tokyo hip hop report 1995

JASON BRANCAZIO (jbrancazio@mail.hamquist.com)
11 Mar 1996 14:03:10 -0900


Reply to: tokyo hip hop report 1995

Just wanted to say that I finally had an opportunity to watch this tape, and I think it's dope. Although the Krush videos will be the most interesting to people purely into the music on this list, the hip-hop footage is superb and gives the viewer a fantastic taste of what is going on in hip-hop on the other side of the world. I wish I could understand the lyrics, but the flow of some of the rappers as well as the energetic performance convinced me that the Japanese are as tuned in to the hip-hop thing as the best American acts.

The highlight of the tape, though, is a 20 minute 4-dj set by Kemuri productions (DJs Krush, Red, Hide & Yas I believe) that sounded excellent channeled through my living room stereo speakers. After seeing this footage, I had to renounce any hesitation I had in assigning the musician status to DJs....it totally blew my mind. One other bit that is the interplay of the fantastic 6/8 (or 6/4) piano break in "Duality" with footage of an acid-warped spinning rose. Solid!

Thank you Ben for assembling the footage and distributing this tape.

Jay B