How Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball helped rap go Super Saiyan

Dragon Ball helped rap go Super Saiyan”> Akira Toriyama in 1982. Photo by JIJI Press / AFP) / Japan OUT (Photo by STR/JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images)   Rap Column is a column about rap music by Vivian Medithi and Nadine Smith for The FADER. Even a decade ago, being a rapper who openly enjoyed anime was still a little bit of a novelty, but now it’s almost a required part of the job description. Weebs exist at practically every level of the rap game, from dedicated cosplayers like Megan Thee Stallion to underground artists like Xavier Wulf, who has multiple projects themed after the automotive anime series Initial D. After the recent passing of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, countless artists expressed their condolences on social media, including Chance the Rapper and producer Popstar Benny. Even as it’s become more acceptable for rappers to admit they like anime, Dragon Ball still towers over the rest as the most quintessentially hip-hop anime franchise. Part of that is just how ubiquitous the English-language dub of Dragon Ball Z was for kids of a certain age, in the same way that G.I. Joe or ThunderCats might have been for an earlier generation. Cartoon...