A year ago, Brian "Rich Chigga" Imanuel was just another kid in Jakarta, Indonesia, a city of 30 million people. His "Dat $tick" music video now has over 30 million views. Indeed, Chigga has emerged in 2016 as a global internet sensation, a fanny pack-wearing, pink polo-rocking savage, and the face of Asian hip-hop. Tory Lanez, Ghostface Killah, and Cam'ron are fans of his remorseless baritone delivery and barbaric wit. You should be too.
HNHH had the opportunity to ask the 17-year-old a few quick-hitters. Read the abridged interview below.
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You recently performed for the first time. How was it? How did it compare to your expectations?
It was amazing, can't wait to do more performance so I can get better though.
Is rap popular in Jakarta? What do your friends and family think of your fledgling rap career?
No it isn't. It's still a very underground thing but recently it's definitely been growing, my friends and my family haven't gave me anything but support, they're dope.
How do you think your approach to rap differs from someone who grew up in the United States?
That's the thing, I don't know. My perspective of rap is just what I've seen from the skewed lens of the Internet. I was 12 when I was introduced to it and I just thought it was this cool thing, it's explicit, edgy, it's a fresh air from all of the soft mainstream pop stuff I was being played over here.
Are you still in school? If so, what are your plans for when you finish school?
No, I'm home-schooled and when I say that I mean I don't do anything and I'm dumb as hell academically, but if I were to go to college, I'd take film school.
Who are your favorite rappers right now?
In all seriousness I love Orlando Brown, he's so slept on it's ridiculous.
You posted an illuminating tutorial on how to microwave bread a while back. Do you have any other video tutorials planned?
Yes, I like to learn new things and if I do learn something new I will share it.
Do you have any plans to drop a full-length project? What do you think is the next step you'll take in your music career?
For sure, I would love to drop a tape soon. I can't say much about it, though but I've been working on a lot.