Biography

There’s nothing quite like a true original, and everyone could tell from the jump that R.A.R.E. were something special. The acronym, (which stands for Rhythm and Rapping Eternally), also became something of a mantra for the group comprised of members Mojoe, Tomson, and Elfy. They trailblazed their way from their home in Milwaukee, WI all across the US in the early 2000’s as the first Hmong American Hip-Hop group. Their message was simple: Love yourself, love one another, and be proud of your culture. Never is this more evident than in their quintessential single “Hmong Tuag Nthi (Hmong Love)”, a song about the power, strength and pride that they draw from the Hmong community. The song blew up beyond their wildest expectations, becoming a worldwide underground hit, and being prominently featured in the Clint Eastwood movie Gran Torino (which Elfy also acted in). The group’s groundbreaking style, sound, and culture saw them sharing stages with the likes of Kanye West, Ludacris, Luniz, Twista, Black Eyed Peas and founding their own record label and multimedia company "Shaolin Entertainment" to give back to their community. After three full length records, the group mutually disbanded. In November 2019, founding member Joseph “Mojoe” Yang passed away from health complications. The remaining members reunited in 2020 to release a tribute song in his honor entitled “Legacy”, which included fellow Shaolin Entertainment artist LP, Ger Lee, and Joe’s eldest son IKO.