88rising

"88 is double happiness."

- 88rising

88rising (stylized as 88⬆ or 88↑), formerly known as CXSHXNLY, is an American mass media company that founder Sean Miyashiro describes as a "hybrid management, record label, video production, and marketing company".

The company has gained popularity as a musical platform and label primarily for Asian artists, such as NIKI, Keith Ape, Rich Brian (formerly Rich Chigga), Joji (formerly on YouTube as Filthy Frank), and Higher Brothers. Miyashiro said that the record label is "not a core part of our business, but it's part of it" and that they are "really a media/video content focused company at heart".

Headquartered in New York City, the company also has offices in Los Angeles and Shanghai. Outside of its core group, the company has collaborated with many artists, most notably Ghostface Killah, 21 Savage, XXXTentacion, Trippie Redd, Ski Mask the Slump God, Kris Wu, and Yaeji.

History
88rising was founded in 2015 by Sean Miyashiro & Jaeson Ma. The company first started as a music collective and management company called CXSHXNLY which oversees and began to make contact with up-and-coming artists that they found on the internet. CXSHXNLY inaugural artists includes Brian Puspos, Dumbfoundead, Josh Pan, and Okasian. Miyashiro said that their music collective goal is "to become the most wavy, iconic crew" and "trying to represent for not only Asian immigrants, but for all immigrants".

In 2015, Dumbfoundead showed Miyashiro the music video of Keith Ape's single titled "It G Ma", Miyashiro began to work with both artists to release the remix version of the single which features A$AP Ferg, Father, and Waka Flocka Flame.[5] The single was released on July 27, 2015, by OWSLA and the music video was premiered by Complex.[10][11] The single helped the company raised its first round of funding from a group of investors led by Allen DeBevoise, founder of the venture capital firm Third Wave Digital.

In May 2016, the company uploaded its first video content on YouTube as 88rising and began to work with other artists such as Rich Brian, Joji, and Higher Brothers.

In May 2017, WPP announced that it has made a strategic investment in 88rising. In November 2017, 88rising announced a tour across Asia featuring Rich Brian, Joji, and Higher Brothers with stops in nine major Asian cities: Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Jakarta.

In 2018, the label hosted the 88 Degrees and Rising tour. The show's lineup included a roster of diverse hip-hop and R&B acts from both the US and Asia. 88rising's lineup featured Don Krez, Sen Morimoto, AUGUST 08, KOHH, NIKI, Higher Brothers, Joji, and Rich Brian, making the concert seem more like a full-length music festival.

In 2018, 88rising presented the North American tour at The Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, The Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles, and Terminal 5 in New York City. The tour featured Rich Brian (formerly Rich Chigga), Joji (formerly on YouTube as Filthy Frank), Keith Ape, and Higher Brothers with surprise guest appearances from other artists such as Charli XCX and Ski Mask the Slump God.

On July 20, 2018, 88rising released their first compilation album titled Head in the Clouds. The album contains 17 compilation tracks featuring its label core roster and guest appearances from other artists including GoldLink, Playboi Carti, BlocBoy JB, 03 Greedo, and Verbal.

On July 17, 2019, Billboard (magazine) announced 88Rising's Head In The Clouds music festival for Saturday, August 17, 2019, at Los Angeles State Historic Park with an additional dance music stage and an expanded lineup of music artists.

Current artists

 * Dumbfoundead
 * Higher Brothers
 * Joji
 * Keith Ape
 * Lexie Liu
 * NIKI
 * Rich Brian
 * AUGUST 08
 * Don Krez
 * Stephanie Poetri
 * ikon

Former artists

 * Brian Puspos
 * Josh Pan
 * Okasian

Release on the label

 * Rina Sawayama
 * Sen Morimoto
 * Yaeji
 * CL (singer)