R-Naby: From Kyoto to New York, in Records and Interviews
R-Naby, also listed as R-naby on music services, is a rapper from Rakusei in Kyoto, Japan. After performing and releasing music in Japan, he continued his career in New York. Across two interviews, HIPHOPCs asked him about building a life in the city’s music scene and why he was considering a move to Los Angeles.[1][2][3]
From Kyoto to New York
The “R” in his name refers to Rakusei. In his first interview, he recalls beginning to rap in Kyoto and moving to the United States in 2013 after performing and releasing music in Japan. He describes meeting people at open mics in the Bronx and Brooklyn.[1][2]
The conversation is also about sustaining a career: earning a living while making music, forming relationships locally, and taking responsibility for production and promotion. These are experiences he describes in his own words, rather than a biography built only from release dates.[2]
Records and collaborators
| Release | Listening guide |
|---|---|
| NYC WAYS 5TH | Listed as a 2025 album on his TuneCore Japan artist page: an entry point into the music from his New York years.[1] |
| Self Made | Listed as a 2026 album. Its eight tracks include “Taste,” with Beariybeats credited as composer, and “us Summer,” with Omito credited as composer.[1][4] |
| Hey New York | A single released on July 18, 2026. R-naby is credited with lyrics and production, and Screwaholic Productions with composition.[5] |
Discussing Self Made, R-Naby describes taking on promotion and other aspects of running his work himself. The credits also identify several collaborators. Leading the project and handling its wider operation does not mean composing every track alone.[2][4]
Los Angeles plans and an album still in progress
In the second interview, originally published in Japanese on August 28, 2026, he reflects on his years in New York and his longstanding interest in Los Angeles. He says recording was complete for an album also called Hey New York, with mastering still under way. The move was a plan at the time of the interview. This profile confirms the released single of that name; it does not establish that the album has been released or that the move has been completed.[3][5]
Read both HIPHOPCs interviews
The first interview follows his route from Kyoto to the New York open-mic circuit and the background to Self Made. The second examines his gratitude toward New York and his plans for what comes next. English editions of both are linked below.[2][3]
HIPHOPCs interviews
- R-Naby Interview: From Kyoto to Brooklyn, Open Mics and Self-Made Survival
- R-Naby Interview: Ending 13 Years in New York, Heading to LA, and Unveiling ‘Hey New York’
Official information and music
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Sources and last checked date
Last checked: . This profile draws on official biographies, release listings and HIPHOPCs interviews. Personal recollections and plans are attributed to the interviews in which they were discussed. The source list includes Japanese originals; English interview editions are linked above.
- TuneCore Japan: R-naby
- HIPHOPCs: R-Naby interview, part 1 (Japanese original)
- HIPHOPCs: R-Naby interview, part 2 (Japanese original)
- TuneCore Japan: Self Made
- TuneCore Japan: Hey New York
Profile card: HIPHOPCs.
