BLOG
Part 1 of 5 : The Japanese Hip Hop Scene
UP DATE 2011.07.14
A couple months ago I was lucky enough to make it to Studio Bitters in Yokohama for a bboy dance competition with DJ Shark and DJ Sarasa on the 1s and 2s. I can't go into all the high lights but what I won't forget is seeing a 7 year old spin on his head for about 3 minutes striaght and even though the power went out multiple times the party didn't stop. People put their cell phones up and stomped out a beat without a single break in the dance battles. Later a live band came out beatboxers added accompanient and the DJs mix and matched. You know what the best part was? Everyone was kind, accomodating, competitive, fun and THERE WASNT A SINGLE FIGHT.
A friend from New York who was here paid my city's hip hop scene the highest comment that could be made. 'Japan is more hip hop than New York right now, you can't do this in New York, someone will be mad someone else stepped on their shoes, a fight will break out, someone will pull a gun and cops will flood the spot breaking up the party before any real partying gets done. Japanese have taken hip hop, the love and the soul and made it their own. They left the bullshit out. I couldn't go tot a party like this in New York if I wanted to, it'ss a part of our history, but not our present. '
As a writer , partier, blogger, researcher on the Japanese hip hop music scene I'm pretty defensive of it. I don't think it's more or less than the American scene. Of course I know plenty of wack MCs a who have zero flow and narrow-minded artists who' s biggest dream is to make it as a hip hop artist in the US scene without paying homage to the Japanese scene that has nurtured them. Despite that image of Japanese hip hop I do my best to answer the questions that come my way and lead people towards a music scene that I know will make them as excited about the Japanese music scene asI am
The thing that makes me upset is that a supposed lover of hip hop goes on youtube and googles Japanese Hip hop and ends up with a couple results that are more the result of good SEO and Keyword function than anything else. Then they dismiss the entire country's music scene as wack. I hear comments like 'Japanese don't know hip hop and can't rap'... #gameOver' YO! It is called digging for a reason, just like any other music scene out there a lot of wack MCs make it onto the main stage and get millions of hits or followers. Can I tell you that I had to explain to a kid on Mixi (Japanese social network) that 50 Tyson was in fact NOT a legit rapper? Check out Gagle, Ish-One, Budamunky, Hifana, Chinza Dopeness or DJ Baku and get back to me, better yet tweet me so that everyone that follows you realizes that the shallow glance cast over to Japan's music scene is a damn shame.
Why else do you think hip hop legends like Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Jeru the Damaja, the list goes on... LOVE Japan? And before you say anything no, it's not just the great shopping and exotic women. The scene shows them love and respect. We're not imitators , we're innovators. The rest of the world needs to step their game up and catch up.
A friend from New York who was here paid my city's hip hop scene the highest comment that could be made. 'Japan is more hip hop than New York right now, you can't do this in New York, someone will be mad someone else stepped on their shoes, a fight will break out, someone will pull a gun and cops will flood the spot breaking up the party before any real partying gets done. Japanese have taken hip hop, the love and the soul and made it their own. They left the bullshit out. I couldn't go tot a party like this in New York if I wanted to, it'ss a part of our history, but not our present. '
As a writer , partier, blogger, researcher on the Japanese hip hop music scene I'm pretty defensive of it. I don't think it's more or less than the American scene. Of course I know plenty of wack MCs a who have zero flow and narrow-minded artists who' s biggest dream is to make it as a hip hop artist in the US scene without paying homage to the Japanese scene that has nurtured them. Despite that image of Japanese hip hop I do my best to answer the questions that come my way and lead people towards a music scene that I know will make them as excited about the Japanese music scene asI am
The thing that makes me upset is that a supposed lover of hip hop goes on youtube and googles Japanese Hip hop and ends up with a couple results that are more the result of good SEO and Keyword function than anything else. Then they dismiss the entire country's music scene as wack. I hear comments like 'Japanese don't know hip hop and can't rap'... #gameOver' YO! It is called digging for a reason, just like any other music scene out there a lot of wack MCs make it onto the main stage and get millions of hits or followers. Can I tell you that I had to explain to a kid on Mixi (Japanese social network) that 50 Tyson was in fact NOT a legit rapper? Check out Gagle, Ish-One, Budamunky, Hifana, Chinza Dopeness or DJ Baku and get back to me, better yet tweet me so that everyone that follows you realizes that the shallow glance cast over to Japan's music scene is a damn shame.
Why else do you think hip hop legends like Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Jeru the Damaja, the list goes on... LOVE Japan? And before you say anything no, it's not just the great shopping and exotic women. The scene shows them love and respect. We're not imitators , we're innovators. The rest of the world needs to step their game up and catch up.
Recent Uptade
- Part 1 of 5 : The Japanese Hip Hop Scene
- (14.07.2011)
- The best party I'll never get to attend
- (12.07.2011)
- A #Tokyo Opportunity with @JLie
- (01.02.2011)
- The New Media Tent : Tweeting, U-Streaming & Blogging On-Site
- (06.12.2010)
- Summer Sonic 2010: you had me at 'silent disco'
- (26.08.2010)
- Poor Showing at @BobAtl Concert in Tokyo
- (29.07.2010)
- Hello!
- (04.06.2010)
