88rising honors Asian excellence in music and entertainment at first annual Moonrise Gala
Photos: Carly Stone (BFA) & Kyle Goldberg (BFA)
The Year of the Dragon has barely begun and to me it feels like it’s already been a whole year of celebrations. From the local parades, to grassroots community events, celebrating Lunar New Year has expanded its reach. Even five years ago, I wouldn’t have imagined how mainstream celebrating Lunar New Year would become.
Cold Tea Collective brought in the Lunar New Year by celebrating Asian excellence with 88rising.
88rising is a global music and media company representing the best of Asian talent. This month they introduced a new tradition at their first annual Moonrise Gala at Milk Studios in Hollywood.
“Moonrise Medals” given to Anderson .Paak, NIKI, Jackson Wang, Destin Daniel Cretton, Jocelyn Enriquez and Invisibl Skratch Piklz
88rising has a distinct place in cultural curation and creation. Since its inception in 2015, the collective has set out to discover and grow the hottest global Asian artists. To reach new heights of excellence, we need new ways of bringing Asian diaspora artistry to the world – and they landed on the moon.
The inaugural Moonrise Gala honored a range of creatives: Singer and rapper Anderson .Paak, entertainer, entrepreneur, and fashion icon Jackson Wang, Indonesian singer-songwriter and producer NIKI, Filipino-American dance-pop singer Jocelyn Enriquez, legendary hip-hop turntablists group Invisibl Skratch Piklz, and filmmaker behind Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Destin Daniel Cretton.
Honorees were each presented with a “Moonrise Medal” — a bespoke creation by NYC-based jewelry line Anna Kikue, which celebrates the New Year by intricately blending tradition with innovation.
Hosted by Korean American rapper and comedian Dumbfoundead, Cold Tea Collective attended the celebration and interviewed honourees and guests at the event.
See also: Cruising into nostalgia with Honda at Head in the Clouds
Paying homage to pioneering Filipino American music artists at 88rising’s Moonrise Gala
To shoot for the moon, we have to remember what the sky looked like from the ground. What stood out to me about Moonrise Gala’s list of honourees is their choice to pay respects to those who took the first steps for ‘Asian-kind’ for Asian artists in America (okay okay, I’ll stop with the moon metaphors now).
Music by the chart-topping Filipino American singer-songwriter was most popular at a time long before social media and long before I was aware of my Asian identity as a child.
Before asking honoree Jocelyn Enriquez what it meant to her to be celebrated at this event, I had to tell her how she was an integral part of my childhood. I have vivid memories of being driven around as a small child in my parents’ car in the 90’s at which time there was not one radio station we could turn to without hearing her voice – and that I had no idea she was Asian.
Now 49, Enriquez shares that she often wondered if she made an impact or had any influence on anyone. I assured her she did. If she were to give advice to her younger self, Enriquez says she would tell her: “be proud of who you are and who you represent.”
Enriquez delivered an electrifying live performance at Moonrise Gala that had everyone out of their seats.
Honorees Invisibl Skratch Piklz (ISP) are a hip-hop turntablist group who paved a path for the art of DJing and scratching. DJ’s Q-bert, Shortkut and D-Styles gave us a live history lesson in building beats in a live DJ performance. The star-studded crowd couldn’t stop staring intensely while standing up to wait for the next sick beat.
ISP’s DJ Q-bert said that the best piece of advice anyone ever gave him was from fellow ISP honoree and original member, Mix Master Mike (also of Beastie Boys): “To be original and make up your own rules.”
For Mix Master Mike, he is driven by the opportunity to inspire the youth. “Every kid has a superpower, you just have to tap into it,” says Mix Master Mike.
DJ Shortkut encourages parents of today’s youth to “watch their kids and see their passions; Support that as much as you can.”
Creating new traditions while honoring our heritage
It’s not a Lunar New Year celebration without cultural touches, thoughtfully curated and created by the 88rising team and their collaborators.
Upon arriving at Milk Studios, guests were greeted by an ethereal red-toned entry tunnel, guiding them into the main event space. The stage was surrounded by cozy white couches for VIPs that made performances by 88rising artist and honoree NIKI feel like you were part of an intimate performance in her living room. Guests also enjoyed surprise performances by Eyedress, BADBADNOTGOOD and Warren Hue.
An artistic installation presented by Lexus showcased the new all-electric Lexus RZ SUV in an interactive photo experience. Named “The Family Shrine”, this is where you could find the stars gathering for photos. This was an homage to 88rising’s unique approach to creating not just a record label, but an artistic family and extended community of creatives and changemakers.
Johnnie Walker kept the drinks flowing with their Blended Scotch Whisky. Guests enjoyed a special menu of Johnnie Walker Blue Label cocktails throughout the evening, including a “Dragon’s Lair” by 88rising’s founder Sean Miyashiro. It was also an opportunity to feature specially-designed Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lunar New Year bottles created by renowned Taiwanese American visual artist James Jean.
Chubby Group, parent company of Niku X, catered the exclusive Moonrise-specific tasting menu. Select guests received a free lifetime membership to select guests at the gala.
The elevated details of Moonrise Gala are reflective of 88rising’s intentional cultural programming, relevance and resonance with fans of Asian diaspora creative culture around the globe.
What it means to be “Always Rising”
To reach new heights of Asian excellence in entertainment and culture, we asked guests what it means to them to be “always rising”.
Indonesian singer-songwriter Stephanie Poetri reminds us of the importance of rising with others. “To keep trying to do good things for the world. It’s easy to focus on yourself to make yourself better, but at the end of the day, making other people feel good and happier and uplifting others is just as important. Always rising means to be always rising with your community and your loved ones.”
Similarly, Dumbfounded encouraged us to think about our community. “Start thinking outside of yourself. It becomes a lot bigger than you…Do your part for the greater cause.”
Fresh off the success of his role in The Brothers’ Sun starring opposite Michelle Yeoh, Sam Li reminds us to keep the future in mind: “To always rise, to always do better, it’s pivotal for our longevity.” Li can be seen next at SxSW in “Marvin is Sorry”.
Chinese-Japanese American dancer and actor Sean Lew expressed his appreciation for 88rising for pushing the envelope and bringing others along with them. “To be always rising means always failing so that you’re always learning something new about yourself, the world, everything. You can’t rise without starting on the ground. Constantly failing and constantly falling back up means you are always rising.” Watch Lew starting March 5th in the next season of The Cleaning Lady on Fox.
Moonrise Gala honoree and the newly-announced director of a live action Naruto series, Destin Daniel Cretton shares an insightful perspective on the trajectory of his life and career.
“I definitely don’t think I’m always rising. Life is full of ups and downs. Understanding that as a part of life [means] allowing yourself to always move forward, which is more realistic in my life. Moving forward, despite whether you’re on top or on the bottom, keep moving forward and then in a way, you’re always rising,” said Cretton.
Moving upward and onward
In the thick of film and television award season, Destin Daniel Cretton is mindful of how accolades can impact creatives. He shares what it means to him to be honored at the very first Moonrise Gala: “Sometimes events and awards can mess with your brain as a creative,” the filmmaker said. “But when you’re in a space that is so thoughtfully curated and creative, it’s a very inspiring place to be.”
Eight-time Grammy award-winning and multi-platinum recording artist Anderson .Paak took the opportunity during his acceptance speech to share about his connection to his Asian identity. “It’s only recently that I’ve been claiming my Korean heritage. I grew up in a Black household and we didn’t know too much about our Korean heritage,” he shared. Paak’s mother was born in 1951 in Korea during the Korean War and adopted by two high-ranking Black military officials. “I’ve never been more proud to claim my Korean heritage than today,” said Paak.
Joon Lee (The Brothers Sun) shared his gratitude for his breakout role and shared that he has his sights set on more. “Why shouldn’t people who look like us be number one? Why try to be number one in your community? Be number one in the world.”
Leaning into our culture, heritage, roots and celebrating that through creative expression is an honor and a superpower that Destin Daniel Cretton believes is much needed.
“Every Asian culture is rooted in storytelling…Right now, I believe that the world is hungry for perspectives that they typically don’t see in art and film and storytelling. That is what we are bringing to the table. It’s definitely not something to be ashamed of,” says Cretton.
The energy and expressions of gratitude from honorees and guests at 88rising’s Moonrise Gala signal to me that despite always rising, we are not anywhere near the potential of what we can accomplish as a community of creatives, especially if we remember to honor where we came from.
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