(born 1962,
Tokyo,
Japan), better known as
DJ Krush, is a producer and
DJ. He is known for his atmospheric instrumental production which incorporates sound elements from nature and extensive use of jazz and soul samples.
DJ Krush announced on his website (April 2010) that a new album is in the works along with tour dates across the world - he is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of his solo career.
Early life and Wild Style
Ishi was born in 1962 in
Tokyo. Ishi dropped out of school at an early age and joined a local gang, and a few years later, the
yakuza. Early into his career as a yakuza underling, Ishi discovered
a severed finger wrapped in paper on his desk. Later, after discovering that it had belonged to his best friend, he decided to leave the yakuza and cut ties with the criminal underworld.
One day in the early 1980s, Ishi went to the movies with his girlfriend and saw the film Wild Style, the first hip hop motion picture directed by Charlie Ahearn. He quickly got the inspiration to become a hip hop musician, and made the firm decision to become a DJ. The day after seeing this movie, he headed to instrument shops looking for equipment. At this time the term "mixer" was unknown to most of Tokyo's electronic store salesmen. After having a hard time buying the things he needed, Ishi started his career as one of the first hip hop artists in Japan.
Role in the music industry
Aside from being considered one of the pioneers of
Japanese hip hop, Ishi has established himself as one of the most respected artists and producers in the hip hop industry, both in Japan and abroad. Upon entering the industry, Ishi, with his experimental beats and instrumental sounds, changed the face of hip-hop during a time that was dominated by the American rap scene. He is reluctant to identify his music with any particular genre, for it would place limits on his listeners and on his talents. He has been regarded as
ambient,
trip hop, some combination of the two, and hip hop. DJ Krush prefers to exercise an ideological distance from the genres he is usually grouped into, while maintaining a healthy appreciation for all music forms and styles. In 1996, DJ Krush contributed to the
AIDS benefit album produced by the
Red Hot Organization.
Discography
Albums
Krush (1994)
Strictly Turntablized (1994)
Meiso (1995)
MiLight (1996)
Ki-Oku (1998)
Kakusei (1999)
Zen (2001)
The Message at the Depth (2002)
Jaku (2004)
Singles
On Mo'Wax
Lost And Found / Kemuri 12" (With DJ Shadow, MW024)
A Whim / 89.9 Megamix 12" (With DJ Shadow, MW033)
Meiso 12" (MW042)
Headz 2 Sampler 12" (With Zimbabwe Legit, MW052)
Only The Strong Survive 12" (MW060)
Remixes
''Rebore Vol.3 Dj Krush Giga Mix A remix of the Boredoms
''L・O・V・E ’95 Dj Krush Mix A remix of Naniwaman
Mixtapes
Holonic-The Self Megamix (1997, Mo' Wax MW088)
Code4109 (2000)
Compilations
ColdKrushCuts - DJ Krush + DJ Food + Coldcut (1997)
Reload-The Remix Collection (2001)
Stepping Stones - The Self Remixed Best: Lyricism (2006)
Stepping Stones - The Self Remixed Best: Soundscapes (2006)
''OuMuPo 6 - (2007)
"Shin-Ki-Row" DJ Krush- Altered Beats: Assassin Knowledges Of The Remanipulated (Axiom) [1996]
Collaborations
Zap Mama, "Danger of Love" (2001)
Bad Brothers (1994) (with Ronny Jordan)
Ki-Oku (1996) (with Toshinori Kondo)
Ryu (1999) (with DJ Hide & DJ Sak)
sweetest coma again feat.DJ Krush (2000) (with LUNA SEA)
Kiss feat.DJ Krush (2000) (with LUNA SEA)
Zero Landmine (2001) (with Ryuichi Sakamoto and others)
Blue Fantasy DJ Krush Remix (2002) (with Tetsuya Komuro)
''2007-2009 Bill Laswell presents Tokyo Rotation, session with Dj Krush on turntable Tokyo Rotation video
''2009 Method of Defiance, DJ Krush playing live with Bill Laswell
DVD
Suimou Tsunenimasu (2007)/History of DJ Krush (US Title - 2007)
Footnotes
External links
Official website
Nippop Profile |DJ Krush
DJ Krush in Barcelona
Suimou Tsunenimasu DVD set review
Interview at britishhiphop.co.uk, Feb. 2008
DJ Krush at IKRA club (Moscow), 2007
[ DJ Krush at All Music]
Category:Japanese hip hop musicians
Krush, DJ
Krush, DJ
Krush, DJ
