Hot 97 Expands To Tokyo - Pollstar News

The Hot 97 Summer Jam concert promoters have made a deal with Japan’s Avex Live Creative to present a version of the popular hip-hop mini-festival in Tokyo in July.

According to Patrick Walsh, president of Emmis Communications, the concert will “reinforce” Hot 97’s “global awareness.” “Hot 97 has a passionate following in Japan,” the statement went on. “And hip-hop is experiencing enormous growth in popularity among Japanese millennials. We look forward to working with our partners to deliver an authentic Hot 97 Summer Jam experience to the growing legion of Japanese hip-hop fans and share the experience with our American listeners as we promote the groundbreaking event to our audience in New York and all over the United States.

Our goal is to add another significant event to a country so rich in history and culture.” The event takes place July 29 at Zepp Tokyo on the Tokyo waterfront. The lineup has yet to be announced. In other Japanese festival news, Fuji Rock, which takes place at the Naeba Ski Resort July 22-24, added a mess of new acts last weekend: Wilco, Boredoms, The Album Leaf, Travis, Stereophonics, and half a dozen Japanese artists.