This 00s video game is Genesis Owusu's biggest influence
He's an ARIA hoovering born performer, but Genesis Owusu credits his rule-breaking creativity to a gang of rollerblading Japanese graffiti artists.
Genesis Owusu, a seven-time ARIA award winner, credits the video game Jet Set Radio Future, released in 2000, as the biggest influence in his career. The Sega title, set in futuristic Tokyo, introduces players to a gang of rollerblading graffiti artists fighting against a police state, with freedom of expression outlawed. Owusu explains that the game's music, visuals, and themes created a Pandora's box of creative inspiration.
Released five years prior, Jet Set Radio Future introduced Owusu to a diverse range of cult acts such as Bis, Bran Van 3000, and Cibo Matto, who he covered on triple j Like A Version. The game's abrasive yet powerful sound later influenced Owusu's own music, which he describes as political and boundary-pushing. Born to a Ghanaian family in Canberra, Owusu's early exposure to diverse musical influences, including Ghanaian high life, gospel, and eclectic CD acquisitions from his parents, shaped his artistic development.
His parents were initially resistant to his musical pursuits but eventually became his biggest supporters. Owusu's debut album, Smiling With No Teeth, won multiple ARIA Awards in 2021, solidifying his status as one of Australia's most exciting boundary-pushers.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
