Far East Movement Profile

Formed:  in Los Angeles, CA

Electronic pop-rap group Far East Movement made their major-label debut in 2010. Founded in 2003, the group was originally a trio comprised of high-school companions Kev Nish (born Kevin Nishimura), Prohgress (James Roh), and J-Splif, all of whom had grown up in downtown Los Angeles. DJ Virman joined the lineup a few years later. Far East Movement made their recording debut with the Audio-Bio mixtape in 2005, followed by a full-length album, Folk Music, in 2006. The band's big break arrived that same year, when the Folk Music track Round Round was featured on the soundtrack to the blockbuster film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Two years later, Far East Movement released their second indie album, Animal, and began earning more buzz for singles like You've Got a Friend, Lowridin, and Girls on the Dancefloor, the last of which reached the Billboard charts. As a result, Far East Movement were offered a major-label recording contract with the Interscope Records subsidiary label Cherrytree Records. After touring overseas as the opening act of Lady Gaga's Monster Ball Tour and hitting the studio with the Stereotypes (the producers credited with Girls on the Dancefloor), Far East Movement made their major-label debut with Like a G6, which topped the U.S. singles charts during the summer of 2010 and went either gold or platinum in four countries. The song, along with the Top Ten follow-up Rocketeer (featuring Ryan Tedder), appeared on Free Wired, the band's major-label debut, which was released later in the year. Dirty Bass followed in 2012, with the Justin Bieber collaboration Live My Life issued as the lead single. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi