Case04
PROFILE
Born in the U.S.A. and representing Nakameguro, Tokyo, HIP-HOP DJ, whose outstanding skills in DJing and music production have had a profound influence on the deepest parts of Japan for many years. His originality is unrivaled. Those who know him know him well, and those who don't know him are a little worried about "Tokyo Most Underground".
@djqs
We have to say, first of all, "We're here, man.
Did you know about Deus?
I knew about the brand, of course, but about three years ago, a friend happened to introduce me to someone at "Deus," and from there I started visiting the Harajuku store. . I would go to bars for drinks or to see my friends when they were DJing. On the day of the event, I was surprised to find such a hideout in Harajuku. The acoustics were great, too.
What kind of image did you have of the brand itself?
. I have an image of a man who is masculine, active, and capable of doing many things. I have been to the Deus store in Bali, which is a big store with lots of surfboards, people doing tattoos, and art exhibitions. I felt that it had become a great cultural spot.
QUIETSTORM: What do you usually pay attention to when choosing clothes?
. I try to keep it simple so as not to dress up too much, I'm old enough (laughs). . I am the type of person who uses what I like for a long time, so I like standard items. . In that sense, today's clothes will be useful for a long time. Both the pants and jacket are made of good fabric and are very comfortable to wear.
Please tell us about your current activities. What inspired you to start "Living Room," a DJ party with a sofa in the center of the floor?
The first time I started this event was at a cafe called "Unice" in Daikanyama, but for regular events, I always moved the furniture out of the way and put the DJ booth in the back. The DJ was facing the customers across the booth, and the customers were lined up in front of him, not even looking at the girl next to him. Seeing DJs like that made me want to do something about it. In Chicago, we have parties in huge gymnasiums, but if I think back, there were times when I left without knowing where the DJ booth was, and I was dancing with my family members without paying attention to who was DJing.
. It sounds like fun (laughs).
So, I thought it was about time to have a party like Chicago's, even if it was just one in Japan. I started "LIVING ROOM" without moving the furniture at "Unice" that I mentioned earlier, making it like having a DJ in the living room of your own house.
. Now that Corona has hit, there's been a lot of self-restraint on events....
Yes . All of our planned bookings are gone. But there's no point in feeling sorry for them, so I'm thinking about what I can do now, such as streaming and producing music. I'm probably moving more than I was before Corona (laughs).
What is the reason why you have been based in Nakameguro for so many years?
I came to Japan in 1992 and happened to live in Nakameguro, and at that time all the Americans were wearing New York caps, Dodgers shirts, or other clothing from their own city, but no Japanese were wearing caps that said Shibuya or Yakult (Swallows) shirts. Compton in the U.S. is an unsafe city that everyone avoids, but rappers put it in their lyrics and everyone in the world knows its name. I thought I had to say, "I'm in Nakameguro, whether it's good or bad, I'm here," and that's what I did! I'm in Nakameguro, so I've always been active in this area.
I see. How is it that you have been able to maintain such a consistent style in Nakameguro all this time?
I created my own label and have been in the underground for 30 years, but I have never done anything I am ashamed of. It is difficult to find something only you can do, but if you find it, if you believe in your stance and keep doing it, I think you can become a very valuable person. That's all I can do.
