Jero became a household name ever since he debuted in February. Since then, he has been continually on the road for promotional appearances, TV and radio interviews and other media events. He has disclosed that while he is becoming more accustomed to life in the spotlight, it’s still quite difficult to find some time alone to relax. A huge part of his success came from his being a pioneer of a unique genre, a seamless blend of hip-hop and traditional Japanese enka music. His first single was “Umiyuki,” released on February 20, 2008, to a very receptive crowd.
Like all great success stories, Jero had humble beginnings. He was born in 1981 as Jerome White, a grandson of a US navy man and a Japanese woman. He was raised in
As Jero finished a degree in information technology in
As soon as he came on board, his management team suggested incorporating dance routines into “Umiyuki” (Ocean Snow) and retaining his hip-hop look. At first, however, he was against it, saying that it might communicate the message that he was making fun of enka. However, he agreed to experiment with it, and the risk paid off.
Jero notes that enka needed reinventing, as it is mostly a genre for the older Japanese population. He said that one of the major reasons why he was given a lot of media attention was because he wasn’t Japanese. He has often stated that he feels there should be more focus given to the songs and the music rather than the singer.
Jero will reach another milestone on June 25th, 2008 when he releases his first mini-album. This is certainly a welcome development for his growing fan base composed of a wide range of age groups. He has also been slated to appear on the TV commercial of a canned coffee drink called Fire Café Zero, produced by
Jero dedicated his career to his grandmother, who had awakened in him a sense of culture and the desire to sing.
Watch Video of Jero
written by Marissa Morrow , August 26, 2008
