Meet Far*East Movement
Prohgress, Kev Nish, J-Splif and DJ Virman are Far*East Movement, a hip-hop/rap group that has been making waves in the American music industry since 2006. The quartet recently performed at New York City’s Irving Plaza with Epik High for the FM/Epik High Map the Soul tour. That’s where the group was a few weeks ago, rocking a sold out show in NYC, the birthplace of hip-hop. And that’s where I first saw the raw energy and power they brought to the stage and imbued in their enthusiastic, feverish audience. 2006 saw the release of their first album, “Folk Music” and their song “Round Round” made it into “Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift”. Since then, they released their sophomore album, “Animal” in 2008 and their music has been in television shows “CSI: NY”, “CSI: Miami”, video game “Scratch: The Ultimate DJ” and HBO show “Entourage”.
I talked to Prohgress (James Roh) on the phone and this unfailingly polite rapper gave me the 411 on everything Far*East Movement.
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It started out with Kevin Nishimura (Kev Nish), James Roh (Prohgress) and Jae Choung (J-Splif), friends in high school…
We started off just messing around, doing freestyles in parking lots, things like that, you know, we were just having fun doing it. And then one day one of our friends actually convinced us to go and record a song together with him. So we jumped on the song, that was so much fun that we decided to put our own little recording studio together. Of course, it really wasn’t much. It was just a computer and really beat up mic [laughs] and we made a couple songs. And then we met Virman a couple years later, when we started doing a lot more live shows. We didn’t think that Virman would actually give us the time of day. He’s a big Radio DJ (for LA’s Power 106) and he’s, like, legendary for scratching and all that. But he really liked our work ethic and stuff like that and he decided to jump in.
SB: I know you want to raise the Asian-American profile in the US, how do you go about that?
I think a lot of it has to do with us putting in the work that we do. Because when we were younger we didn’t have a lot of Asian-American representation, other than, like, Mr. Miyagi and Bruce Lee . So something like being a musician or an actor or anything like being an entertainer other than, you know, the more typecast roles, is hard and didn’t seem like an achievable goal. It’s really grown a lot in the last few years and it’s not just us doing our music and doing our best to represent our people, but also through supporting other people; which is why we have things like the International Secret Agents concert [with Wong Fu Productions], where we showcase Asian-American talents. And there’s people like, you know, Wong Fu productions and David Choi, who have built these fan bases, and by us being able to create these platforms really helps with that. I think it’s worth noting too, I think that dance, the Asians that are representing in dance are huge right now. With Quest and the JabbawockeeZ, the Jabbawockeez are pretty much as mainstream as you can get.
SB: The hand symbol, what does it mean?
At first we were just doing peace signs or whatever, for pictures and stuff like that. And then one of our friends actually showed us the sign language symbol for “F” and the hand sign for it is pretty much the symbol we have except that the fingers are a little close together. So, just to make it a little more easy on the eye we opened it up. It also represents the three fingers as the three mcs and other one looks like a d for DJ. Now it’s just like the peace sign where everything’s cool it’s all going to be okay. Some people think it’s a gang symbol, like “oh those guys are bad people” but no it’s not like that at all, it’s just, sometimes you need something to do with your hand [laughs].
SB: Tell me about your nicknames.
Kev Nish has gone through, like, 70,000 different names. His first name I think was like, TechNishAn, and then it became all kinds of different names but in the end he just kind of decided to go with his name just as it is.
J-Splif’s… You can kind of figure that one out for what it is. [laughs]
Virman: That’s his actual name, it’s a mix between his mom’s name and his dads name.
For mine, I couldn’t think of a good name for the longest time, people were thinking of really stupid names for me. Like, one guy wanted to call me Rolodex because I knew a lot of information. I realized that leaving my name in the hands of others probably wasn’t going to be the best thing. I listened to a lot of rock when I was younger, and there was a British band by the name of The Lost Prophets, and they have a song called “The Fake Sound of Progress”. When they’re singing it in the chorus they say “progress” but they say it with like a long “o” so it goes (sings) “Proooooooh-greeeees”. I’m also all about advancing and always making sure we’re going forward.
SB: How old are you guys?
We are 1000 years-old
SB: Nice. Nice.
SB: Prohgress, Why’d you get that law degree?
Actually, I hated music until I was in like college because my parents are both musicians and I told [them] I’d do anything but music. I stink at math, I stink at science, the only thing I’m good at is talking. So I figured I’d be a lawyer. But after I started making music with my friends and started focusing on hip-hop and that kind of music it really just sparked something in me.
SB: You went to Korea, how was that?
It was a learning experience. It was kind of a culture shock. There’s little things that you have to do, like you have to introduce yourself before you really get started performing. We didn’t know that. So during our first couple of shows we’d start performing and people would be walking away from us and we were like “what’s going on here?” But we watched other musicians and saw the things that they did and once we started implementing those things there was a big difference.
SB: You went to Century at the Cannes Film Festival with Wong Fu Productions…
That was a lot of fun. When we performed, George Clooney and Jude Law were in the audience.
SB: The Map the Soul Tour in NYC was hot as hell but you guys killed it.
It was amazing. The cool thing was, everyone always asks, “what was your favorite show?”, and my response to that was, “every show was amazing”. The New York show, it was–the energy there was just bananas–it was overwhelming. It was literally the hottest show, by far. [laughs]
SB: How was New York?
I love New York. If Los Angeles didn’t exist it’d be the next place that I’d want to move to. I love being there. I loved everything about it. The thing is you don’t have to teach people about hip-hop in New York. In different places you kinda gotta get them into it. Like when you say, “Do my ladies run this mother?” People in New York would be like, “Helllll yeah!” But people in like Seattle will be like, “Oooooooh”. New York is–you just can’t beat–it’s the mecca of hip hop, it’s the mecca of music and intellectual people, so it was an amazing experience.
On Fans and Accidental crowd surfing
Interesting thing that happened to me once was, we were doing this Chinese New Years festival three years back, and this little, little girl gave me this little square of jade. I kept it in my pocket for every concert for the next year and half. It was really dope but the sad part is that I lost it and the next show I tripped and fell over and went into the crowd.
SB: You guys are really chill with your fans.
When we started performing we, literally, were performing in front of 4 people. Like, sometimes there’d be less people in the crowd than onstage. So the fact that anybody is willing to listen to our music, it’s such a blessing that we have to make sure that we treat them as [family]. Whenever a fan acknowledges us, it’s really cool to me and it just really blows me away. Whenever a fan can like rap a song with us or has a favorite song, that’s amazing.
SB: Tell me about “Animal”, your sophmore album
“Animal” was a real building process, a year long process when we were really creating that thing. We’re learning more as we go along. And I think we have a better idea for what our sound should be and that’s why we’re really excited about jumping in on a lot of new songs these days. Yesterday, we hooked up with Hyper Crush and then made a song with Ya Boy the other day–who has a huge following in Los Angeles–called “We Run LA”. We’re really excited about making new music but at the same time we’re really proud of “Animal”. Excited and happy that so much cool stuff is happening, like how we got “Animal” on the new “Scratch” video game and “Fetish” got on “CSI: New York”.
SB: You guys are huge foodies, what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever eaten?
The duck fetus would pretty much do it. That was a pretty crazy thing because the thing was, first of all: you’re not supposed to take the fetus out of the egg and you’re not supposed to eat the fetus itself, just the yolk.
Second of all: the fetus is not supposed to be that developed.
Third of all: you’re supposed to cook the egg a lot more so it’s not so freaking bloody.
So it was a combination of grossness when it came to that egg. I have nothing against chicken and duck, because I frikkin love that stuff, but when it’s a little baby thing it kind of makes you feel bad… and like you could see the wing and everything… it was pretty gross.
SB: What’s Next?
We’re focusing on promoting our album and “Girls on the Dance Floor”. Hopefully, we’ll have that song go national because we want to make as many people hear it as possible. We’re continuing to do shows, we’re going on the Party Rock tour with LMFAO, we’re making a whole bunch of new music right now and consistently doing what we’re doing. This is our job, this is what we want to do for the rest of our lives–be in music for the rest of our lives. This is how we’re going to be feeding our families in the future. We just gotta stay consistent, keep growing and grow our fanbase, our families, our friends and people that are good with us. Hopefully, we’ll just really help proliferate what we’re doing and help build the Asian-American community and people that support us as a whole.
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That is Far*East Movement and whether you want to “Dance Like Michael Jackson”, be one of the “Girls on the Dance Floor” or maybe even be an “Animal” Far*East Movement is the group for you.
Check them out at their website, facebook and myspace.
oh snap i’m actually listning 2 their track millionaire rite now lol!… FM are awsome. i ♥ the guys…i’m in love with Kev Nish his a hottie..lol
fuck the asian american movement.
your just a bunch of wannabes who are trying to take over black people’s place in hip hop.
alot of asians hate black people with a passion, but they love hip hop and hip hop dancing which is twisted and backwards as fck! if i hated a group of people and held these impressions of these people as a group, do you think i would embrace or have anything to do with their culture and creations? HELL NO
Making waves in america? Lolllll I didn’t hear about them untill I surfed the Korean MTV iggy page xD
Then again…. I’m not a radio listener and am pretty “behind” ( as my friends tell me) on the American music scene.
They seem pretty good from the song I heard on the profile~
especially koreans you people are racists as hell!
all you younger asians who arent backwards and racists like your parents and elders more power to ya!
LMFAO @ ANGRY MEXICAN
Why you on a korean website? But I can see where your coming from, Blacks and Asians need to come together and break this cycle of hate.
Anyways far east movement who?
seoulbeats could you ask far*east movement to show 2ne1 what real hip-hop sounds like?
Ah, I love F*EM :D They’re so chill
[...] Seoulbeats brings you an interview with none other than the Far East Movement. They sat down with Prohgress and picked his brain. [...]
To “Angry ass mexican”/ 4 minute > 2nel, Snsd etc – I suggest therapy among other things. Don’t generalize or stereotype. Also, read.
LOL @ angry ass mexican / 4 minute > 2ne1, SNSD.
Fail. Try harder next time.
@angry
You’ve spelt “you’re” wrong.
It’s not “your” in that context, but “you’re”.
wow@angry ass mexican can you be any more of a retard?!
‘especially koreans you people are racist as hell!’
yet your a korean gossip blog?! WTF!?! go educate your self,stop generalization and grow a brain…
angry ass mexican= EPIC FALIER! ROFL!!!
I love FM. They came to my school and killed it! I would love to see them in concert and I am still pissed I didn’t go to the Map the soul World tour.
Kev Nish is a total hottie. A bit short, but whatevs.
I just started listening to their music and i like it. Reminds me a bit of Akon from what i heard on their myspace music. And the duck.. no thank you x__x
Love, love, LOVE this group!!! Everything about them is so genuine and so.. THEM. Music doesn’t get any more real than these guys. They make bangin’ beats, keep a fresh style, and actually COMMUNICATE with their fans. Though “making waves in the American music industry” is stretching is a bit, I definitely believe they have what it takes. These guys are the next big thing.. when they explode, it’s going to rock the entire effing world. Props, SB, for the interview!
@ angry ass mexican / 4 minute > 2ne1, SNSD etc.
Wow… ur packing a lot of hate there. personally i think it’s great for different cultures to be influenced and embrace other cultures it’s the only way we’ll beat racisim
Beasties made much cleverer stuff. If FEM are the next big thing, music is in far worse shape than previously believed.
LOVE FM. Their music is awesome…I’m sad I missed them here in NYC…
As for the duck egg w/ fetus….no thank you -.-…
i am from seattle and if i heard the words “Do my ladies run this mother?” i would definitely know what to shout and it would not be “Oooooooh”. hahah but i bet compared to nyc it would sound pretty weak.
i really like FEM-i first heard their stuff back in 2007 and it’s good to see them doing well!
That duck fetus thing is a Southeast asian dish mainly from the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Some food from third world countries can be straight disgusting(not saying all so chill). I’ve actually seen Viet friends all just devour this stuff like candy. I, on the other hand, threw up just watching them. Some of you may enjoy it, but it’s just not my thing.
Btw, FM rocks.
u know angry a$$ mexican, i agree with you and im asian.
asian americans who get into the whole hip hop thing actually hate whites more and identify with blacks and their struggles.
but asians replacing blacks is inevitable as asians will be replacing whites too. im sure we are all aware that america is no longer what it used to be LOL.
i love these guys, all there songs are so catchy !
duck egg… that’s balut. famous street food of the philippines. it’s the balut that’s been used a number of times in fear factor.
one of the members has filipino blood, i believe so it’s no surprise if he tried it even for as a dare.
yo this coming from a latin kid from NYC: these kids are nice!!! man i love how they new but still give props to the oldschool. you see it in their videos. “dance like michael jackson” is homage to the king of pop.( everybody wanted to dance like him, you know you did!) fetish tells it like it is and lowridin’ shows a side of cali we love and admire. i wish these kids all the luck in the world. it’s good to something new( who else is tired of lil’ fake?) what happened to hiphop? if anything, these guys show that hiphop is universal. Godd luck guys. you got a fan for life!
I like them alot. Ill be listening to them more often.
Just want to say that there are some very craaaazy people on here. Just sayn
I heard one of their songs when Quest crew was dancing to it! it was awesome.
Now that duck fetus was disgusting….ewwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!! I still love FM though.
@angry
Did you ever think about how music isn’t about race ? Everyone has different passions and hobbies and it really doesn’t matter what race you are . If you have the talent, then do it . People just never appreciate . Damn .
@ Angrymexican
kid, go find yourself something better to do instead of venting on a BLOG.
If your self-esteem got hurt somehow and therefore you are immaturely posting things in an asian site, then you have to deal with the problem not the people.