Hello, welcome to Musical Moondays. I'm going to switch gears again, because though punk rock, ska, and reggae are among my faves, I like all kinds of music. I'm here to honor a hip hop legend from Japan. I love Japan and Japanese culture and it was really hard on me to see Japan suffer as it has these last couple of years with the Tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Not too long ago before that happened we lost a brilliant DJ named Nujabes which his his real name Jun Seba spelled backwards.
Jun Seba (瀬場潤 Seba Jun?, February 7, 1974 – February 26, 2010) was a Japanese hip hop producer and DJ who recorded under the name Nujabes (ヌジャベス Nujabesu?), the reverse spelling of his name in Japanese order. Nujabes was also owner of the Shibuya record stores, T Records and Guinness Records and founder of the independent label Hydeout Productions.
In addition to Japanese artists like Uyama Hiroto, Shing02 and Minmi, Nujabes collaborated with underground American hip hop acts CYNE, Cise Starr (as a solo apart from the hiphop collective CYNE), Apani B, Five Deez, Substantial, CL Smooth, Terry Callier, as well as British rapper Funky DL. He was also a member of the production duo Urbanforest, an experimental collaboration with Nao T.[1] His track "Feather" drew attention from underground hip hop listeners.
Nujabes was one of the most prolific contributors to the background music and soundtracks of Samurai Champloo, an anime which blends a feudal Japan setting with modern anachronisms, especially in regard to hip hop culture.[2]
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On February 26, 2010, Jun Seba was involved in a traffic accident upon exiting the Shuto Expressway late at night. He died at a hospital in Shibuya Ward after failed efforts to revive him. He was 36 years old. There was a private burial with only family in attendance. Hydeout Productions has stated that Nujabes has left behind tracks, which they plan to release in the near future.[3]
This saddened me for a long time that we lost such a brilliant artists to a car wreck even though we lose a lot of people to car wrecks every year. (I've been in a few that almost killed me. It's why everytime I get behind the wheel I remind myself I could die at any moment because we are all risking our lives when we get behind the wheel even though we can' control everything and we could all die anyway. It sucks that this happened to someone so brilliant)
Nujabes' work gained prominence on the brilliant anime Samurai Champloo by Shinichiro Watanabe who IMO is in the upper echelon of anime directors. His work and direction stand the test of time and is among the only anime series I can watch over and over. I used to be enthralled with all anime because it was new to me and excitingly different, but you learn which directors are going to give you results and he is my favorite(I could go on all day about Shinichiro whom I have met but this diary is about Nujabes as I'm sure Shinichiro would want too). He hired Nujabes and his friends Shing02(who's voicing the rhymes in the intro) among others to do the soundtrack for Samurai Champloo.
You're a flower...You're a river...You're a rainbowwww..... Reflection Eternal
Another Reflection
This music is transcendent on a level I can't even explain but it takes me to a tragic and wonderful place at the same time. It reminds you that life is tragic and beautiful at the same time, everyday all day.
World Without Words
Nujabes always picked the best samples from the most moving haunting scores out there, like the love theme from the Stanley Kubrick film Spartacus with Kirk Douglas. It stays with you forever like when you first see the film's ending. You kind of remember the ending scene and mourn Spartacus and Nujabes at the same time now.
The Final View
Here's a great one he did with Shing02 with a great animated video from the movie Treasure Planet.
Luv (sic) pt. 3 by Nujabes feat. Shing02 (vocals)
Feather by Nujabes and Cise Starr of Cyne
You're in for a treat [spoiler alert final fight in the series] with this mashup of Nujabes Flowers and this fight scene from Samurai Champloo
Flowers
Aruarian Dance
Here is a tribute from another friend who's work is featured in Samurai Champloo, Fat Jon.
R.I.P. Nujabes- How You Feel (Fat Jon)
I'll leave you with a live performance from Shing02's tribute to Nujabes. RIP. We love you.