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Far East Movement | |
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 Far East Movement in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles,California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels |
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| Members |
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| Website | fareastmovement |
Far East Movement (abbreviatedFM) is an Americanhip-hop andelectronic music group based inLos Angeles, composed of Kev Nish, Prohgress, J-Splif, Jon Street, Ray Ro, DJ Virman, and Jerm Beats.[1] They signed withMartin Kierszenbaum's Cherrytree Records, an imprint ofInterscope Records, to release their 2010 single "Like a G6" (featuringThe Cataracs andDev), which peaked at #1 on theBillboard Hot 100,[2] making them the firstAsian American group to reach number one on the chart.[3][4] Their follow-up single, "Rocketeer" (featuringRyan Tedder), peaked at number seven and led their third album and major label debut,Free Wired (2010). It performed moderately on theBillboard 200, while their fourth album,Dirty Bass (2012) saw a steep commercial decline, although its lead single, "Live My Life" (featuringJustin Bieber) reached number 24 on theBillboard Hot 100.
The group's fifth album,Identity (2016) focused on bridging Eastern artists with the group's Western dance music roots. Released independently, the album received positive reviews and spawned the single "Freal Luv" (withMarshmello featuringTinashe andChanyeol). Far East Movement has also branched out with a number of collaborations on labelsMinistry of Sound,Dim Mak Records, andUltra Records.
In 2016, Far East Movement's company, Transparent Arts (TA), moved into artist management. TA manages seven artists of various genres, including Korean-American K-pop artistTiffany Young, rappersDumbfoundead and Year of the Ox, DJ producers Yultron and Autolaser, and singer Satica.[5] The artists have garnered millions of social media plays, sold out national tours, and have released tracks through labels Owsla, Spinnin', Armada, and Universal. They launched a joint label, BredNButter, with YouTube channel Trap City. BredNButter's releases have amassed millions of plays in total in a little over a year of existence. They also founded Identity Festival, a festival celebrating Asian American Heritage with the City of Los Angeles on the steps of City Hall which gathered over 10,000 attendees in 2018 with headlinersMike Shinoda ofLinkin Park and K-pop singerJay Park.
The three original members of Far East Movement, Kevin Nishimura (Kev Nish), James Roh (Prohgress), and Jae Choung (J-Splif), grew up in theDowntown Los Angeles area. They were close companions in high school and shared a passion for music together.[6] The trio promoted their music online and began performing at local clubs and events in Los Angeles; soon, they began their musical career with the name "Emcees Anonymous" by 2001. However, they later changed it to Far East Movement or FM, originating from a song that they produced with the same name.[7] In 2003, they organised an event called "Movementality" inKoreatown, Los Angeles, featuring ten different performances with all the proceeds sent to a local youth drug rehabilitation center.
In 2005, Far East Movement released a mixtape calledAudio-Bio, which was one of their first CDs and contained many of their earliest songs and many songs not available anywhere else. Their first album, titledFolk Music, was released in early 2006.[8] The single "Round Round" was featured in the film,The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, appearing both on the self-titledsoundtrack and video game. This critical breakout was the catalyst that cemented their decision to pursue music as a full-time career.[9] Their songs "Get Offa Me" and "Make Ya Self" were featured inThe Fast and the Furious video game. They proceeded to perform on two world tours (including USA, South America, Canada, and Asia), and they signed distribution deals in Japan and Korea withAvex Network and JF Productions for their album.
In 2007, they were featured in theSundance Film Festival film calledFinishing the Game, making the song "Satisfaction" for the film.[1] They also released the single "You've Got A Friend" featuringLil Rob andBaby Bash, which became their first song on major national radio.
LA's radio station Power 106 DJ, DJ Virman, came to the group as their official DJ. They released another single titled "Lowridin" that received heavy airplay in 2009. Soon after, they planned on showcasing a second album, releasingAnimal later on in the same year.Animal featured three hit singles that frequently won national radio play: "You’ve Got A Friend", "Lowridin", and the successful "Girls on the Dance Floor". "Girls on the Dance Floor" reached 27 on theBillboard chart for the Latin Rhythm Airplay, which marked their debut on the Billboard's charts.[10]
There were several collaborations on theAnimal album, includingThe Stereotypes,Lil Rob,Baby Bash,Wiz Khalifa, Bionik,MC Jin, 24/8, IZ, DB Tonik, Jah Free, andBruno Mars, that made his first appearance on an official track for the first time on the track "3D".[11] Their songs from theAnimal album were featured in major film and television on multiple occasions. FM's single "Girls on the Dance Floor" has been played on MTV'sAmerica's Best Dance Crew on the Season 4 Finale during a performance with Artistry In Motion, Vogue Evolution andWe Are Heroes. It was also featured onGet Him to the Greek, FOX'sSo You Think You Can Dance and on the 7th episode ofCSI: Miami Season 8. In addition, "Dance Like Michael Jackson" was aired on ABC Family'sLincoln Heights on November 10, 2009 and on theGossip Girl episode, "Dan de Fleurette". "I Party" was highlighted on FOX's TV seriesLie To Me and "Fetish" was on Spike TV's Guy's Choice Awards 2009. "Girls on the Dance Floor" has attained over 5 million hits on Myspace while attracting over 8 million views on YouTube.
Streetwear company Orisue teamed up with Far East Movement and helped shoot a music video for "Lowridin". In May 2009, Far East Movement joined the Korean hip hop groupEpik High on their "Map the Soul" tour throughout the U.S. They then held their first headlining concert at the Roxy Theater in Hollywood by July 2009, which resulted in a sold-out show. Together withWong Fu Productions, FM has established another three sold-out "International Secret Agents" concerts titled as "ISA", hosted inSan Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York in order to promote Asian American artists in the media with performances byQuest Crew,Poreotics,Jay Park, and others.
FM's mixtapeParty Animal was released on the first date ofLMFAO's Party Rock Tour. Their two singles, "Girls on the Dance Floor" and "2 is Better w/Ya Boy", garnered successful radio airplay. They later announced that they were working on a new album with Grammy nominated producers, The Stereotypes, who had produced their hit track, "Girls on the Dance Floor".
In February 2010, Far East Movement signed a major record deal withCherrytree Records, a subsidiary ofInterscope Records.[12] They were managed at the time by Ted Chung and Russell Redeaux of Stampede Management.
Later in the same year, the group supportedRobyn andKelis on their double headlining tour along withDan Black, in addition to being announced as the opening act ofLady Gaga's tour on the Japanese leg ofThe Monster Ball Tour.[13] Furthermore, their previous hit track, "Girls on the Dancefloor" & "Fetish", was featured inPiranha 3D, yet it was not slotted into the film's soundtrack.
Their 2010 "ISA" shows in New York and LA were held on August 28 and September 5 respectively. They performed their songs alongside acts byAJ Rafael,Jay Park,Wong Fu Productions,Poreotics andQuest Crew (both winners fromAmerica's Best Dance Crew),David Choi, Jennifer Chung,David Garibaldi, Lydia Paek, and more.
From September 13 until mid-October, the group was one of the opening acts for the Up In The Air Tour withMike Posner, across various cities in North America.[14][15]
Free Wired, their debut album from Cherrytree/Interscope Records, was released on October 12, 2010. The album includes collaborations withKeri Hilson,Lil Jon,Snoop Dogg (a song co-written byBruno Mars),Mohombi,Colette Carr,Natalia Kills,Koda Kumi, andRyan Tedder fromOneRepublic.[16]
In the October 30, 2010, edition ofBillboard Magazine, their single featuringthe Cataracs andDev titled "Like a G6" peaked at number one on theBillboard Hot 100 as well asiTunes.[2] While gathering success for both their album and single, they were featured in a series of tour dates with their Cherrytree/Interscope Record label mate,La Roux, in November 2010.[17]
On November 20, it was confirmed that the group had reached thedouble Platinum status for "Like a G6", collecting two million in sales.[18] Their second single which was released for airplay as a follow-up to "Like A G6" was "Rocketeer", which featuredRyan Tedder.[19][20]
The group was awardedBest International Artist in the2010 M.net Asian Music Awards.[21]
The group toured withRihanna andCalvin Harris from late February to early March, as part of Rihanna'sLast Girl on Earth Tour.[22] Right after the tour ended, the group began headlining their own tour, The Free Wired World Tour. The group visitedManila,Jakarta,Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore,Seoul,Hamburg andBangkok. The group were due to tour selected venues in the United Kingdom in early July but cancelled these dates due to recording commitments. However, they performed at the BarclaycardWireless Festival on July 1 in London.
Far East Movement toured withLil Wayne on the I Am Still Music tour.[23] On tour, the group took out a second tour bus to work on their second album under the Cherrytree Records label.[24]
Their second major label album,Dirty Bass, was released on May 18, 2012. The lead single from the album was "Live My Life", featuringJustin Bieber. It was more successful than the original first single "Jello".[25] The single was released on February 28, 2012, with the release of the music video on March 23, 2012. The video was shot on the streets of Amsterdam, and directed by Mickey Finnegan.[26]
Far East Movement also worked with producers such asDavid Guetta, Cherry Cherry Boom Boom (aka Cherrytree founder/president Martin Kierszenbaum),will.i.am andRedOne. In September 2012, the group performed inCharlotte withPerez Hilton as part of the2012 Democratic National Convention. On October 22, 2012, they released a new single, "For All" which they then performed at then President Barack Obama's re-election inauguration.
Far East Movement also performed the official theme song for the first season of the American-Japanese animated seriesMonsuno, which airs in the United States onNicktoons.
In January 2013, "Get Up (Rattle)," a song by theBingo Players on which they were featured, topped the charts in the United Kingdom. It remained at the top of theUK Singles Chart for two weeks before being dethroned by "Thrift Shop" byMacklemore &Ryan Lewis. "Turn Up the Love", a track from "Dirty Bass", reached the top 5 on the overall singles charts in over a dozen countries.
On April 29, 2013, Far East Movement released the song "Lovetron", featuringTravis Garland. On June 2, 2013, they released the song "The Illest", featuringRiff Raff. On January 9, 2014, they released the song "Bang It To The Curb", featuringSidney Samson. Their EPKTown Riot was released on October 28, 2014.
On September 21, 2016,S.M Entertainment, one of the largest entertainment companies inSouth Korea, announced thatChanyeol, from popularK-pop bandEXO, would be collaborating with Far East Movement in their track "Freal Luv", which also featuresTinashe andMarshmello.[27]
On October 10, 2016,Starship Entertainment announced thatHyolyn, fromK-pop girl-groupSistar, would be featured in a new song titled "Umbrella".
Both songs were included in the band's fifth studio album,Identity, released on October 21. It features various Korean artists, such asTiffany fromGirls' Generation, rappersYoon Mi-rae,Jay Park,Loco and R&B groupUrban Zakapa, along with American singer-songwriterMacy Gray, rapperSoulja Boy and credits from British singer-producerMNEK.[28]Identity debuted at #1 on the globaliTunes dance charts.[citation needed] Themusic video for "Freal Luv" was viewed over 30 million times onYouTube.
On October 14, 2016, Far East Movement released "We Out Here" featuringBlackbear and Thurz.
On November 23, 2016, Far East Movement announced thatJ-Splif had left the group due to family reasons.
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On October 26, 2018, Far East Movement released a song titled "Bamboo" which features vocals fromJason Zhang andKina Grannis.
On February 8, 2019, Far East Movement released a single titled "Blossoms" which features Troop Brand and Chinese rapperVava.
On March 14, 2019, Far East Movement released a single titled "Lovebird" which featuresLay.
On April 19, 2019, Far East Movement released a single titled "Paint the Clouds" which features vocals fromTia Ray.
On June 21, 2019, Far East Movement released a single titled "Maps", featuring Diamond, Starchild Yeezo, and Rell the Soundbender.
On July 26, 2019, Far East Movement released a single titled "Glue", featuringHeize andShawn Wasabi.
| Award | Year | Nominee(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Music Awards | 2011 | "Like a G6" | Top Rap Song | Nominated | [29] |
| International Dance Music Awards | 2011 | Far East Movement | Best Break-Through Artist (Group) | Nominated | [30] |
| "Like a G6" | Best Rap/Hip-Hop Dance Track | Won | |||
| MTV Europe Music Awards | 2011 | Far East Movement | Best New Act | Nominated | [31] |
| Best Push Act | Nominated |
| Year | TV/Movie | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "Far East Movement FUTURA" onYouTube | Themselves | Evan Jackson Leong |
| 2010 | "Love Kills xx: Episode 3" onYouTube | Mobsters | Natalia Kills |
| "Free Wired Episode 1 – Downtown L.A is Home" onYouTube | Themselves | DPD, Casey Chan | |
| 2011 | So Random! | Musical Guest (Themselves) | |
| 2012 | America's Best Dance Crew | Musical Guest (Themselves) | |
| Mac & Devin Go to High School | Detention Students | Jeff Hard | |
| 2015 | Hell's Kitchen | Dining Room Guests (Themselves) | Sharon Trojan Hollinger |
DJ Virman joined the group in 2009. Before joining Far East Movement, he was working as a DJ for the Power 106 radio station in Los Angeles.
On November 23, 2016, the group announced that J-Splif had left due to family issues.[32]
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
