Japanese hip-hop duo CREEPY NUTS, composed of R-Shitei, a three-time national rap battle champion, and DJ Matsunaga, 2019 DMC World DJ Champion have spent over a decade building a reputation grounded in technical skill, live performance strength, and international touring experience.
Their career reached a new global milestone on April 10, 2026, with their debut performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California.
This year’s festival featured headliners including Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G. Among a diverse international lineup, CREEPY NUTS represented Japan alongside Fujii Kaze and ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U. The duo closed the Gobi Stage on Day 1, marking a prominent position for their first appearance at the festival.
Performing entirely in Japanese, they delivered a minimal yet highly technical set built on pure execution: one microphone, two turntables, and no reliance on visual spectacle. Introduced on the livestream as “Japan’s Best MC” and “World’s Best DJ,” they opened with “Biriken”, followed by crowd engagement moments during “Yofukashi no Uta”, where R-Shitei adapted lyrics to reference Coachella directly. The energy continued through “Daten,” which echoed the call-and-response dynamics of their arena shows in Japan.
A key moment came with “japanese”, a track addressing and rejecting stereotypical representations of Japanese culture. Its lyrics challenged simplified global imagery while affirming identity on their own terms, delivering a confident cultural statement rather than a defensive one.
The set reached its peak with “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born,” their global breakout hit, which has surpassed 900 million streams worldwide. The audience responded with synchronized choreography and full-voice participation, despite the song being performed entirely in Japanese. The momentum continued with tracks including “Katsute Tensai Datta Oretachi e” and “Otonoke”, reinforcing that their appeal extends beyond a single viral moment.
CREEPY NUTS’ international rise follows years of domestic success. After the global breakout of “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born”, they became the first act to occupy the entire Top 3 of the Billboard Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan chart simultaneously. In 2025, they performed at Tokyo Dome to a crowd of approximately 50,000 fans, solidifying their status in Japan before expanding further abroad.
While anime exposure contributed to global visibility, their trajectory is rooted in long-term development through Japan’s rap battle scene, festival circuits, and international touring. At Coachella, DJ Matsunaga delivered a championship-level scratch performance while R-Shitei maintained precise, high-speed lyrical delivery, reinforcing their reputation for technical excellence.
Before closing the set, R-Shitei reflected on the group’s journey from Japan to a global stage, expressing gratitude for the audience’s connection to their music despite the language barrier. The performance ended in a large-scale singalong under the desert sky, marking a defining moment for Japanese-language hip-hop on one of the world’s biggest stages.
The appearance also launched CREEPY NUTS’ first North American headline tour, including stops in New York, Chicago, a return to Coachella for Weekend 2, and Mexico City.
Source: Press Release
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