But while Megan often talks about her love of anime, she’s rarely gone in-depth about just why she relates to it so much. In a new interview with Billboard, however, she does just that, explaining how the medium inspires her and informs her own artistic expression.
“I really like the storytelling in anime,” she explains. “The thing that resonates with me while watching a lot of the anime I like is watching the character development — seeing the character go from nothing to everything. When I feel like I’m getting beat up in life, I remember some of my favorite characters. I see that they had to go from literally zero and getting their ass whooped in their training. Even when they start popping and getting their muscles — because you know they be skinny as hell, then they start getting a little ripped — even when you start seeing the character getting a little swole, you like, ‘All right, he’s going to defeat all you motherf–kers. It’s over with’.”
“I resonate with that,” she continues. “No matter how many times I get knocked down, I never feel like, ‘F–k it, Imma quit.’ I just need to get better. I need to get back, try again, train harder and go harder, so I can keep evolving into my best self.”
She’s not alone in that respect among rappers; several have talked about how their love for anime — specifically, heroic anime like Dragon Ball — helped them push to become their best selves.
If you were to ask just about any American anime fan which examples of the medium are among the absolute best, the odds are very high that their answer will include Cowboy Bebop, the groundbreaking 1998 neo-noir space Western that solidified anime’s ascendance in the States. Their reasons will vary, but that just speaks to how universally appealing the show really was, that it hit grad-school cinephiles as hard as it did kids from the hood — kids like myself and Maryland rapper Logic.
I’ve had a few occasions to write about the connections between hip-hop and anime this year, and Logic provides the latest, teaming up with the anime streaming platform Crunchyroll to launch a limited-edition merch collection inspired by Cowboy Bebop and the Bobby Tarantino rapper’s love for it. Logic’s Bebop fandom is nigh legendary; in addition to constantly referencing it in his music, his second studio album, The Incredible True Story, contains narrative skits featuring Steve Blum, who played Cowboy Bebop‘s stray-dog protagonist, Spike Spiegel.
Including such pieces as a varsity jacket, skate deck, and various apparel bearing Logic’s logo and an image of him hanging out with the crew of the titular spaceship, the Crunchyroll collection is an anime and hip-hop fan’s dream come true — literally. Logic and Uproxx connected via Zoom to talk about the collection, Cowboy Bebop‘s lasting resonance, and of course, the eternal debate among anime fans: Subs or dubs?
Talk to me about how the collaboration came together, who approached who, and what’s been your favorite part about the whole process?
It just very organically happened. I don’t even know when it was like, “We’re going to do a line,” but I couldn’t believe it, and the collaboration was wonderful. I got to use my art director with their people, and then obviously, the original artist [Toshihiro Kawamoto], which is wonderful, to draw me in the Bebop crew, which is just like a dream come true. I was this little kid watching this show, and now, I’m this man surrounded by these fictional idols of mine in a real space. Sh*t’s crazy.
The entire process was fun. It was loving. It was kind. It didn’t feel like, “You can’t do this, and you can’t do that,” and blah, blah blah, which a lot of people try to do. That’s why I don’t really do collabs. I don’t do collabs because people suck. And you know who doesn’t suck? Crunchyroll.
What was your Cowboy Bebop story? How did you find it? What drew you to it?
I had these two homies, Robert and Jesse, and they introduced me to Cowboy Bebop when I was 11 years old. I remember the first time that I saw the Cowboy Bebop movie, it was f*cking subbed. I remember watching this anime that they introduced me to and then having to listen to it, I’m like, “Why are they talking Japanese? What the hell?”
My household was riddled with crime and violence and drugs and craziness and gunshots and drug dealers. I learned how to cook crack when I was 12 years old. Cowboy Bebop was my first true escape from all of that. A lot of people, especially in the hood and where I grew up, they are extremely intelligent, very smart, but they get stuck in this cycle of using their smarts for bad. But the only reason that they’re using it for bad is because of the systemic nature of what our country was built upon. I was like, what if I put my wits into something else? So discovering anime was really beautiful because it was my first true introduction to art and what it means to be an artist.
I think it’s funny that you were talking about subs, because that was going to be one of my fun lightning round questions, subs or dubs? It’s like the eternal debate among anime fans.
Dubs, because I’m watching. I’m not f*cking reading. I want to watch. I have so much appreciation for the Japanese versions, and that’s awesome, but I speak English, so I just want to hear this sh*t. I think it takes me out of the experience. Even a lot of foreign films — I love foreign films, but I don’t really watch a lot of them because I’m reading.
Crunchyroll
What else have you been watching recently? What are you drawn to when it comes to anime?
I always love a good vintage feel. That’s why I think Studio Ghibli is the bomb because it’s like it gives us this truly animated feel, even in this digital era. But that’s because they care. It’s so beautiful. It’s like to really take great pride in everything that you do, and to also take your time, I think is something that’s really special. I mean, if you can knock something out because you can, then do it. But you see that [care] and you feel it.
One Punch Man, Space Dandy, Attack on Titan was fun, but I didn’t finish it. I need to finish it. People have been telling me I should watch Demon Slayer. I haven’t watched that, but a lot of the time when I watch anime, I watch a lot of the classic stuff.
If you were going to do an anime about your life, which studio would you pick to do it?
I’m going to be honest, I don’t really know too much about the studios besides… How do you pronounce it? Ghibli? Ghibli?
They pronounce it Ghibli [with a soft “g,” like “jeans”], we pronounce it Ghibli [with a hard “g,” like “guppy”] because of the way they wrote it. Doesn’t really matter, everyone knows who you’re talking about.
Studio Gangster, that’s who it is. I really love that art style. But I also love, I guess whatever studio did Akira, that sh*t is wild to me.
[Fun fact: Makiko Futaki, one of key animators on Akira, went on to become a lead animator for Studio Ghibli films such as Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, and Howl’s Moving Castle.]
Crunchyroll
Logic’s collaboration with Crunchyroll is available for pre-order on Crunchyroll’s store. Check it out here.
Megan Thee Stallion is an artist who has been having an incredible 2024. Overall, her song “Hiss” was a huge track at the start of the year. In fact, it went number one and was a precursor to the year of beef we have been having. It sparked a feud with Nicki Minaj and even Drake. Moreover, it was part of the rollout for her new album MEGAN, which dropped just a couple of weeks ago. In addition to all of this, Meg is currently on tour where she is selling out stadiums.
If there is one thing fans know about Meg, it is that she is someone who loves Anime. She has always been extremely forthcoming about her love for Anime and all of the various characters throughout. She even had an anime sample on her most recent project. That said, she recently got the inspiration to dress up as the iconic character Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon is oftentimes cosplayed and there is no doubt that Megan was able to do the character justice.
As you can imagine, all of her fans were loving the look. Positive comments flooded her Instagram page, and it’s clear that they would love to see this kind of look again. If anything, perhaps Meg is readying the look for an upcoming music video. Whatever the case may be, there is no doubt that fans would likely enjoy seeing more of these looks, in the future.
Let us know what you think of this cosplay from Megan Thee Stallion, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that Meg is one of the best artists in women rap right now? What did you think of her most recent album, MEGAN? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Megan Thee Stallion’s new album, Megan, has arrived — but not without some difficulty for the Houston rapper. In a recent livestream, Meg shared how a major obstacle emerged just days before the album’s release, forcing her to extensively re-record one song, “Otaku Hot Girl,” to remove references to one of her favorite anime.
She said on Tuesday, June 25, her team got an email from the anime’s production company, requesting the removal of a sample from the show, as well as several character names from her lyrics. “They said, ‘Actually, I need you to take out the names of the characters that’s in the show’,” she recalled. “That is the whole song. That makes the song make sense. They said, ‘You could either do this — you could have the music clearance or you can have the name clearance.’ The music is what’s really important to me, but the names really tied it all together.”
Ultimately, she re-cut the song in a makeshift studio just before going Live on Instagram, telling fans, “I really hope y’all think this sh*t sound fire, ’cause I had to jump through eight million hoops to get this sh*t. Once y’all hear the sample, y’all are gonna know why they was giving us a hard time. This is a very big production company, so for them to even say yes — and I be cussing and sh*t — like I said, I’m grateful. I’m not complaining. I really wanted this sample. I really wanted to do it, so I’m doing everything I got to do to keep it. But change the names? Change the names the day before the album out? That was nuts.”
Even though Meg did not reveal the name of the anime or production company… it’s pretty obviously Jujutsu Kaisen, a show with which she’s already got something of a history. The beat, by Bankroll Got It, interpolates the show’s theme song, while Adam McArthur, the voice actor for the main character, Yuji Itadori, declares, “I like a tall woman with a big ass, like Grammy winner Megan Thee Stallion.” The show is licensed in the US by Crunchyroll and Viz Media, and is one of the more popular properties being licensed by the companies.
megan thee stallion sampling a jujutsu kaisen track and getting yuji itadori’s english VA (adam mcarthur) to narrate the intro like she is so insane for this lmfkskdkskdr#MEGAN#JJKpic.twitter.com/eUgCo7l3Sn
The line reading used in the song is not actually spoken in the show. Although Yuji does assert his fondness for statuesque women, the example given in the show is Jennifer Lawrence (who technically qualifies by Japanese standards, I guess). Fans online rewrote the line to pay homage to Thee Stallion’s love for anime and fitting physique, then convinced McArthur to re-read the line with the Meg reference. It’s kind of a shame we might not get to hear the original verses and see how she used the names of the characters to tie it all together, but it is cool to see the continued crossover between hip-hop and anime.
Megan Thee Stallion is going through an exciting time right now. Overall, she is in the midst of a massive tour that has brought about tens of thousands of fans. Furthermore, she is going to be releasing a new album on Friday called Megan. Fans have been incredibly excited about this new project, especially since she has had dropped some dope singles. For instance, “Hiss” was a number-one record earlier in the year, mostly thanks to the feud it sparked with Nicki Minaj.
In the tracklist for this new album, fans were intrigued by a song that features an anime sample. Of course, Meg is a huge anime fan, so it comes as no surprise she would do something like this. Unfortunately, there have been some massive last-minute clearance issues. For instance, on Wednesday night, Meg revealed that the show’s creators emailed her telling her that she had to take out the names of the characters from her verse. It was either that, or she wouldn’t get the sample itself, at all. Knowing that the sample was important to her, Meg sprung into action and re-recorded the verse.
Considering the fact that she is on tour right now, none of this was ideal. It was completely last minute and certainly put the artist’s album at risk. However, her quick thinking ultimately allowed her to get the song in without further issues. Numerous artists bring make-shift studios with them on the road, and now you can see why that’s so important.
Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Are you excited to hear the new anime-inspired track from Megan Thee Stallion? What are your expectations for her brand-new album? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Contrary to popular belief, rappers – and hip-hop fans at large – have always been nerds. Look no further for proof than Wu-Tang Clan, ostensible stalwarts of hardcore, no-frills, gun-grime-and-crime street rap, who also chose a number of aliases from the world of Marvel Comics. Now, “nerds” isn’t here to demean anybody; after all, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo deliberately reclaimed the term for hip-hop heads with the name of both their experimental rock project, N.E.R.D., and their label, Star Trak (a direct reference to the OG geek obsession, Star Trek).
But just in case none of that was enough to convince you that hip-hop culture and geekdom are as inextricably tied together these days as politics and corruption, just look at the outpouring of admiration, grief, and respect from rappers and their fans for the late Japanese comics creator, Akira Toriyama, upon the news of his death last week — and for his unintended but undeniable contributions to the culture through his best-known work, Dragon Ball. Incidentally, I wrote just last month about the sprawling impact of anime on hip-hop, and much of that — I’m talking a good 80 percent or better — is very likely due to the popularity of Dragon Ball. Toriyama may well have created the most hip-hop anime of all time.
Oakland rapper Guapdad 4000 summed it up best in his extensive tribute to Toriyama on Twitter when he wrote, “NGL, Toriyama passing feel like I lost a real family member. This shit worse than when Micheal Jackson died.” Some version of this sentiment was shared across the rap landscape, from the expected, like Thundercat, who once paid tribute to the series with his tongue-in-cheek single “Dragonball Durag,” to the more subtle, like Big Sean recording a freestyle verse with the film Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ on television in the background.
That foundational love for the franchise permeated each of the conversations I had with rappers ranging from Grammy favorite Cordae to Top Dawg Entertainment mainstay Isaiah Rashad to my fellow Comptonite Buddy. Although Dragon Ball isn’t ostensibly about hip-hop, nor most of the subjects with which rap music historically concerns itself, all of them considered the franchise a profound inspiration to their lives and art. Even beyond that, they each saw a reflection of themselves in characters like Goku and Vegeta, who they even likened to the fractious history of Blackness in America.
Just in case you have by some chance been stranded on a desert island with only a volleyball for company for the past thirty years, Dragon Ball is one of the most successful Japanese entertainment franchises of all time. It encompasses comics (manga), animated television shows and movies (anime), video games, which Cordae calls his introduction to the franchise, and mountains of merch from t-shirts (oft-derided in the early days) to action figures, accessories, and even cafes in its native Japan where fans could dine on themed cuisine inspired by the aesthetics dreamed up by Akira Toriyama over the franchise’s 31-year history.
Toriyama had previously worked on a book called Dr. Slump before creating Dragon Ball in 1984 out of a desire to write a kung-fu shonen (or boys’) manga. Shonen manga revolve around action and adventure tales about heroes who often hold goals of self-improvement and being “the best” at something or finding some MacGuffin. Dragon Ball, loosely based on the Chinese classical novel Journey To The West, has the best of both in the form of protagonist Son Goku, who searches for the seven titular balls that will grant the holder one wish from a mighty dragon.
The manga became so popular that it spawned five anime series, the second of which, Dragon Ball Z, was aired in the US twice. The first time, in syndication, it garnered a small but loyal fanbase despite numerous edits for content and a season order that cut off in the midpoint of the second season (a source of unending frustration for this writer). However, in 1998, the show began running on Cartoon Network’s afternoon Toonami programming block, increasing the show’s popularity stateside tremendously. It was many American children’s first experience with the concept of “anime” as Japanese cartoons.
After a redubbed airing continued the story beyond that original loop of 53 episodes, anime became an obsession at an unheard-of scale. This is the one most of the rappers I interviewed were most familiar with, but Cordae admits to being a fan even of the widely derided sequel series Dragon Ball GT. “I know a lot of people shit on GT, but that sh*t was tight to me,” he maintains. “I remember I watched Bio-Broly. That was one of the first movies I got from Blockbuster!” Still, DBZ is such an important part of his life, he’s even wearing a T-shirt in his breakout video for “My Name Is.”
Meanwhile, Toriyama’s distinctive character designs – those square eyes, that spiky hair – graced the graphics of a handful of popular video game franchises throughout the rest of the ‘90s and early 2000s. Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger are popular in their own rights, with many gamers holding them among the best of their genre and generation. Still, Dragon Ball and its sequels and spinoffs remain Toriyama’s best-known and most beloved works – especially when it comes to hip-hop.
Buddy recalled catching the show at home (off of Harlan and Alondra, the two streets after which he named his 2018 debut album) on Toonami, “fresh from playing basketball outside, hoopin’, skatin’, climbing trees.” Describing his recipe for the ultimate syrup sandwich, he says he watched Dragon Ball Z, Inuyasha, and Cowboy Bebop in the afternoons. “Goku was my favorite, ‘cause that n**** be kickin’ ass and makin’ friends,” he enthuses. “Everybody he beat up, he’s homies with!”
Today, multiple rappers litter their rhymes with phrases from the show such as “going Super Saiyan,” a reference to a power some of the franchise’s characters can tap into to reach an empowered state complete with a flaming aura and golden hair. Florida rapper Denzel Curry name-checks Senzu beans — a restorative food eaten by the Dragon Ball heroes — and Broly, a villain from the 11th film, Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan on 2015’s “Ultimate,” his breakout hit. Chance The Rapper throws out a reference to both the Super Saiyan state and one of the franchise’s many sidekick characters, Krillin, in his 2016 song “Blessings.”
Big Sean once fanned out when he and his mother met Sean Schemmel, the American voice actor for Goku and several other characters on Dragon Ball Z. Thundercat, best known for his work with Kendrick Lamar, recruited Guapdad 4000 and rapper Smino to rap on the “Dragonball Durag” remix in 2020. The video for the song sees ‘Cat trying to woo the Haim sisters adorning with the eponymous hair accessory and the resulting repulsion of (most) of his targets — a reference to the confusion faced by the franchise’s earliest American adopters.
There’s still some of that old embarrassment lingering through some of my conversations with the rappers, even though we’re all here for the same thing. Isaiah Rashad apologizes for “nerding out,” but needs very little encouragement to continue doing so. Mostly, though, these are some of the most enthusiastic interviews I’ve had in seven years at Uproxx. Ask rappers questions about the music, you might get one-word answers; ask them about Akira Toriyama and the impact that Dragon Ball has had on them, it’s like they ate a Senzu bean.
Even as Rashad frets that his musing gone too far afield, he credits his exposure to the wider world through Dragon Ball and other anime. They gave him an outgoing curiosity for other cultures – even ones that weren’t strictly connected to the franchise. “When you grow up in a Black household,” he says, “What your parents like, you like. So when you see something else that you really respect as much as you respect people that look like you… that got me into all kinds of different music like funk, live renditions of the music… I got hella influences. I love Thai funk. Dragon Ball is how I got into a lot of that.”
The aspects of the show that draw such energetic admiration from these entertainers vary as widely as their approaches to rap. Buddy loves the bond between the green alien Piccolo and Goku’s son Gohan, who takes up the battle to save the earth from extraterrestrial threats after his father’s death (don’t worry, he gets better). “I loved watching Piccolo and Gohan bond,” he gushes. “Uncle Piccolo, raising Gohan in the wilderness, training him, making sure he was book smart.”
Meanwhile, Cordae found himself fascinated by the world-building in an arc involving intergalactic supervillain Frieza. “It was like a caste system of just how you got your lower level, just army guys with the guns,” he explains. “Then you got your Dodoria, Zarbon, then you got your Ginyu Force. I just love the clear pecking order of how strong everybody was.” He says that Dragon Ball Z “was the one anime that was socially acceptable in the hood. When people ask me, am I an anime head? I’m like, ‘Nah, I just like the n**** anime, bro, just like Naruto and Dragon Ball Z.’”
A common throughline is how much the world of Dragon Ball reflects social issues, despite being technically apolitical. Cordae compares the Saiyans to Black Americans, calling Frieza a racist for his treatment of the group, which he employs as enforcers to carry out his dirty work. Buddy makes the same comparison to the planet Namek, which Piccolo calls home. Rashad notes that the prolific variety of character types and species made them relatable because “you didn’t know what the f*ck they was, you just know they was cool-looking.”
But sometimes, the love for Dragon Ball and Akira Toriyama was as simple as giving young Black kids something to do when it felt like America didn’t provide very many other options – let alone ones enforcing positive messages about getting stronger, turning enemies into friends, and never giving up no matter the odds. As Guapdad put it in his loving tribute to Toriyama, “Dragon Ball Z literally saved me from just going back outside and ending up a street n****. I know this sounds like a stretch but I’m not kidding bruh. Toonami played it right when the streetlights came on.”
I asked everybody I interviewed for this piece what they’d want to tell Toriyama given the chance. Rather than words, they all shared another similar sentiment. “I would give him a big ass hug,” says Cordae. “I’d try to draw him, embrace my inner eight-year-old,” Rashad echoes. “I wouldn’t say anything,” Buddy admits. “I’d give him a fist bump. Then a side hug. And then it’d be an obsessed grab with a head on the shoulder.” They all say they’d tell him “thank you.”
Thank you for creating a world we could escape to. Thank you for giving us characters we could relate to. Thank you for inspiring our creativity, for expanding our horizons, and for telling us there is no limit to the power inside of us if we only keep pushing. Thank you for one hell of an adventure.
Megan Thee Stallion has been bridging the gap between hot girls and weebs since her 2018 breakout and anime streamer Crunchyroll took notice, embracing the Houston rapper’s support by making her a presenter at this year’s Anime Awards in Japan. While on the red carpet ahead of the show, Meg participated in a quick red-carpet interview for TikTok, showing of her otaku (Japanese for “fan”) cred by sharing her go-to comfort shows, defending her favorite anime genre, and name-checking which show’s characters she’d recruit as backup dancers.
Apparently, Thee Stallion is a big fan of the action genre, saying, “As soon as the anime come on, I wanna the city getting tore up. The city need to be destroyed on the first go. I need to understand why you’re mad, what is the character development story, what are we going through — take me on that ride with you.” For back up dancers, she says the fabolous fits of the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure crew would make them shoo-ins for for the role, while her comfort shows include ’90s classics Inuyasha and YuYu Hakusho, which she says she’ll even fall asleep watching (how she can do that with all the yelling and explosions is beyond me).
Meg’s put her love for action anime on display a number of times throughout her career, doing elaborate photoshoots in cosplay and even performing as Sailor Moon in Japan a few years ago. She’s had a first-look deal in place with Netflix since 2021 — wouldn’t it be fun to see Meg get her own anime one day?
Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Last year for Black History Month, I marathoned as many 1970s Blaxploitation classics, deep cuts, and spoofs as I could stomach. This year, though, there’s only one movie I want to recommend. A few days before writing this, I rewatched the 1999 Jim Jarmusch indie cult classic, Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai, for the first time in something like 10 years. I yammered about it so much that my girlfriend told me to pitch my editor just to shut me up.
Here’s why this quirky mishmash of hood, mafia, and samurai movie tropes electrified my brain: Despite coming out 25 years ago and completely bewildering contemporary audiences, Ghost Dog perfectly captured the hip-hop zeitgeist of the 2020s, predicting the rise of the dominance of Black geekdom over pop culture. At the same time, it offered a singular snapshot of its moment in time and nodded to a long legacy of Black weirdoes who refused to follow any code but their own.
The film revolves around the eponymous Ghost Dog, an iconoclastic mafia hitman played by Forest Whitaker. Ghost Dog is inspired by the samurai code of honor, as represented by a copy of Hagakure, a collection of commentaries recorded by Yamamoto Tsunetomo in the early 18th century, which Ghost Dog always carries around with him and regularly recites from throughout the film. He also practices swordsmanship on a rooftop and communicates primarily by carrier pigeon. Early reviews pondered the character’s potential mental illness; I choose to think that these critics were simply unfamiliar with the concept of the Black nerd.
Ghost Dog has declared himself the “retainer” for Louie, a low-level wiseguy who he believes saved his life. After a hit goes wrong, Louie’s gang is ordered to kill Ghost Dog, prompting the assassin to fight back – but not for the reasons you might think. The film is by turns chaotically violent, quietly philosophical, and darkly hilarious, and you might be as surprised by some of its moments of tenderness as thrilled by its innovative brutality. There are subtle literary allusions, powerful thematic resonances, and a hell of a head-nodding soundtrack.
The latter first drew me to Ghost Dog the year after it came out in just a handful of theaters. I’d read online that the soundtrack was produced by RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, and being in the middle of my hardcore backpacker era, I was immediately sold once I learned its premise. In 2000, I was also knee-deep into that phase so many of us go through when we are obsessed with Japanese culture and media – especially anime.
Unfortunately, around this time, the concept of “anime” in the US was a little hazier than it is now. Just reading the term here, you probably immediately thought of examples like Attack On Titan, Full Metal Alchemist, or My Hero Academia. Back then, it’d have only drawn blank stares from the overwhelming majority of the general population.
To view “Japanimation,” as it was cringingly called back then, you had to “know a guy” who could get you “fansubs” – VHS tapes hand-edited to add English subtitles. These were translated by hobbyists and transmitted in a legally dubious process of distribution to specialty shops in heavily Asian neighborhoods (the nearest one for me was in a deeply racist part of Orange County, meaning I literally risked my life at times to get my anime fix, while today, it’s as easy as logging into Netflix).
To make matters worse, there were few, if any, other “otaku” (the Japanese word for geek, used by Americans for anime fans) in my circle of acquaintances, coming from Compton and going to school in Long Beach. Today, we call them “weebs” and they basically run pop culture. Rappers shoot anime-style music videos and regularly reference terms like “Super Saiyan.” Megan Thee Stallion is presenting at Crunchyroll’s Anime Awards in Japan this year. Lil Uzi Vert is basically an anime character in real life.
Basically, being really into Japanese pop culture meant that you basically were Ghost Dog, in a way. Throughout the movie, multiple characters note how unusual he is for adhering to a way of life that had long been extinct and seemed to be at odds with his existence in a blue-collar neighborhood in New Jersey interacting with Crips, Bloods, and undocumented Haitian ice cream truck drivers. In a touch of irony, even his guidebook, Hagakure, was written at a time when samurai were by and large going out of fashion in a modernizing Japan. I may or may not have had my own copy, inspired by the film.
Yet there had always been people like this, who used nostalgia for bygone eras and intense passion for far-away cultures to fortify themselves for life spent in lower-class America. Take RZA, who makes a cameo appearance in the film in addition to producing its soundtrack (an underrated gem from his catalog, by the way). His love for kung-fu movies and Zen philosophy not only inspired him and protected him from the worst of what the hood can do to a young Black person but it also formed the foundation of his future prosperity with Wu-Tang.
Likewise, if you ask any of today’s young Black geeks, they’ll tell you how they relate to the medium’s many tales of overcoming adversity through self-belief and constant improvement. The cyclical nature of some of the medium’s most popular properties like Jujustu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, or Bleach resonates with them as they face the challenges of similar cycles of inner-city violence, personal prejudice, or systemic injustice.
Today, a Ghost Dog could walk past you at the subway station or the grocery store, and you might not bat an eye. At most, you’d shrug, but even if you didn’t understand, you’d get it. That’s what makes them happy. That’s how they get through the day. That’s what keeps them going. Cosplay (dressing up as your favorite character for conventions, exhibitions, and photoshoots) is nearly as commonplace as wearing a jersey to a ballgame (which, when you think about it, is basically just sports nerd cosplay).
Ghost Dog’s respectful interactions with the gangbangers in the film offer of microcosm of this perspective – and a reflection of how it really felt back then, being surrounded by guys up to their necks in turf wars who simply acknowledged my weird hobby and left me alone. Wearing blue or red could be dangerous where I’m from, but a Dragon Ball Z T-shirt was like a neutral flag. They didn’t get it, but they got it.
Even in 2000, the winds were shifting. By the end of the decade, a lot of those same guys were asking me for spoilers for the next episode of Dragon Ball. And by the 2010s, hip-hop had been infiltrated on a national level by artists who wholeheartedly embraced anime and manga (the comic book counterpart of anime) on their album covers and in their lyrics.
Lupe Fiasco won a Grammy in 2008 for “Daydreamin’,” a song in which he imagines his project building as a mecha, or giant robot (and has for the past few years, run around practicing with a literal samurai sword on his social media). Then, Nicki Minaj began calling herself the Harajuku Barbie and rocking pink wigs and anime-inspired fashions. Now, Denzel Curry, Juice WRLD, and Lil Uzi Vert all have songs titled “Super Saiyan” and Ski Mask The Slump God name-drops Naruto in his song “Catch Me Outside.”
Watching GhostDog again, it was clear how it fits into the slow build from then to now. In the film, Ghost Dog bequeaths his knowledge in the form of his treasured book to another young outsider, his neighbor Pearline. In much the same way, the film itself feels like it’s passed down its appreciation of outsiders to the next generation. Critics at the time seemed baffled; in my research, I’ve come across dozens of audience reactions that suggest many who watched it felt the same. It may not have been a massive hit (although it surprisingly made triple its budget at the global box office and has since been included in the Criterion Collection), but those who needed it undoubtedly found it and found themselves validated by it.
The film affirmed Black nerds of the time both by acknowledging that they existed and by confirming that Black nerds always had. In doing so, it’s not a far cry to believe that it made it okay for them (okay, fine, us) to keep going, to keep being weird, to keep marching to the beat of a drum no one else could hear. It certainly helped make it clear that this demographic existed; there are now anime featuring Black characters created by Black people such as proto-anime The Boondocks, and Yasuke, which was co-written by Flying Lotus and is about, yes, a Black samurai. Ghost Dog’s path may have been a solitary one, but he also blazed a trail, and now, legions are following in his footsteps.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The Pokemon Trading Card Game has been a beloved pastime for many since its inception. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a newcomer to Pokemon, finding the right place to buy these cards is essential.
While the official Pokemon website provides a comprehensive guide on where to purchase these cards, here’s a distilled version to help you on your quest.
Trusted Places To Buy Pokemon Cards
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 17: A competitor checks their hand at the Pokemon European International Championships at ExCel on November 17, 2017 in London, England. Thousands of competitors from around the world will attend the Pokémon TCG and Video Game Europe International Championships over three days, the first International Championships of the 2018 season. The competition will feature high Championship Point payouts and a prize pool value of up to $250,000. (Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images)
When buying Pokemon cards, it’s crucial to ensure that you’re purchasing from a reputable source. The last thing you want is to end up with counterfeit cards. Here are some general guidelines:
Official Pokemon Stores: The Pokemon Company International operates several official stores worldwide. These stores guarantee genuine cards and often have the latest releases.
Local Game Stores: Many local game stores stock Pokemon cards. Not only do they offer a wide variety, but you also get to support local businesses.
Online Retailers: There are numerous online platforms where you can buy Pokemon cards. However, always check the seller’s reviews and ratings before purchasing.
Tips For Buying Pokemon Cards Online
Online shopping offers convenience, but it also comes with challenges. Here are some tips to ensure a smooth buying experience:
Research the Seller: Before purchasing, always check the seller’s reputation. Look for reviews and ratings from previous buyers.
Check for Authenticity: Genuine Pokemon cards have specific markings and holographic patterns. Familiarize yourself with these to avoid buying counterfeits.
Understand the Return Policy: Ensure that the seller has a clear return policy in case you’re not satisfied with the cards.
Why Buying Genuine Pokemon Cards Matters
Purchasing authentic cards ensures that you’re getting value for your money. Counterfeit cards are not only of inferior quality but also hold no value in the collector’s market. Moreover, genuine cards offer a richer gameplay experience, ensuring all players are on a level playing field.
FAQs
Where can I buy genuine Pokemon cards?
Official Pokemon stores, local game stores, and reputable online retailers are excellent places to buy authentic Pokemon cards.
How can I tell if a card is genuine?
Authentic cards have specific markings, holographic patterns, and a certain feel. It’s essential to familiarize yourself with these characteristics.
Is it safe to buy cards online?
Yes, as long as you purchase from reputable sellers and platforms. Always check reviews and ratings before making a purchase.
Why should I avoid counterfeit cards?
Counterfeit cards are of lower quality and hold no value in the collector’s market. Moreover, they can disrupt gameplay, giving some players an unfair advantage.
In conclusion, while there are numerous places to buy cards, you must ensure you purchase genuine products. Whether you’re buying for gameplay or as a collector, genuine cards offer a superior experience and hold their value over time. Always research and buy from trusted sources to get the best out of your Pokemon card journey.
Aside from Denzel Curry, Megan Thee Stallion might be the most notorious anime fan in hip hop. That’s why it’s no surprise that she chose to take on an anime character for one of her Halloween looks. She already showed off one extravagant look at a party over the weekend. In the pictures she disappeared into a flowery outfit inspired by Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland. But for the holiday proper she had a more personal look ready to go.
“Death Thee Stallion” she captioned a post of her fit. In the series of pictures she shows off her costume, Death The Kid from the anime Soul Eater. Fans quickly rushed to the comments to praise her look. House music producer Yaeji called the look “fire” while the official MTV account said “you dropped this .” Fans were even more overwhelming in their love for Meg’s fit. “they can never make me hate you,” and “everytime I think Megan can’t feed my weeb heart anymore she proves me wrong. ICONIC,” two of the top comments read. Check out the full post and all the fan reactions below.
Over the weekend, Megan Thee Stallion announced a new single coming soon. The track is called “Cobra” and is scheduled to drop on November 3. The song will serve as her first true solo single since last year when she treated fans to her new album Traumazine.
Earlier this year Megan joined Cardi B for their second collaboration, “Bongos.” While the song hasn’t been quite as massive of a hit as it’s predecessor “WAP” it’s stuck around on the charts and fans seem to be enjoying it. The song has racked up over 38 million streams in the less than two months since it was initially released. What do you think of Megan Thee Stallion’s anime-inspired Halloween costume? Let us know in the comment section below.
” while the official MTV account said “you dropped this 
.” Fans were even more overwhelming in their love for Meg’s fit. “they can never make me hate you,” and “everytime I think Megan can’t feed my weeb heart anymore she proves me wrong. ICONIC,” two of the top comments read. Check out the full post and all the fan reactions below.