DJ Krush
Encyclopedia
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.
. 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.
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 was inspired 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 a hard time buying the things he needed, Ishi started his career as one of the first hip hop artists in Japan.
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 at a time when it 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 Offbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip
produced by the Red Hot Organization
.
"Shin-Ki-Row" DJ Krush- Altered Beats: Assassin Knowledges Of The Remanipulated (Axiom) [1996]
Biography
Ishi was born in 1962 in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Ishi dropped out of school at an early age and joined a local gang, and a few years later, the yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
. Early into his career as a yakuza underling, Ishi discovered a severed finger
Yubitsume
is a Japanese ritual to atone for offenses to another, a way to be punished or to show sincere apology to another, by means of amputating portions of one's own little 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.
In the early 1980s, Ishi went to the movies with his girlfriend and saw the film Wild Style
Wild Style
Wild Style is a 1983 hip hop film produced by Charlie Ahearn. Released theatrically in 1983 by First Run Features and later re-released for home video by Rhino Home Video, it is regarded as the first hip hop motion picture...
, the first hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
motion picture directed by Charlie Ahearn
Charlie Ahearn (director)
Charlie Ahearn was born in 1951 in Binghamton, New York, and is a film director and creative cultural artist currently living in New York City. Although predominantly involved in film and video production, he is also known for his work as an author, freelance writer, and radio host...
. He was inspired 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"
Mix
Mix, mixes, mixture or mixing may refer to:-Science and mathematics:* Crossbreeding, also called mixing, a genetic concept* Mixing , a concept in ergodic theory...
was unknown to most of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
's electronic store salesmen. After a hard time buying the things he needed, Ishi started his career as one of the first hip hop artists in Japan.
Aside from being considered one of the pioneers of Japanese hip hop
Japanese hip hop
Japanese hip hop is said to have begun when Hiroshi Fujiwara returned to Japan and started playing hip hop records in the early 1980s. Japanese hip hop generally tends to be most directly influenced by old school hip hop, taking from the era's catchy beats, dance culture, and overall fun and...
, 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 at a time when it 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
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, trip hop
Trip hop
Trip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music which originated in the early 1990s in England, especially Bristol. Deriving from "post"-acid house, the term was first used by the British music media and press as a way to describe the more experimental variant of breakbeat which...
, 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
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
benefit album Offbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip
Offbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip
Offbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip is a compilation album from the Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series produced by Paul Heck. It combines elements of ambient, spoken word, and trip hop to expand the ideas of artistic collage and spiritual transcendence of "the Beats"...
produced by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
.
Albums
- KrushKrush (album)For the electronic music group, see Krush.Krush is the debut album from DJ Krush.-Track listing:#"AM 300 Tag" 0:52#"Keepin the Motion" 6:37 contains a sample of "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines#"Mixed Nuts" 1:11#"Roll & Tumble" 5:08...
(1994) - Strictly TurntablizedStrictly TurntablizedStrictly Turntablized is the second album by the Trip hop artist, DJ Krush. It was released in 1994.-Track listing:#"Intro" – 1:04#"Lunation" – 3:34#"Fucked-Up Pendulum" – 4:26#"Kemuri" – 4:42#"The Loop" – 1:53#"Silent Ungah " – 4:23...
(1994) - MeisoMeiso, meaning “Straying”, is the third album released by DJ Krush.- Track listing :# "Only the Strong Survive" featuring CL Smooth - 4:16# "Anticipation" - 4:45# "What's Behind Darkness?" - 3:06# "Meiso" featuring Black Thought and Malik B...
(1995) - Ki-OkuKi-OkuKi-Oku is a collaboration album between DJ Krush and Toshinori Kondo. Both are experienced musicians in their particular genre, with DJ Krush being one of Japan's most successful DJs, and Toshinori Kondo being a well-respected trumpeter specializing in avant-garde jazz.The album is set out in a...
(1996) - MiLightMiLightis an album by DJ Krush, released in 1997. The album title means "future" and is a wordplay with the pronunciation of "MiLight/mirai".-Track listing:#"Intro"#"from Rino"#"Shin-Sekai" featuring Rino#"Jikan No Hashi 1"#"from Stash"#"Real" featuring Tragedy...
(1997) - KakuseiKakusei (album)is the eighth album released by DJ Krush. It is generally considered to be his most acclaimed work.-Track listing:#"Intro" – 1:03#"Escapee " – 3:50#"Parallel Distortion " – 3:26...
(1999) - Zen (2001)
- The Message at the DepthThe Message at the DepthThe Message at the Depth is an LP released by Hip hop artist DJ Krush.-Track listing:#"Trihedron " – 6:30#"Toki No Tabiji " – 6:18#"Sanity Requiem" – 4:20...
(2002) - JakuJakuJaku , is an LP released by hip-hop artist DJ Krush.-Track listing:# "Still Island" – 5:06# "Road to Nowhere" – 3:21# "Nosferatu" Jaku (寂 - meaning "quiet, lonely"), is an LP released by hip-hop artist DJ Krush.-Track listing:# "Still Island" (featuring Shūzan Morita) – 5:06# "Road to Nowhere" –...
(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
Compilations
- ColdKrushCuts - DJ Krush + DJ FoodDJ FoodOriginally produced by Coldcut on the Ninja Tune independent record label, the DJ Food project started in 1990 on the premise of providing metaphorical "food for DJs". DJ Food released the Jazz Brakes series, with Jazz Brakes Volume 3 being the most successful...
+ ColdcutColdcutColdcut are an English dance music duo, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. Their signature style is electronic dance music, featuring cut up samples of hip hop, breaks, jazz, spoken word and various other types of music, as well as video and multimedia.-1980s:In 1986, computer programmer Matt...
(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 MamaZap MamaZap Mama is a Belgian musical group founded and led by Marie Daulne. Daulne says her mission is to be a bridge between the European and the African and bring the two cultures together with her music...
, "Danger of Love" (2001) - Bad Brothers (1994) (with Ronny JordanRonny JordanRonny Jordan is a guitarist at the forefront of the acid jazz movement at the end of the twentieth century. Additionally, Jordan can be included in several other jazz genres such as urban jazz, jazz funk, crossover jazz, and smooth jazz...
) - Ki-OkuKi-OkuKi-Oku is a collaboration album between DJ Krush and Toshinori Kondo. Both are experienced musicians in their particular genre, with DJ Krush being one of Japan's most successful DJs, and Toshinori Kondo being a well-respected trumpeter specializing in avant-garde jazz.The album is set out in a...
(1996) (with Toshinori KondoToshinori KondoToshinori Kondo is an avant-garde jazz and jazz fusion trumpeter. He resides in Tokyo, New York City, and Amsterdam....
) - Ryu (1999) (with DJ Hide & DJ Sak)
- "Sweetest Coma Again", LunacyLunacy (album)Lunacy is the seventh album by Luna Sea, released on July 12, 2000. It reached number three on the Oricon chart and was the band's last original studio album before disbanding in late 2000...
(2000) (with LUNA SEALuna SeaLuna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
) - "Kiss", Lunacy (2000) (with LUNA SEALuna SeaLuna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
) - Zero LandmineZero LandmineZero Landmine is an Extended play recording created to promote awareness of the problem of landmines and to promote a ban on landmines...
(2001) (with Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
and others) - Blue Fantasy DJ Krush Remix (2002) (with Tetsuya KomuroTetsuya Komuro, also known as TK, is a Japanese keyboardist, guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer born on November 27, 1958 in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. He is recognized as being the most successful producer in Japanese music history and introduced dance music to the Japanese mainstream...
) - 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