Birth name Tomoaki Nagao
Also known as Nigo
Born December 23, 1970 (1970-12-23) (age 39)
Origin Maebashi, Japan
Occupations DJ, record producer, entrepreneur
Years active 1995–present
Labels Bape
Associated acts Teriyaki Boyz, Pharrell, Kanye West
Nigo's venture into fashion started in a small store selling a few Bape t-shirts and camouflage print hoodies, which became very popular among the teen demographic. Nigo then released the Bapesta, a sneaker which, according to Jonathan Ross, became the "epitome of collectable footwear." The Bapesta logo on the side of the shoe resembles the Nike swoosh but has a lightning zap and a star instead. The clothing line is considered by many to be difficult to acquire, considering the fact that the only stores in the United States are in New York and Los Angeles. Along with Pharrell Williams, Nigo is also responsible for helping produce the Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Footwear brands.
Nigo has currently been associated with popular rap and hip hop artists such as Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. He is the DJ of the popular Japanese hip hop group Teriyaki Boyz and is also owner of BAPE sounds record label. He currently has a show he created himself for MTV Japan called Nigoldeneye.
