Track: Let It Out (feat. Rakaa Iriscience from Dilated Peoples & Money Harm a.k.a. Marvin Moore)

Genre: Hip Hop

About: DJ Honda is a name that couldn’t be missed in the 90′s during the golden age of NYC Hip Hop. DJ Honda has worked with some of the most influential Hip Hop icons such as The Beanuts, EPMD, Common, Redman, Gangstarr, Fat Joe, Biz Markie, Brand Nubian, Mos Def, and KRS-One to name a few . DJ Honda has many projects such as media production, a clothing line, Chapter President of a national Japan DJ battle and entrepeneurship.

Website: http://www.djhonda.com

Genre: Break Beats

About: DJKENTARO has achieved in winning the 2002 DMC World DJ champion spot at the age of 20. DJKENTARO has succeeded in obtaining the highest score in the history of the DMC and established himself as one of the first Asians to win the championship title. DJKENTARO has pushed himself as a music producer and worked with The Roots and The Pharcyde along the path.

Website: http://www.djkentaro.com

Track: Wamono

Genre: Break Beats

About: “Hifana” means “South Winds” in the Okinawan dialect. The Japanese breakbeat duo is composed of KEIZOmachine! (Keizo Fukuda) and Juicy (Jun Miyata). Prior to forming the group, the two were involved with legendary Yamatsuka Eye (Boredoms) in a group called Tribal Circus. Hifana has released their music through W+K Tokyo Lab by collaborating with visual artists to accompany their creative works.

Website: http://www.hifana.com

Track: Discover Tokyo

Genre: Electronic

About: Shuta Hasunuma is a Tokyo-based multi-instrumentalist/composer with an exceptional skill in electronic music production. His three dimensional approach in bright pop sound accompanied by bells and other elements make his signature sound. Shuta is set to drop his latest album, wannapunch! on Jan. 1st, 2010.

Website: http://www.shutahasunuma.com

Track: Hana to Ame

Genre: Hip Hop

About: Seeda was born in Tokyo and raised in London. Seeda’s lyrical content consists of street life and social issues in Japan. He is known to bring a new sound to the Japanese Hip Hop scene with new generation artists such as Bach-Logic, L-Vokal, I-Dea, and GEEK to name a few. Seeda is constantly putting out new music. Currently, he has put out 7 albums and 12 series of mixtapes with DJ ISSO.

Website: http://seeda.syncl.jp

Track: The Way is The Way is The Way

Genre: Electronic

About: INO’s musical talent emerged at the age of 5 when he started playing piano. But his remarkable journey began in the year 2002, when he launched his own cafe“Tenement” in Ebisu, Tokyo, his home base for his music project. From composing and performing to programming and mixdown, his music is all hand crafted and true to his heart. INO recently has released his long awaited album “Inocology” in Nov. INO is scheduled for his Japan tour which starts on Feb. 6, 2010.

Website: http://www.innocentrecord.net

Track: Real Kings

Genre: Hip Hop

About: Shing02 is a rare bilingual rapper and producer based in San Francisco and Tokyo. Shing02 is known for his complex and conceptual lyricism in both Japanese and English. Though he was already established as an underground artist, his involvement with the anime Samurai Champloo‘s theme song “Battlecry” produced by Japanese Jazz Hip Hop artist Nujabes, has gained him an even larger audience.

Website: http://www.e22.com/shing02

Track: Killa Indo

Genre: Japanese Hip Hop

About: NIPPS of pioneer Hip Hop group Buddha Brand, BD of The Brobus, and Vikn and Sperb of THE GHOST make up Tetrad the Gang of Four. The instant you hear the group’s music you’re reminded of the sounds of Buddha Brand. The music of the group is how Buddha Brand would sound if they put out an album today.

Website: http://www.myspace.com/tetradthegangoffour

Track: Anger Of The Earth

Genre: Hip Hop

About: Nomak is a Japanese hip-hop producer with a melodic production style. His signature sound can be described with an extensive use of as piano, flute, saxophone, and acoustic guitar sounds. Nomak’s organic sounds have been the production for works with artists such as Fat Jon and Abstract Rude. Nomak has released two albums, Calm (2007) and Recalm (2008).

Website: http://nomak.net

Track: Life

Genre: Jazzy Hip Hop

About: Kenichiro Nishihara began his music career as a director for high profile fashion events such as Paris Collection and Tokyo Collections and retail stores such as UNIQLO, commercials and soundscape for websites since 1996. He continues to put out well produced tracks on wax. He started his own company Unprivate in 2007 with the Unprivate Accoustic label. His second album titled “Life” is expected to drop in 2010.

Website: http://www.unprivate.jp

Track: Black Rain

Genre: Blacksmoker

About: Skunk Heads consists of Road “Dawgy” aka BABA (MPC/Vocals), Matsu “Zaki” Haze (Guitar/Noise), and Keita Morisawa (Drums). The band’s sound is a hybrid of alternative rock, dub and Hip Hop. Baba is originally from the similarly stoned out group THINK TANK.

Website: http://www.myspace.com/blacksmokerrecords

Track: Syounemba 2K9

Genre: Hip Hop

About: Tom Yum Samurai is a collaboration effort between Yuichiro and Thailand’s Thaitanium. Tom Yum Samurai are the organizers of The Asian Hip Hop Festival 2008 which featured Nas with 15,000 attendees. Syounemba 2k9 is their second installment cover of Syounemba by the late Terry The Aki 06, a Japanese reggae artist.

Website: http://www.myspace.com/tomyumsamuraiz

Track: Moon Talk

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap

About: OHGA was born in Japan and raised in New York. OHG was attracted to the Hip Hop lifestyle and decided on doing music. In his earlier days, OHGA has performed in front of small High School venues. Soon after he moved back to Japan where he pushed his career as an artist and even collaborating with major artists such as Bennie K and Diggy-MO’.

Website: http://www.myspace.com/ohgamusic

Track: My Fish

Genre: Leftfield

About: Daisuke Tanabe’s work can be described with unique experimental, downtempo-electronica soundscapes, resonating with hypnotic, and blurred beats. Daisuke was featured as the 2006 All Winners on BBC Radio 1 Gilles Peterson Worldwide. With his anticipated album debut in January, Daisuke’s year will be busy schedule with Monday Michiru’s “Nexus” remix project, and Europe tour.

Website: http://www.myspace.com/shakutorimusi

Track: Wheel of Life

Genre: Electronica/Dance, IDM

About: Himawari was born in New York City. The electronic duo has worked on significant events in NYC and is now based in Japan. Himawari is constantly pushing their creativity by being active in fashion and graphic design. Himawari has performed at such events as the CMJ Music Marathon andthe Moby VJ Team MOVEMENT events.

Website: http://www.himawaring.com

Track: Pungi

Genre: Chiptune

About: Cow’p is a chiptune artist. He is a trombone player by day and gameboy rocker by night. His Gameboy software of choice is Nanoloop. Cow’p has performed at the Blip Festival 2008 in NYC. The featured track Pungi has an interesting rhythm often not put out by chiptune artists.

Website: http://19-t.com/comb

Track: Go Chic / Hard Date (BBK AONAMIX)

Genre: Lo-Tech/Lo-Bit music with Nintendo Gameboy

About: Aonami is an electronic musician from Tokyo. Aonami performs music using a Nintendo Game Boy and the Little Sound DJ tracker program. Aonami produces abstract experimental beats with a remodeled Nintendo Gameboy. He runs and maintains his own label called Intikrec. Aonami has been actively touring across Europe, Asia the US, including appearances at the Blip Festivals in 2006 and 2007.

Website: http://www.myspace.com/aonami

Track: The Message (Not Robo Boy Remix)

Genre: Electronica/Dance, IDM, Drum and Bass

About: Gr3yman is a groundbreaking producer and sound designer. He has put out the award-winning Submethod project. Remixes by Kero and Not Robo Boy (Takeshi Ichikawa of Himawari).

Website: http://www.gr3yman.com