Jero

A young American with hip hop swagger is inching his way up the pop charts in Japan. It's not Chris Brown. It's not Usher. Meet Jero, a soft-spoken 26-year-old who specializes in enka, a traditional style of Japanese pop music.

Born in Pittsburgh, Jerome White, Jr. was a young child when he was introduced to enka by his Japanese grandmother. Like Mexican boleros, enka songs are melodramatic pop ballads; they're hugely popular for karaoke. Intrigued by his grandmother's culture, Jero began taking Japanese lessons in high school and lived in Japan as an exchange student while in college. In 2003, he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and moved to Japan to become an English teacher.

Jero was cutting his teeth in karaoke bars and singing competitions when he caught the eye of Japanese major label Victor, a division of JVC. They signed the wiry singer and made him take voice lessons for two years before releasing his first single, Umiyuki (Ocean Snow). The syrupy song dripped all over Japan's top five, debuting at number four on the charts. The first 10 seconds of "Umiyuki" hint at a hip hop sound, but the rest of the track is pure enka: dramatic synth strings, cheesy electric guitar flourishes and lyrics about lost love.

Jero, known for wearing fitted caps, jewelry and baggy clothing, says he's embraced by young and old because he isn't trying to be something he's not: "I’ve been wearing hip hop fashion since I was in high school. Now, if I were to wear a kimono on stage when I sang, no one would take me seriously."