In the world of music, camaraderie and collaboration can always bring out some of the best songs in every artist. And if there’s one thing that many of the past year’s chart-topping hits have taught us, it’s that team-ups between beloved artists have the major potential to create waves, one way or another.

Enter “KAWASAKI” – the fast-paced rap single from rising Japanese boy group ONE OR EIGHT composed of MIZUKI, NEO, REIA, RYOTA, SOUMA, TAKERU, TSUBASA and YUGA. Originally released last June 2024 as ONE OR EIGHT’s pre-debut track, the Billboard Japan Heatseekers Songs chart No. 1 was recently revamped, with the J-pop up-and-comers having joined forces with Grammy-nominated and 7-time BET Award-winning American rapper Big Sean. And sure enough, this collaboration between them took the already viral track to a whole other level, with its music video particularly gaining more than 9 million hits in just a month alone.

Marking his first time ever working with any Japanese artist, Big Sean notably had nothing to say but praise for the rising octet, describing them as “on the leading edge of the J-pop scene and just getting started.” But what exactly led to this one-of-a-kind team-up?

To find out the answer, Billboard Philippines caught up with both ONE OR EIGHT and Big Sean last year to discuss how this collaboration came to be, what was it like working with each other, the possibility of collaborating on more songs in the future, and more.

Billboard Philippines: Congratulations on the release of “KAWASAKI” earlier this month. Tell us, how did this collaboration happen?

NEO: To start off, “KAWASAKI”, we released it about a month prior to our debut, and it amassed over 10 million views, and we were really baffled by the reception of it! Afterwards we received a lot of comments wanting for “KAWASAKI” to be released on DSPs (Digital Streaming Platforms). So we were preparing to release a revamped version, like an upgraded version, of “KAWASAKI”. 

And while we were on our journey to release “KAWASAKI”, we had the opportunity to be able to perform in front of Big Sean. And so, we shot a shot, and offered him to have a verse on our revamped version, and he gave us a generous yes!

Big Sean: I got to see ONE OR EIGHT perform when they were in [Los Angeles] and it was obvious that they were superstars for real. As soon as I heard the song, I knew I had to jump on it.

Courtesy of Avex Asia Music and Secret Signals

In relation to that, for the members of ONE OR EIGHT, “Kawasaki” was originally your pre-debut track that became viral and topped charts in Japan. How did it feel when you found out you were creating a new version with Big Sean?

SOUMA: We were super surprised at first that such a legendary artist would collaborate with us, because we’re newcomers, and then, of course, we were also happy. So it was definitely a mix of emotions. But overall, it was a combination of being super surprised and happy for us. 

For Big Sean, the members of ONE OR EIGHT are officially the first Japanese artists you’ve collaborated with. What was it like working with them on this track?

BIG SEAN: ONE OR EIGHT are just total pros who made it easy for me to come in and do my thing. We really had a vibe going which I think is evident when you watch the video. These guys are on the leading edge of the J-pop scene and just getting started. I see big things in store for them and it’s cool to be a part of their journey.

What important lessons did you learn while working on this song that you believe have greatly helped you improve as artists?

SOUMA: So personally, on releasing this new version and getting to work with Big Sean, I learned that, you know, even though he’s like a super legendary artist, he was very humble. So that also motivated me. And, you know, if we ever come big, to always stay humble.

With a major collaboration like this, are there plans of performing the song together live soon? In addition, could there be more possible collaborations between ONE OR EIGHT and Big Sean?

NEO: We definitely look forward to it. And we really hope we could collaborate on a different track again, with Big Sean. It was truly a baffling experience, so we hope we get to have another crazy feature like this again.

Courtesy of Avex Asia Music and Secret Signals

Finally, for both ONE OR EIGHT and Big Sean, what message do you have for your fans and listeners in the Philippines, especially those who are only discovering you now with “KAWASAKI”?

NEO: We’ve traveled through multiple Southeast Asian countries prior to our debut, but the Philippines was the one country we couldn’t visit due to our schedule. But we are really looking forward to it – we actually have an upcoming mini tour, ‘Page One Shukai’ (“shukai”, which means “a gathering” in Japanese), and we really hope we can go to the Philippines. 

So yeah, we really look forward to performing in the Philippines and meeting our fans there. Please check out our new track, “KAWASAKI” with Big Sean!

BIG SEAN: Thanks for all the love and support on “KAWASAKI.” It’s been dope to see such a positive reaction to both the song and video. Hopefully I can get out there soon!

Listen to ONE OR EIGHT and Big Sean’s “KAWASAKI” below: