Cheek

Cheek, born Jare Henrik Tiihonen, is a retired Finnish rapper widely regarded as one of the most commercially successful and influential figures in Finnish hip-hop and pop music. Over a career spanning more than two decades, he moved from the Finnish rap underground into the mainstream, releasing eleven studio albums and becoming a fixture on Finnish charts and radio.

His sound blends Finnish-language rap with pop and R&B sensibilities, favoring accessible hooks and emotionally direct songwriting over the harder, more underground style he started with. Songs such as «Jossu», «Enkelit», and «Avaimet mun kiesiin» showcase this evolution toward big, anthemic pop-rap production, while «Me ollaan ne Pt. 2» stands as one of the sequels that extended one of his signature tracks into a lasting hit franchise within his catalog.

Cheek became a genuinely mainstream Finnish pop-culture figure, drawing large stadium crowds and crossing into national television, including an appearance tied to the long-running «Vain elämää» series, reflected in «Sinä ansaitset kultaa (Vain elämää kausi 7)». He announced his retirement from active music-making in 2018 after a farewell tour, but has remained connected to the Finnish music industry since stepping back from performing.