The internet moves fast. One day, you’re a junior high school kid making a rap song based around the word “pussy,” the next you are somehow filming a video with a handful of established Japanese rappers who want in on your meme-ability. The beauty of digital life! That’s the story of pint-sized MC Taro Ninja, a Fukuoka kid behind one of 2018’s bigger surprises. And now, hip-hop staples Jin Dogg, MonyHorse, Shurkn Pap, and A-THUG have jumped on a remix of the number with Taro Ninja. Watch the no-really-this-is-happening video below.
How did it come to this? Last September, Taro Ninja uploaded the original version of “Pussy” to SoundCloud. The song carries energy falling somewhere between American SoundCloud rap and the glee of middle schooler learning a curse word for the first time, but the song is actually about bullying. Taro Ninja has been picked on, and he’s using this new-to-him term as a way of punching back at his tormentors.
This one didn’t go viral because of an anti-bullying message, however. It caught fire in part because “Pussy” displays a lot of energy and a pretty earwormy hook. Oh, and it’s also done by a tween. To date, it has racked up over 240,000 plays on SoundCloud. It netted Taro Ninja the chance to play various live shows across the country, and he filmed a hyped-up video for it that did even better on YouTube. Watch that below.
And now, Taro Ninja gets to hang out with other Japanese rappers and gets to flex in front of some nice looking cars. Kids having a great time, and the whole thing is pretty fun! Still, if you want to cast some doubts on this remix, look towards the adults using a junior high schooler’s viral song as a trampoline to attention (and it’s working, with this remix crashing the YouTube trending list…something none of these older MC’s have done on their own).
Plus, I kind of think Taro Ninja outshines all of them here. The teen just keeps it simple and comes off as enjoying himself the most, while everyone else just keeps riffing off all his lines. Jin Dogg’s snarled verse is second best, A-THUG’s horned-up contribution being the least essential.
Still, whatever you think of this remix, give it up to Taro Ninja, who is living it up far more than the majority of junior high schoolers out there.