The launch of the new label has arrived around three months after Believe began operating<\/a> in the country, in October 2023.<\/p>\n Believe’s new label in Japan follows the company’s series of hip-hop-focused imprints in other markets such as Thailand (bYOND), Italy (MAST) and France (Avant-Garde, AllPoints and Morning Glory).<\/p>\n With over 450,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and 66,700 followers on YouTube, \u00a5ellow Bucks is described by Believe as “one of the most influential hip-hop artists in Japan”, whose breakthrough hit YESSIR<\/em> has achieved over 36 million views on YouTube and over 25 million listens on Spotify to date.<\/p>\n After winning their High School Rap Championship in 2019, Red Eye has raced up over 500,000 followers across all social platforms, with his POCKET<\/em> series reaching over 8 million streams.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Issei Uno Fifth\u2019s hit SLIDE gained popularity on TikTok, reaching over 1.6 million streams on Spotify.<\/p>\n Believe has made Asia a key part of its strategy since it began operations in the region in 2013. It recently announced<\/a>\u00a0it had paid more than\u00a0EUR \u20ac700 million<\/strong>\u00a0in royalties to the music industry in the APAC (Asia-Pacific) region.<\/p>\n That income is \u201cfurther fuelling the growth of a sustainable local music ecosystem by fostering new artist development,\u201d the company said.<\/p>\n “Hip-hop in Japan is undergoing a massive shift, with more and more artists reaching growing audiences, both locally and beyond,” said Mari Ochiai, Head of Artist Services, Believe Japan.<\/p>\n “Hip-hop in Japan is undergoing a massive shift, with more and more artists reaching growing audiences, both locally and beyond.”<\/p>\n Mari Ochiai, Believe Japan<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Added Ochiai: “The level of talent is outstanding and the potential for growth is massive. I am convinced that the launch of PLAYCODE will open a new chapter in Japanese hip-hop\u2019s history.<\/p>\n “I look forward to joining hands Japan\u2019s very best hip-hop talents, putting Believe\u2019s unrivaled digital artist development expertise at their service to create the future of Japanese hip-hop!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnly a few months after the launch of Believe in Japan, we are proud to unveil PLAYCODE, with the aim of supporting the growth of a healthy, professionalized and industry-leading hip-hop ecosystem in Japan.”<\/p>\n Sylvain Delange, Believe<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sylvain Delange, Managing Director, APAC, Believe, added: \u201cOnly a few months after the launch of Believe in Japan, we are proud to unveil PLAYCODE, with the aim of supporting the growth of a healthy, professionalized and industry-leading hip-hop ecosystem in Japan.<\/p>\n “We could not dream of better ambassadors than \u00a5ellow Bucks, Red Eye, and Issei Uno Fifth to join force with us and ascend Japanese hip-hop to mainstream acclaim.<\/p>\n “Coupled with Mari\u2019s unparalleled expertise, deep-rooted passion for Japanese Hip Hop and visionary leadership, we are confident that ‘PLAYCODE’ will serve as a beacon for the entire Japanese hip-hop community, fostering creativity, collaboration, and innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n Believe<\/a> published its most recent financial results for Q3 2023 in October, reporting that across its entire business, the company, which trades on the Paris Euronext<\/a>, generated\u00a0EUR \u20ac215 million\u00a0<\/strong>($234m),<\/strong>\u00a0representing growth of\u00a09.1% YoY.<\/strong><\/p>\n On an organic basis (at a like-for-like perimeter and constant exchange rate), Believe\u2019s revenues grew\u00a07.5% YoY.<\/strong><\/p>\n Believe breaks down its global operations into two divisions:<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/files\/2021\/12\/Sylvain-Delange-MDofAPAC-2-Credits-Syafiq-Abdul-Latiff-Apit-1-scaled-e1639496771967-80x45.jpg)
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