Why London Rapper Che Lingo Is The Soundtrack to Jujutsu Kaisen and Crunchyroll’s Fall 2023

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The anime industry can feel impenetrable for Western fans, but it’s not impossible for aspiring anime fans in the West to get involved with their favorite series.

“I want to make it look possible for other people, especially being black, being from the city, and a Westerner. I’m very humble with regard to those facts, because this is, in some capacities, history that we’re writing,” South London rapper Che Lingo tells GLHF.

Che Lingo is embedded more deeply in the anime community than almost anyone else in the rap scene (nerdcore rappers aside, respectfully). Not only was he the host for Amazon Prime’s Anime To Z podcast, but he managed to embed himself in the global anime community’s consciousness when he was featured on the Jujutsu Kaisen OST with Be Prepared.

“It’s a dream come true,” Che Lingo says of the JJK track. “It’s really empowering, it’s freeing. It makes you realise that you can really make stuff happen in this life. You can control how you approach these opportunities with how hungry you are to seek the picture you want to paint. And that could be one brushstroke per month, or per year, as long as you’re painting something. I’m just happy to be a part of that picture.”

With his next brushstroke, Che Lingo is collaborating with Cö shu Nie’s Miku Nakamura and Crunchyroll for a new song for its Fall 2023 anime season, titled Lifetime. Make sure to watch Crunchyroll’s Fall 2023 trailer and the Behind the Scenes for Lifetime.

“I was at a movie premier, and I ended up meeting some of the Crunchyroll team,” Che Lingo explains. “I’d already written music for Jujutsu Kaisen, and I just told the guys ‘this is what I do, this is who I am, maybe there’s a conversation we can have?’

“We had the conversation, and the rest is history.”

Che Lingo’s career in music and the anime industry all comes down to him being a fan of anime first and foremost, of course, and his dedication to One Piece is symbolized by his tattoos. “I got a Gear 4 Luffy tattoo, I got a Trafalgar Law tattoo, I got both the Straw Hat and Heart Pirates Jolly Rogers on my elbows, and I’ve got fire around my wrists for Fire Fist Ace.” Excellent taste, clearly.

You can listen to Che Lingo’s Lifetime now, and if you’re looking for something to watch on Crunchyroll right now, take a look at our list of the best Crunchyroll anime.