yes they real 💯, and when he says living for money I rather choose death
@xc1ara214
Kohh doesn't make music. He makes art.
@ocara50000
true, since iphone 5