Creepy Nuts to Open The Weeknd’s Asia Tour Dates

When Creepy Nuts started playing Tokyo clubs, setting up a turntable and microphone often cleared the room. DJ Matsunaga and rapper R-Shitei learned early that their minimalist setup demanded immediate presence. R-Shitei, a three-time Ultimate MC Battle Grand Champion, and Matsunaga, a DMC World DJ Champion, built that presence through fast rapping, wordplay, and live energy.

The duo has since moved far beyond those rooms. Their tracks “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” and “Otonoke,” the opening theme for Dandadan, reached international audiences. In 2025 they headlined Tokyo Dome and performed at Coachella. Now they will open for The Weeknd on the Asia leg of his After Hours Til Dawn tour in 2026.

R-Shitei described the slot as an honour and a source of nerves. He compared it to those early club dates: the challenge is still to win over a crowd that came for someone else. DJ Matsunaga added that the group’s setup remains turntables and a microphone, but the context has changed. The work of holding attention, rather than assuming it, is what they carry from Tokyo’s live houses to stadium stages.

The tour placement places Creepy Nuts in front of tens of thousands of new listeners. It also marks another step for Japanese hip-hop as a live export, not just a streaming phenomenon.