Lalla Hirayama was born in
Hiratsuka,
Kanagawa Prefecture,
Japan. She is the only child born to a
Japanese mother and a
white South African father of
Jewish descent. In one interview she said she was brought up in the old school typical Japanese way “think Samurais and Zen”. Her father, although a white Jewish man, is a
sangoma (shaman). Hirayama has previously stated that she comes from a diverse background;
Buddhism,
Shinto,
Judaism,
Christianity and other belief systems and cultures. She spent her early years in Japan, then moved to
Australia, and finally, at the age of about six to
South Africa. Hirayama started her primary schooling at Fairways Primary School in
Sandton,
Johannesburg in the
Gauteng province of South Africa. While in primary school, she took part in horse riding and athletics and in 1997 became a Junior Horse Riding Champion. In 2001, she returned to Japan where she taught hip-hop, tap and modern dancing in
Kagoshima,
Kagoshima Prefecture. She returned the next year to South Africa where she registered at the British International College (BIC) in Bryanston, Johannesburg in the Gauteng province of South Africa, for her high school education. While completing her high school education, Hirayama was involved in dance training. In 2005, she began performing professionally, dancing at corporate functions. A year later, in 2006, Hirayama founded the Clinch City Entertainment (ACC), a hip hop marketing & events company. In that year, she became part of the official dancers for renowned artists of that time, among others; the late Lebo Mathosa of Boom Shaka fame, and Tshwarelo ‘Relo’ Nhlapo; performed with Skwatta Kamp; and was featured in music videos of Unathi Msengana and Loyiso Bala. ==Career==