Awich, who has been voted top Asian rapper twice on the LiFTED 50, comes in at number three this year, but she could have easily won it again. All you have to say is she released an album produced by RZA [Okinawan Wuman] with features from RZA, FERG, Lupe Fiasco, Westside Gunn, and Joey Bada$$ and that would be a Rap, wrap.

It’s a testament to the vibrancy and global reach of Asian Hip Hop in 2026 that there are two artists who possibly had even bigger years! But don’t get it twisted, Awich absolutely crushed it, and she continues to shine fiercely on the world stage, repping Japan and Okinawa and taking zero shorts. The songwriting, production and music video for ‘Wax On, Wax Off’ featuring FERG and Lupe Fiasco is one of the best Rap records of the last year, period. When watching that video and listening to the beat and rhymes, it’s clear why RZA saw that Awich was a special one who could carry the Wu Tang flag into the future.