Tag Archives: hip-hop

Nitro Microphone Underground Japanese Rap Expose

Nitro Microphone Underground
Down the Line
Akugidenwa (Prank Call)”
10 Muri
(from Straight From The Underground)

J-rap is an intriguing genre if anything. A lot of the vernacular is taken from the US Rap scene, but according to the wikipedia article, Japanese rappers are able to “express themselves in a more Japanese style, both in basic language and in regard to themes”. Yet when I went over there back in 2005, I sampled what was current on the Tokyo scene (aka “The Bay Area”). I heard a lot of shit, and everyone wanted to sound like a Japanese DMX—Barks and all.
But forreals though, Japan’s hip-hop/rap scene is developing into its own, and some of that shit bangs! Some of the pop stuff like the Teriyaki Boyz is aight (think Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift), but the real gold is in the underground rap/hip-hop scene.

Nitro Microphone Underground is one of the first j-rap artists who didn’t sell out and pop out their act, and were recognized by the industry for it. With “Down the Line”, the members of the group (Dabo, Macka-chin, Deli, Suiken, Gore-Tex, S-Word, XBS, and Bigzam—its like a Japanese Wu-Tang) take turns passing the mic after 24 bars. Each distinctive flow & swagger is punctuated by a beat the hits the rewind button between each rapper, giving the track a fresh restart each time.

In “10 Muri”, you might recognize some famous samples which are long standbys in the rap producer’s lingua franca. And the memorable, chanting chorus “けっこ、マジ、けっこ、マジ!” (kekko maji kekko maji – “I’m fine. Forreals?”) knocks up the appeal.

“Akugidenwa (Prank Call)” has a lot of the crazy space shit that Japanese producers (and Pharrell) love to include in the background of their tracks. Just as how the Neptunes craft the perfect beat that matches a particular artist’s style, NMU’s hard-hitting delivery matches the repetitive beat perfectly, and shows off the crazy potential of japanese lyricism.

By keeping true to hip-hop (w/o the beats, the MCs are nothin!) NMU makes sure that even if you can’t understand their flow, you can at the very least listen to some high-tempo production with some of the craziest loops since the Neptunes.

Speaking of loops, I also copped some Nujabes shit over there, but couldn’t find anything from Fat Jon or Tsutchie (shoutout to Champloo Fans!). Note: I didn’t look TOO hard.

You see, Japan is a crazy place for hip hop gear collectors. Not only vinyl, but shit from all 4 elements have a strong representation in Japan, whether through special limited editions gear, crazy tech, or bumpin producers. There are even services out there where you pay people to peruse through Japan’s crazy used CD/Book/Video stores to look for that vintage recording/print that you just can’t find anywhere else. I don’t even wanna talk about the shoe/streetwear scene over there. BAPE is a Japanese phenom after all.

PS: Looking at these makes me wanna be a sneakerhead. “Anti-Babylon Equipment” Can it get any more “Crazy Engrish Oxymoron” than that!?

Nitro Microphone Underground Air Force 1s

Meteor

Muah 2 days in a row!

LastSong: You Know You’re Right – Nirvana – Nirvana
NowCD: Justified
NextSong: Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop) – Brown Sugar SoundTrack – Erykah Badu & Common

So yeah, here I am not studying for my math midterm tommorow.
And yeah, Zander’s all over here gettin’ hella calls.

Anyway, I figured out why I don’t update daily, cuz nothing happens in one day really. Otherwise, nothing. Um… yeah.

Oh yeah, go watch the meteor shower that’s happening in like right now minutes.

ToomanySong

Once a week isn’t bad right? …

LastSong:
Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)
Erykah Badu & Common
Brown Sugar SoundTrack

NowCD:
G-Sides

NextSong :
Run Like Hell (Pink Floyd!!! Cover)
Oracle
Kittie

Anyway, more of the same this week. Pretty boring up till Friday. Big Pat & Arash’s B-days yay! Friday we had our suite meeting at PJ’s (hella good pizza there!). Everyone was there cept Little Bitch (Anthony). Shame too, cuz I haven’t seen him in forever…

Now the weekend…

Friday night… my suitemate Ed was gonna throw a kickback here, but the RSO’s came by and warned us. They go to Warren and have it, me and my roommate J were gonna head up later. Me and J blaze, then get call from Ed to come over. We wait at Earl’s Place to get picked up… but Ed never comes. All of a sudden, like 7 RSO’s on their bikes fly by. Then a cop car skid stops, and a cop sprints out. Me and Justin are all wtf! and jokingly say, “It’s probly for Ed huh!”. Like 15 min later, we get bored and leave. As we do, we pass by a fire truck, some dude redirecting traffic, and then an ambulance. After we get home, Ed calls to pick him up. Turns out it WAS for his shit. Some dude got arrested, hella ppl went to detox, Ed gotta talk to the dean. Me and J were safe tho…

Saturday… play APSA football in the afternoon. Good game for the most part… I got 2 interception/td’s, but our offense stalled a little and we lost by 3 points… oh well, it was fun right?

Next up, go with J to his house along with Ed, then onto an “experience” with them and J’s friends Hammer and Victoria.
Tried hooka for the 1st time, not bad… Haha… lotsa fun… like being with Posse during the dayz…

Sunday… lazied around, went to library for CAT project w/ my Storm and Mike somethin’ . Found out that the project we had to do was stupid (well I guess we already knew).

Now I’m procrastinating said project and Math midterm studying. Yay…

Shoutouts to…

My parents and Mizuki!
My “bosses” & ATP!
SB02!
Ed, Justin, and his crew!
Tom! (good luck man)
Adry! (its all good)
My “Sista!”
APSA!
and all y’all other folk…