Planet Asia

Restlessly prolific emcee Planet Asia is revered by underground hip-hop fans for his linguistic skills and cunning wordplay. He often combines Five Percent Nation-informed lyrics with pure bravado -- his long-standing obsession with gold chains and jewelry seems to subvert mainstream rap commercialism. Born Jason Green, the rapper rose from the uncharted hip-hop territory of Fresno, California, to become one of the stars of the West Coast "true school" generation that emerged in the late '90s. He made guest appearances on records by Peanut Butter Wolf and Dilated Peoples, and collaborated with Rasco as Cali Agents, additionally releasing solo EPs and mixtapes in front of his official debut album, 2004's The Grand Opening. He's continued to ramp up his productivity since 2010, releasing a torrent of solo albums and mixtapes as well as collaborations with Gensu Dean, 38 Spesh, Apollo Brown (2017's Anchovies and 2023 sequel Sardines), and many others.