The Japanese (Not Just) Hip-Hop Thread

[lukrecia 22]

If the beat's allright, Monochrome Heaven Will Dance All Night.

With that sentence as our motto, we should make this thread rise, with filling it with good hip-hop / soul / r&b music. You can post your own favourites, or what is even better, recommend them to other people, so anybody can find a new favourite. Any kind of the mentioned styles fits here, no matter if it is J Dilla-inspired instrumental hip-hop like Samon Kawamura or DJ Mitsu The Beat, hardcore hip-hop like MSCru, abstract hip-hop like Tha Blue Herb, soul like Mahiya, they are all welcomed here.

I personally start this topic up with my personal favourite, Samon Kawamura, who is a J-Dilla inspired beatmaker. He makes smooth and jazzy music with some scratches and samples also thrown into the mix - as you chill to his music, other musicians like a mellow DJ Krush or DJ Mitsu The Beats can also come to your mind. Good stuff!

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Go hip-hop heads, go!

[Jigsaw9 6783]

I'm not much into hip-hop, but when the mood hits me:

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(this must be my fave J-hip-hop/rap track I think ...when I listen to it it's all sunshine and stuff)

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(these guys are nuts...in a good way xD)

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(LOL I love Mr.OZ's growling...rap...voice...thing xDDD)

...or are these more 'rap' than 'hip-hop'? What's the difference? I'm not good at these genres.

[Tokage 5930]

Would uhnellys count as hip-hop? I'm not really sure anymore..

Rip Slyme are pretty cool too. Nujabes and DJ Krush as well ofc, but they're instrumental so idk if it counts

[lukrecia 22]

Nujabes and DJ Krush as well ofc, but they're instrumental so idk if it counts

Of course they count. Nice to see, that DJ Krush started to release singles again (if I'm right, the second of the three-parts series drops tomorrow/today), since it was a long time ago he released anything.

Also, hope that the Nujabes documentary, "An Eternal Soul" will reach it's final form and we can watch it in the future. I could watch the trailer, before it was taken down and it was promising.

[CAT5 9075]

ooooooh nice thread!

Um...let's see. I don't consider myself a hip-hop or anything, but I like a few things here and there. Oddly enough, I grew up on hip hop, and while I don't listen to much these days, It'll forever be a part of me

Let's see, as for Japanese hip hop, I kinda like Rumi - she has a nice flow. Lately, I'm also into DOTAMA. Dude is just completely insane - in a good way! He has a very interesting "alternative hip hop" sound.

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um...who else...I like uhnellys too! Their vocalist was featured on an extremely dope on sgt.'s latest album!

So yeah....I'm not very well versed in Japanese hip hop. ^^;;

But anyways, that Samon Kawamura track sounds pretty smooth! Does he have any albums out? ^^

[lukrecia 22]

But anyways, that Samon Kawamura track sounds pretty smooth! Does he have any albums out? ^^

Yes, two albums. Imho the first one is a better starter, really nice laid-back hip-hop music, with scratching, flowing vocal samples and all. He also collabrated with some well-known hip-hop/soul heads like Oh No or Aloe Blacc, and did remixes for bands like GAGLE. Oh, GAGLE.

Does anybody know them? I think they are a good group - consisting of the turntable magician DJ Mitsu The Beats plus DJ Mu-R, and Hunger as the MC. They are all really active as solo artists; DJ Mitsu has a nice discography as a solo artist and collabrated with many artists (

is pretty good!), Hunger, as far as I can remember, also released a solo album, and appeared on many album, many of them related to the awesome Jazzy Sports label. But back to the group! They are more rap-oriented, than Samon Kawamura, and their music have a more 'feelgood' atmosphere - playful, jazzy, with tight beats. I really dig their album '3 Man On Wax' and 'Big Bang Theory Instrumentals'.

Here's something for your ears!

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[CAT5 9075]

Thanks man, iMma look for Samon's first album then. I love jazzy/chill hip hop stuff, but I never know what to look for. Most of time I come across cheesy, piano-based intrumental hip hop that's just so....ugh. I mean the, the beats are usually boring and the piano playing is like...over dramatic or something...I dunno. You probably know what I'm talking about XD

People say laidbook is good, but I've never listened to them before. Have you?

[lukrecia 22]

Thanks man, iMma look for Samon's first album then. I love jazzy/chill hip hop stuff, but I never know what to look for. Most of time I come across cheesy, piano-based intrumental hip hop that's just so....ugh. I mean the, the beats are usually boring and the piano playing is like...over dramatic or something...I dunno. You probably know what I'm talking about XD

People say laidbook is good, but I've never listened to them before. Have you?

Yes, I know a way too well, what you are talking about. I got fed up with boring beatmakers, who think some piano will make everything 'art-y' and they don't have to write a good beat. Luckily, I haven't met with any piano-based hip-hop recently, only some of DJ Whitesmith's tracks, but they are okay.

Didn't know laidbook, but they seem nice. For example

has a nice bounce-y clap beat, but the vocal kinda ruins the song for me (even though I like 'original' song). Still, I think I'll give them a try! =3

Also, anybody into Rebel Familia? The duo consists of Goth-Trad (!) and Heavy from Dry&Heavy, making killer music: throw industrial effects, hard-hitting hip-hop beats, samples, a bit of dubstep rhytmics and some ragge into the mix, and you've got it!

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[CAT5 9075]

OMG I'm diggin' this group. 8bit hip hop! XD

2 guys, 1 girl

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[Tokage 5930]

Not japanese, but Astronautalis is very much a++