Rich Brian Marks a Decade in Music, Reflecting on Viral Rise to Global Hip-Hop Stardom

Image for Rich Brian Marks a Decade in Music, Reflecting on Viral Rise to Global Hip-Hop Stardom

Indonesian rapper Rich Brian, born Brian Imanuel Soewarno, recently marked his tenth anniversary in the music industry, reflecting on his journey from internet sensation to an internationally recognized artist. In a social media post, the 25-year-old artist expressed gratitude to his fans, stating, "> just realized this means ive officially been doing music for 10 years now im old as fuckkk wow. thank u thank u for growing with me, to 10 more years :)."

Brian's musical career officially began with the release of his debut track, "Living the Dream," on July 17, 2015, under his initial moniker, Rich Chigga. His breakthrough came in March 2016 with the viral hit "Dat $tick," which garnered international attention and was later certified gold by the RIAA. This early success quickly propelled him into the global hip-hop scene.

A pivotal moment in his career was signing with 88rising, a mass media company dedicated to promoting Asian artists. In 2018, he released his debut studio album, Amen, which made history by becoming the first album by an Asian artist to reach number one on the iTunes Hip-Hop charts. He officially changed his stage name to Rich Brian in January 2018, moving past the controversial "Rich Chigga" identity.

Over the past decade, Rich Brian has continued to evolve his sound, releasing subsequent projects like The Sailor (2019) and the EP 1999 (2020). His influence expanded further with contributions to the soundtrack for Marvel's "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" in 2021, featuring tracks such as "Run It." He has collaborated with numerous prominent artists, including 21 Savage, Kris Wu, Joji, and Rick Ross.

In recent developments, Rich Brian is preparing for a single concert in Jakarta as part of his Asian tour, supporting his latest album, WHERE IS MY HEAD?. Ticket sales for the November 29 event at the Beach City International Stadium were temporarily postponed due to ongoing demonstrations in the region, with Brian assuring fans of updates. The artist, who taught himself English primarily through YouTube, continues to be a significant figure in showcasing Asian talent on the global music stage.