RAPSTAR2026 Draws 12,953 Applicants, Highest Ever
The near-doubling of applicants and the raised prize signal the program's growing pull in the hip-hop scene.
Reporting from 1 source: KAI-YOU.
ABEMA's rapper discovery audition RAPSTAR2026 has drawn 12,953 applicants, the highest ever, nearly double last year's 6,780. The 2026 season premieres October 10 on ABEMA, with a 10 million yen prize, up from 3 million. Seven producers provided beats for application videos.
RAPSTAR2026, ABEMA's rapper discovery audition, is rolling out application videos on its official X account ahead of its October 10 premiere. The program has produced names like Yellow Bucks, Ralph, Kohjiya, Siero, and Sonsi. This year's prize is 10 million yen, up from 3 million, and the applicant count hit 12,953, the highest ever. Seven producers, including Chaki Zulu and D3adStock, supplied beats for the entry videos.
- Chaki Zulu: provided beats for applications
- D3adStock: provided beats for applications
- GRADIS NICE: provided beats for applications
- krynX: provided beats for applications
- Lion Melo: provided beats for applications
- Neetz: provided beats for applications
- rxl: provided beats for applications
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.