OZworld


Reo Okuma, better known by his stage name OZworld, formerly known as R'kuma, is a Japanese rapper from Kadena, Okinawa Prefecture.

Early life

Born to parents who divorced shortly after his birth, he was raised by his mother. His first music purchase was Def Tech's CD.
Inspired by local artists, he developed an interest in street culture and began rapping during his first year of high school. He made his live debut performing at Okinawa City's "L-LINE" club during summer vacation. His 2015 collaboration with Rude-α, "CoCo ga OKINAWA", gained significant local attention.
In 2016, OZworld competed in the 9th BAZOOKA!!! High School Rap Championship, despite having dropped out of high school that February—a decision he attributed to "various reasons." At the time, he admitted, "Honestly, I wasn’t in the mood to rap," yet the event became a pivotal moment in his career.
Later that year, he returned for the 10th High School Rap Championship, which featured an all-star lineup: five past champions and eleven contestants chosen by audience votes. His back-to-back participation marked a period of artistic redefinition.

Name change

By early 2018, R'kuma felt constrained by his name’s association with battle rap. Upon releasing "Tatami", he adopted "OZworld"—a name that came to him spontaneously. This shift coincided with a deeper exploration of spirituality, influenced in part by his interactions with collaborator Yutah.

Career

On June 9, 2019, OZworld released their first album, OZWORLD. While the album lacks an overarching thematic concept, it showcases the artist's commitment to genre versatility, blending diverse musical approaches without confinement to a single style.
The second album, OZKNEEZ FXXKED UP, arrived on November 17, 2020. Dubbed the "zero album," this release represented a creative reset. OZworld described the production process as returning to his raw, foundational rap style, even preceding the approach of his debut.
On April 17, 2024, OZworld featured on "RISE TOGETHER", a hip-hop/gospel fusion track by Japanese-American artist Ai and producer. Released through EMI Records, the song served as the official image track for the Japanese release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, marking OZworld's first major international film tie-in.

Discography

Albums
  • OZWORLD
  • OZKNEEZ FXXKED UP
  • SUN NO KUNI