Rap/Hip Hop Scene in Japan

[MadamePapillon]

When I last checked rap/hip hop was gaining popularity in Japan so I was curious as to what the rap/hip hop scene is like today.
I've seen quite a few example of rap music and hip hop dance moves from Japanese artists and they seem to be embracing it pretty well (though many people have said the Japanese really don't 'get it' and this is just a fad). So how serious is it in Japan?
Are they embracing the music, people and lifestyle or is this just the latest fad?

 

[Mars Man]

Rap and hip hop are here, that's for sure, but just how deep and strong those roots are is another thing. There was a time when I could see and judge that it was growing, still 'catching on,' but I'm not so sure it still is at the moment. At least one of the big hip hop shops downtown here in Matsumoto has gone under...and the other two are small, and I bet just barely hanging on--although purchasing the clothes, hats, shoes and other stuff would not really reflect on the music scene so much.

All in all, throughout Japan, I'd say it has a fairly strong foothold.

 

[MadamePapillon]

I was really curious because I've seen the Japanese trying to imitate the 'gansta' rappers and I've heard 50 Cent is pretty popular in Japan. However, I was wondering how they view Rap...it seems that most of what they see is a distorted commercial version, all guns and money and 'hos', I'm just wondering if this affects their views on the quality and reality of what Rap really is or if it distorts their views on black people at all.

 

[Goldiegirl]

The younger crowd doesn't know the meaning of the songs, they just like the music. We "translated" some songs that my 20 year old girlfriend liked, and she was a bit surprised by the actual meanings of the songs. She can understand English, but didn't understand what it meant when the song mentioned a girls legs going straight up to the ceiling. They don't necessarily understand the drug and sex references...I don't think it distorted her view on black people at all. She still thinks the music "sounds" cool, or as she sometimes says "very American".

 

[SushiShin]

J-HipHop still beats american/english HipHop, Japanese songs are always better because they don't use insulting words and Japanese sing more about nature,money,love,life in a rythmic way instead of a harsh way.

Teriyaki Boyz, Rip Slyme,M-Flo, Diggy'Mo, Dragon Ash,Zeebra,B'Z,etc... are very good and famous.

My favourite at this moment is Ryuichi Sakamoto with his song Undercooled

 

[MadamePapillon]

The younger crowd doesn't know the meaning of the songs, they just like the music. We "translated" some songs that my 20 year old girlfriend liked, and she was a bit surprised by the actual meanings of the songs. She can understand English, but didn't understand what it meant when the song mentioned a girls legs going straight up to the ceiling. They don't necessarily understand the drug and sex references...I don't think it distorted her view on black people at all. She still thinks the music "sounds" cool, or as she sometimes says "very American".

That made me laugh The sex and drugs are so blatant and in your face, it's sort of hard to miss it, especially in the videos. But from what I heard I got the impression that all the images of guns and sex and drugs in rap gave some Japanese people an impression that black people are violent and criminal.


SushiShin

Your post sort of reminded me of when this guy tried to say that the Japanese did Metal better than the Germans. The Japanese have their own spin on Rap and Hip Hop but they aren't better than English artists...not even close.

Check out some of these guys: K-os, Akon, Missy Elliot, Sean Paul, Wyclef, Chris Brown, T-Pain, and Lil Mama

 

[Mars Man]

But from what I heard I got the impression that all the images of guns and sex and drugs in rap gave some Japanese people an impression that black people are violent and criminal.

For the average college level student here in Japan, who has never actually been out of Japan, I'd say, based on my experience working with them for the past 11 years, that the far greater bulk of those who do get into that music scene, don't really have 'an image,' per se, other than a type of style of dress...more or less. It's not serious, it's just style and fashion, and the kids do it pretty much without thinking about it.

Where did the information come from that caused you to wonder about that?

 

[Goldiegirl]

The point of rap and hip-hop was the edge...it wasn't supposed to be about nature. I don't like it myself over all, but I do like Eminem, and Will Smith....totally different ends of the spectrum.

To us the sex and drugs are blatant because we are watching the videos more, they are getting the music blasted in their boutiques aimed and the younger crowd. They don't understand the innuendo. Like I said my friend understands the words the actual meanings not the secondary implied meaning. It was a real eye opener for her.

 

[maushan3]

...I'm just wondering if this affects their views on the quality and reality of what Rap really is or if it distorts their views on black people at all.

Of course this is happening in Japan. Like Mars Man stated earlier on, for the average Japanese who has not been out of the isles in their life, pretty much their only reference to foreign cultures, in thins case Black is this hip-hop music. And yeah, I would say, on what I see of course, that 90% of it talks about sex, drugs, violence, etc. So they might sadly think that this is what Black people represent really.

Ask pretty much any young Japanese, regardless of fashion trend or likings of music, whether they know who Eminem or 50 Cent is, and then ask them if they know who Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was and you'll see where I'm coming from.

Oh, and I'm not biased, I love what many people would call 'outrageous' Hip-Hop.

J-HipHop still beats american/english HipHop, Japanese songs are always better because they don't use insulting words and Japanese sing more about nature,money,love,life in a rythmic way instead of a harsh way.

It's all relative. What you might think is very cool I might say that it's pure crap. It all depends to each person's ear buds.

And, like one of my high school teachers once taught me, "there are not bad books, but bad readers", I think this pretty much applies here. There is not bad music, but bad listeners who are definitely not mature enough to understand that it all depends on how you take the matters.

Oh, did I mention I looooooove American Hip-Hop? The thuggish and the Dirty South type?

Mauricio

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I'm not particularly into rap/hip hop etc music, but i do have to admit that i rather like a lot of RIP Slyme's music, i.e.;



.

I do think it is just ridiculously silly though when you see young 14 year old white boys trying to act really hard with their ghetto slang and fashion styles with their hands holding their crotches with pants slung low etc- its just not working.

I think the Japanese have produced some really awesome fashion, and i think there are some good Japanese hip hop/rap songs out there, but i think it'll be the female singers that will make it more and more mainstream- i'm not sure how this is going to stack up against Japan's much more favored "cute culture" though or whether rap will end up becoming cute so it can be further accepted (kinda like how Rock music and stars can be cute at times) etc. Its crazy how cute the Japanese can make some things.

 

[MadamePapillon]

That video was crazy, in a good way...I liked it but at the same time I wouldn't call it 'Rap'.
You're right, I think, about rap becoming more cute for Japan. I've already seen some of this: bright colors, peppy rhymes and beats, smiles on their faces. It's more like pop music than rap or hip hop. It's a shame because rap is one of those forms of music that can be used to get across all sorts of thoughts and opinions in a real and uncensored way...to see it glossed over and fluffed up seems like a waste.
The song I've linked to is a good example of this.



It does get sickening after awhile You have to wonder if the Japanese don't get tired of having everything all bright and shiny and happy...sometimes you just want to listen to hard, gritty music.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

It does get sickening after awhile You have to wonder if the Japanese don't get tired of having everything all bright and shiny and happy...sometimes you just want to listen to hard, gritty music.

Indeed...The colors are so bright in the below video you could almost get high off them;



The song is catchy enough, i guess. I agree though with you i think hip hop and rap are best left without too much of the cute treatment.

 

[Numark]

The closest I've heard to Gangsta rap in japan is UZI. and thats pretty dang close. I have no Idea how popular they are/were, but when I showed a Japanese friend, he said the slang was pretty "90's" I have the album "Urbanian Gym" (i think that's what its called) and I think it's pretty good.

 

[DirtDiggler]

Is Nigo the founder of BAPE still rich? Is his stuff still selling out there or is it finally played out?

(youtube Japanorama - Bape if you don't know what I'm talking about)

I don't know who rocks BAPE out in Japan but the Hip Hop heads here on US soil rock them....sometimes....maybe 3-4 years ago, lol. Trends are crazy, they come and go real fast.