It’s not every day I watch an anime and go, “Am I seeing this? Whoa…” Such was the case with Gachiakuta when it introduced its vivid cast of characters, particularly Semiu, Corvus and Jabber. Jabber, especially, is a character I’m fond of. Despite how dangerous he is, his joy is infectious. He’s a scene stealer from the moment he first shows up to his, I cannot believe I’m saying this, literal victory rap . That rap took the Internet by storm when it first hit the anime. It’s peak audacity at its best ( poor Zanka, I’m so sorry ), and it has the nerve to be catchy too! It didn’t take long for fans to record themselves dancing to it, but one fan took it a step further with a Jabber rap . “The moment I saw Jabber dance and freestyle over Zanka was the moment when I knew I had to make a rap about him,” says nerdcore rapper Drew Jackson. Using a combination of his own lyrics and some truly iconic Jabber lines (how does one recover from being called a “worn out, foul-mouth, butthurt, ratchety, short stack Spherite,” I wonder?), Drew’s song played on repeat for days on end in my house. In our interview, he discusses the impact Jabber has had on him and the Black anime community, and what makes Gachiakuta such a memorable anime. First thing’s first, the question I ask everybody, what got you into anime? What was the series that hooked you in? Drew Jackson: The first anime I saw was Monster Rancher when I was a kid, but the show that hooked me into anime was Yu Yu Hakusho . I didn’t realize what anime was at the time; I just knew that I had to watch everything that looked like that art style. What got you into Gachiakuta ? Were you a fan of the manga before the anime started, or is the anime what got you into the series? Drew: I haven’t read the manga yet, but I saw Instagram clips of Jabber being introduced for the first time, and his look alone made me want to watch the show. Let’s talk about Jabber. Is there a particular moment that led you to say, “Yeah, I gotta rap about this guy.” What makes Jabber so impactful to you? Why do you think so many of us like him so much? Drew: The moment I saw Jabber dance and freestyle over Zanka was the moment when I knew I had to make a rap about him. What makes him so impactful to me is the representation behind it. It’s rare to see Black anime characters, let alone villains, talk like normal, every day black folks and use certain phrases that make me feel like I’m listening to one of my cousins on screen. Same with Semiu and Corvus as well. Representation is so important, and Gachiakuta does a phenomenal job with that, in my opinion. Your Jabber song really took off on TikTok. What’s it been like seeing the reception for it? Drew: It’s been so surreal to witness. Having done music for 10 years (and nerdcore for the past two), now it’s like I’m watching my hard work paying off right in front of me. I’m so grateful for the people who rock with the song. What is it about Gachiakuta that draws you to it so much that you decided to make your own music about its world and its characters? For example, you have the song about Jabber, but I also saw you do a stitch on TikTok to Gameboy Jones’ “MOSHPIT.” Drew: I love everything about the show! The vibe, the music, the story, the concept of Givers, the cultural influence, and it’s so easy to fall in love with any of the characters in the show. From my song about Jabber, to the stitch I did for Gameboy Jones’ “MOSHPIT” where I rapped from Rudo’s perspective , it’s very easy for me to write about something I love. And I love Gachiakuta ! You’ve done some other anime songs before, like you have a song about Light Yagami, for example, and Gurren Lagann . How do you decide who, or what, to do a song about? Are there any other anime characters or series you’d like to rap about in the future? Drew: Sometimes I get requests for characters to do. Light Yagami and Gurren Lagann were both fan requests. And other than that, I just like making songs about my favorite characters, like I did with Jabber. I plan on doing a lot more anime shows and characters in the future. A few that I have in mind currently are Yusuke Urameshi from Yu Yu Hakusho , Luffy from ONE PIECE , Neji from Naruto and Majin Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z . As someone who raps about anime, are there any particular series with music that inspires you creatively? Drew: I get inspired a lot by anime openings and endings. The main shows I find myself going back to for that are Naruto , Shangri-La Frontier , Attack on Titan , Fruits Basket and now Gachiakuta as well. Since Jabber sings and dances after his fight with Zanka, I gotta ask, what’s your own personal victory song? What are you singing when you win something? Drew: My victory song is usually either the hook to “The Man” by Aloe Blacc, or if I’m feeling goofy, Usopp’s “Sniper King” song. With both, I always throw in the Dougie as my go-to dance. Where to Find Drew Jackson Online YouTube Instagram TikTok
