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88rising

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article 88rising, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 28 November 20252 sources
88rising
Company typePrivate
IndustryMusic, entertainment
Founded2015; 11 years ago (2015)
FounderSean Miyashiro, Jaeson Ma
Headquarters
New York City, Los Angeles, Shanghai
,
United States, China
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Sean Miyashiro (CEO)
ProductsMusic production, video creation, live performances, digital media

88rising (also known as 88⬆, previously CXSHXNLY or "cash only") is a United States-based record label established in 2015 by Sean Miyashiro and Jaeson Ma. The label is dedicated to advancing Asian and Asian American musicians on the international stage, operating a diverse multimedia platform that includes music production, video creation, live performances, and digital media. Miyashiro characterizes the company as a "hybrid management, record label, video production, and marketing company."

Since its inception, 88rising has transformed from a digital-centric creative collective into a worldwide platform with offices located in New York City, Los Angeles, and Shanghai. It primarily promotes Asian artists such as Keith Ape, Rich Brian, Niki, and previously Joji. In 2019, Netease, a leading Chinese music streaming service, honored the label with the Label of the Year award. Collaborations have included prominent names like KOHH, CL, DPR Live, and Hikaru Utada.

The label has delivered chart-topping projects and forged alliances with major entertainment entities, notably producing the soundtrack for Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings released in 2021.

Branching out into live experiences, 88rising debuted its first Head in the Clouds event in Los Angeles in 2018, subsequently expanding to cities such as New York City, Indonesia, the Philippines, and China. Additionally, it has curated special showcases at Coachella in both 2022 and 2024 through dedicated takeover stages.

Industry experts acknowledge 88rising’s influential role in elevating Asian representation on a global scale, shaping collaborations, trends, and increasing visibility for Asian artists within mainstream media. The company is widely regarded as a premier platform championing Asian and Asian American voices across global music and youth culture.

Beginnings (2015-2016)

Founded in 2015 by Sean Miyashiro and Jaeson Ma, 88rising originated from Miyashiro’s prior experience at VICE’s electronic music division "Thump," where he developed production techniques that influenced 88rising’s initial content approach. Initially operating under the name CXSHXNLY ("cash only"), it functioned as a small collective and management outfit focused on discovering emerging talent online while producing short-form music and cultural videos primarily for YouTube. Early roster members included Brian Puspos, Dumbfoundead, Josh Pan, and Okasian. The collective sought to represent Asian immigrants alongside other immigrant groups within popular music.

Early funding came from Allen DeBevoise, founder of Third Digital Wave. Dumbfoundead played a key role by introducing Miyashiro to Keith Ape’s track "It G Ma," which attracted attention in the U.S. market and helped shape the collective’s direction. Miyashiro collaborated with artists to produce a remix featuring A$AP Ferg, Father, and Waka Flocka Flame; this version was released through OWSLA in July 2015 accompanied by a video premiered via Complex.

In 2016, 88rising broadened its reach by engaging with Asian artists such as Rich Brian, Joji, and Higher Brothers remotely before their relocation to the United States. The company launched its first YouTube channel under the name 88rising, merging elements of Asian internet culture with Western hip-hop influences to introduce these artists to Western audiences.

The brand name 88rising draws from the number 88’s cultural significance within Chinese communities—symbolizing "double happiness" and visually resembling the 囍 character—highlighting the company’s mission to foster cross-cultural connections. This formative period established the groundwork for 88rising’s expansion into a multifaceted media enterprise combining various forms of cultural storytelling.

Breakthrough era (2017–2019)

In May 2017, 88rising presented a live collective showcase at the Boiler Room in Los Angeles, spotlighting Rich Brian, Joji, Keith Ape, and a live feed from Higher Brothers in Chengdu due to travel limitations. Additional performances by artists such as Yaeji and Ronny J embodied the label’s dedication to bridging Asian and Asian American talent with worldwide listeners. Later that year, in November 2017, 88rising announced an Asia tour featuring Rich Brian, Joji, Higher Brothers, and select appearances by Keith Ape across nine prominent cities including Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, and Jakarta.

February 2018 marked 88rising’s first North American tour with sold-out concerts in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. The lineup included Rich Brian, Joji, Keith Ape, and surprise performers like Charli XCX. That same month witnessed the release of debut studio albums from key artists: Rich Brian’s Amen entered the Billboard 200 at No. 18 and became the first album by an Asian artist to reach the top position on the iTunes Hip-Hop Chart.

On July 20, 2018, 88rising unveiled its inaugural compilation album Head in the Clouds, containing 17 tracks including the RIAA Gold-certified single "Midsummer Madness" alongside collaborations with GoldLink and Playboi Carti. This release solidified the label’s role as a cultural hub for transnational Asian hip-hop.

Joji’s debut album Ballads 1, released on October 26, 2018, featured the Platinum-certified single "Slow Dancing in the Dark" and Gold-certified "Yeah Right." It became the first solo album by an Asian artist to top Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop charts. On September 22, 2018, 88rising hosted its inaugural Head in the Clouds Festival in Los Angeles, showcasing a mix of U.S. and Asian hip-hop and R&B performers such as Rich Brian, Joji, Higher Brothers, Niki, Dumbfoundead, and Japanese rapper Kohh making his U.S. debut. Billboard characterized it as an Asian-centric festival aimed at global audiences—one of the earliest large-scale U.S. events highlighting artists from the Asian diaspora—further establishing 88rising as a cultural tastemaker. This festival was followed by the Fall 2018 "88 Degrees and Rising" tour featuring label artists alongside Sen Morimoto and Kohh.

In early 2019, Higher Brothers released their second album Five Stars on February 22 featuring collaborations with Schoolboy Q, JID, Denzel Curry, Ski Mask the Slump God, Soulja Boy, among others. The album led Chinese streaming platform NetEase’s charts during Q1 2019 and earned Higher Brothers the title of Hip-Hop Artist of the Year; NetEase also recognized 88rising as Label of the Year. Rich Brian’s sophomore studio album The Sailor was released on July 26 with production credits including Bekon and The Donuts and guest spots from RZA and Joji.

The second annual Head in the Clouds Festival occurred on August 17, 2019 at Los Angeles State Historic Park with an expanded roster featuring K-Pop group iKon making their North American debut alongside Joji, Rich Brian, Higher Brothers, NIKI, DPR Live and others. The event introduced a dedicated dance music stage and cuisine curated by California’s renowned 626 Night Market. Rolling Stone and Los Angeles Magazine likened its influence on Asian music to Coachella’s significance within U.S. festival culture—enhancing visibility for Asian artists in American hip-hop festivals.

On October 11, 2019, 88rising released their sophomore compilation album Head in the Clouds II, showcasing contributions from artists such as Swae Lee (Rae Sremmurd), Jackson Wang, Phum Viphurit, Chungha among others. Shortly after release, Stephanie Poetri and Jackson Wang’s duet "I Love You 3000 II" reached No. 1 on Billboard’s China Social Chart.

Growth and prominence (2020–2021)

The Head in the Clouds festival scheduled for March 2020 in Jakarta was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In response, 88rising organized the Asia Rising Forever virtual concert on May 6, presenting Asian artists to a global audience via YouTube and Twitter platforms. On December 3, 2020, the company launched a dedicated 24-hour Asian music radio station on Sirius XM. That same day, they debuted the Double Happiness online festival, which included performances by NxWorries (Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge), Audrey Nuna, Ylona Garcia, among others.

In 2021, 88rising broadened its scope into significant multimedia ventures, most notably by executive producing and releasing the soundtrack for Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. This project represented a landmark achievement in Asian and Asian American representation within mainstream media. Following an initial discussion between CEO Sean Miyashiro and director Destin Daniel Cretton, the collaboration quickly progressed despite pandemic-related obstacles. The soundtrack featured artists from across the Asian diaspora alongside a major Hollywood film release, boosting 88rising’s cultural standing.

During this timeframe, artists signed to 88rising continued to deliver critically acclaimed works. Joji’s 2020 album Nectar received widespread international acclaim, further solidifying 88rising’s role in shaping popular culture and influencing the global music industry.

Contemporary phase (2022–present)

In April 2022, 88rising took center stage at Coachella with their "Head in the Clouds Forever" showcase, spotlighting performers such as CL, 2NE1, Hikaru Utada, Jackson Wang, Rich Brian, Bibi, Niki, Milli, and Warren Hue. Concurrently, they released a single titled "Head in the Clouds Forever," featuring contributions from Bibi, Utada, Hue, and Rich Brian. This event marked a historic first for a record label curating an entire festival segment at Coachella, highlighting 88rising’s growing prominence within mainstream pop culture.

During this period of expansion, 88rising advanced its international presence through initiatives including PARADISE RISING—a joint venture with Globe Telecom aimed at promoting Filipino talent and improving Southeast Asian representation. Collaborations with Sony Music and The Orchard also facilitated increased exposure for Japanese music and fostered cross-regional collaborations. Additionally, Joji released his third and final studio album under 88rising’s banner titled SMITHEREENS in 2022.

Reception

88rising is widely acknowledged for its role in elevating Asian and Asian American musicians within English-language markets. Leading publications such as The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and Paper have praised the label’s deliberate cultivation of artists like Joji, Keith Ape, Rich Brian, and Niki, as well as its efforts to foster partnerships between Asian and U.S.-based performers. Founder Sean Miyashiro remains committed to bridging the gap between Asian and American music industries over the long term.

According to The New Yorker, 88rising is "an authority on how to create pop-culture crossovers," while Rolling Stone describes it as "one of the most popular, and groundbreaking, crews in music." Paper magazine highlights that 88rising blends cultural advocacy with strategic insight and technical proficiency to enable emerging Asian artists to achieve significant crossover success efficiently.

Current

Former

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