Jero to make musical debut in ‘Blues in the Night’

Jero=no talent.

Best wishes to talented Jero and the rest of the cast and crew of "Blues in the Night".

I heard Jero perform a mini concert in Berkeley, CA a few months ago - it was an enjoyable show. He was at Cal to receive the 2011 Berkeley Japan New Vision Award from the University of California, Berkeley’s Center for Japanese Studies. Jero was being recognized for his contributions toward "rekindling enthusiasm for enka among Japan’s younger generation and for encouraging fluent Japanese speakers from around the world to enter Japan’s entertainment and other industries." The 2010 recipient was esteemed actor/director/producer Clint Eastwood.

How convenient for him to be playing an unsuccessful chicago singer. No Japanese could play that part without stirring some trouble.

Sctaber56: Mmm...... only in berkley, thats for sure.

Someone should tell this person that he'd look much more intelligent if he were to wear baseball caps with the brim pointing directly forward.

An Enka singer, an Opera singer, and J-Popettes doing Ellington, Bessie Smith, and Alberta Hunter.

No. Just, No.

He's wearing an askew baseball hat over a skullcap? Now, that is styling, I guess.

I met Jerome at a concert in our shared hometown of Pittsburgh just before I came to Japan. He's a great guy, intelligent, and doing something he loves to do. He's got talent, and is trying to get younger people interested in an admittedly antiquated style of music. His hip-hop look is unconventional to say the least, but when you're an African American performing in a country not known to be foreigner friendly, you have to admire his courage. He deserves his success and my admiration.

when you're an African American performing in a country not known to be foreigner friendly, you have to admire his courage.

Yep, playing up to a stereotype must take a lot of guts!

He's just not gangsta enough for mine. Where are the guns, bling and biyatches?

Yep, playing up to a stereotype must take a lot of guts!

That's a true statement.

I applaud his talents, but his handlers need to realize that not all Black people where baseball caps and "Do Rags" all the time.

@Alphaape

I applaud his talents, but his handlers need to realize that not all Black people where baseball caps and "Do Rags" all the time.

It is odd that a young Enka singer would wear the ghetto chic that Jero does, but hey, not any less odd than the fact that he is a black Enka singer. Yet he isn't any different than many young men these days - even in Japan.

I do give him credit for his success in a very niche musical genre.

Yet he isn't any different than many young men these days - even in Japan

Wolfpack, I see the problem with his handlers dressing him up in this fashion as trying to catch the youth market. If you look at most of the Hip-Hop artist clothing, you will see that it is made up of bright colors and other things that one would associate with youth. When you associate someone as being youthful, people in societies like Japan that are pretty much homoegenous don't tend to feel threatened. Can you imagine him dressed as an older man the way most of the male Enka singers are? He probably wouldn't be as accepted. But as long as he looks like a kid, then the society here can accept him. Just my opinion.

Jero=no talent.

He's got talent. Maybe he doesn't perform in the most popular of music genres, but he has talent. His only problem is his look.

The sideways cap with du-rag look went out of style at least 15 years ago, if not more. Don't even get me started on the Yankees as his team of choice.

The sideways cap with du-rag look went out of style at least 15 years ago, if not more. Don't even get me started on the Yankees as his team of choice.

Yeah, from what I read, he is from Pittsburgh. Must make the Pirates fans mad not supporting the home team.

What I really find funny about his "look" is that it is copied by many of the Japanese here. It really is amazing to see them when they land in LAX or DFW looking "gangsta" and run into the "real deal" back in the states. I once asked a Japanese guy who was wearing all blue and a UNC jersey if he even knew where North Carolina was, he didn't bu all he could tell me was it was in the "Dirty South."

I guess if he came to America, we would expect him to be wearing a yukata.

There are some people who have all the swag in the world and not a clue what to do with it.

IF I were JERO, I would be going BUCK-WILD. He's going to sing the BLUES?!?.

You are Jero, player. You should never sing the blues. You should be running through these J-girls like a hot knife through butter.

Good luck to you. Jero and Dante Carver seem to have more shelf-life than past Gai-tarento. I'm not hating. I'm saying live it up.

He's got talent. Maybe he doesn't perform in the most popular of music genres, but he has talent.

Yes, he does. No denying that- As well the other cast members may have talent, in their genre-

My doubts lie with them taking on the music of Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, and Alberta Hunter.

It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing...

shogun36Jun. 20, 2011 - 08:49AM JST The sideways cap with du-rag look went out of style at least 15 years ago, if not more. Don't even get me started on the Yankees as his team of choice.

I believe this is an attempt to make him appeal to the yoof of Japan as very few of them could care less about enka. I think the choice of the Yankees' cap in non-Yankees colo(u)rs (and his do rag) is just part of his "style." If he's from Pittsburgh, as someone mentioned up thread, and cares at all about baseball, you'd assume he was a Pirates fan. But as few people in Japan know Pittsburgh from Pittsfield, wearing a Pirates' cap would be a "fashion" non-starter.

He's got a unique talent in "mastering" enka, but I can't help thinking that most enka fans view him as a novelty act. I mean, how is he different to many Japanese who otherwise often think of Japanese-speaking talento as trained dogs/monkeys/seals (take your pick).

He's just not gangsta enough for mine. Where are the guns, bling and biyatches?

BurakaminDes - Interesting statement. Do you prefer all black men dress to stereotypes?

@hoserfella

I hope I see where you are going with this. Jero, not being gangsta enough is funny. Some people do expect men of African-American descent to look and dress a certain way. It's sad to see that. Jero, comes straight out of left field with his abilities.

BurakuminDesJun. 19, 2011 - 08:42PM JST

He's just not gangsta enough for mine. Where are the guns, bling and biyatches?

This post tells me they've never been to the HOOD. Trust me, when you see these guys with guns, it's already too late for you. I have noticed that there are Japanese women who are deeply attracted to those gangsta types and YES, Jero would be too nice of a guy for them.

No Ebonics, Perfect English, definitely not for some.

NetNinja - Where do u think I'm going with this? It's a pretty pointed question. And I can assume you are from the "hood"? Got lots of experience hanging out with "those guys" do you?

Moderator: Readers, please keep the discussion civil.

Tokoro Joji has those glasses that he can't get rid of. Jero will forever have his sideways cap and DuRag.

NetNinjaJun. 20, 2011 - 11:55AM JST

You are Jero, player. You should never sing the blues. You should be running through these J-girls like a hot knife through butter.

Uhhh, NetNinja, you mean these young and ripe 50 year old J-girls? ......cuz those are the only j-girls listening to enka.

You should be running through these J-girls like a hot knife through butter.

Yuck, netninja! Do you not see how horrible that imagery is? Jero seems like a nice bloke who has found his niche. I hate enka, but good luck to him.

The sideways cap with du-rag look went out of style at least 15 years ago, if not more.

C'mon - don't be a playa hater.