Interview: DJ Kentaro
Japanese hip hop DMC World Champ unleashes scratch-pocalypse at The Shelter - By Ciga, Mar 27, 08
A champion of the DMC World DJ Final in 2002 at the tender age of 20, DJ Kentaro is a world renowned hip hop DJ and Ninja Tunes recording artist. This Friday, in conjunction with their month-long celebration of The Lab anniversary, The Shelter hosts Kentaro along with the Lab Crew and Elnomo. Louder.cn's Ciga caught up with DJ Kentaro to ask him a variety of Kentaro-related questions.
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I am originally from Sendai, Japan. It's about 1.5 kms north of Tokyo. My crew is DJ Mitsu the Beats, Gagle... Mitsu and I had a crew called "Scratch Curz" back in '90s and we just scratched most of the time together. Now Mitsu is big producer and he provides beats to lots of different artists. I guest I'm doing the same as well. We've done some collaborations before too.
These past few years I've been going to Europe a lot. At least three or four times a year. Since my label is in London as well, recording and such is always based in London.
Europe is always fun and I've shared the stage with lots of great people. The experienced has influenced me a lot. France is my favorite country though. Good food, chilled-out people, and beautiful women. Haha.
Basically, I'm self-taught really. I got a bunch of videos when I was younger and watched them millions of times.
Many opportunities to play all over the world. And, again, I've met great people, and it's influenced me a lot. I've been able to undertake many different kinds of projects and it's been a great experience.
It was just one of the concepts we had for the DVD that I made, called "National Geoscratch" (2005). We were just looking for an interesting spot to shoot the routine. The building in the video is our office building top balcony right in Shibuya. Loads of people from other buildings were looking at us during the shoot, because we were really loud from the speakers.
Kem means "smoke." Under this name I play mainly dub, chilled reggae, and I don't scratch at all. I just mix and experiment with lounge types of music.
The subject of the DVD will be my album launch tour from last year and the DVD footage is mainly the tour finale I had in Tokyo at Liquid Room. For that show, we had all the featured guests from the U.S. and Japan, and did a complete set of the album. So once you watch this DVD and go back to my album "Enter," this will make lot more sense. Please enjoy!
It's a hip hop album -- my understanding of hip hop -- using many samples, many ideas, and different ideas of how I view hip hop. So I always call this one my hip hop album.
It's been a while since I was in China, so I'm trying to do a few new things, plus some old classics of mine. I have not done many cities in Asia as compared to Europe or Japan, but I always hear good things about China, so I m very excited for it.
I making a mix album -- a remix 12 inch on Ninja Tunes in April. It's got The Qemists remix and the Le Jad remix on both sides. The DVD will be out on Ninja Tunes in May. I've got a European tour in May, a U.S. tour in July, a Japan tour in September, and an Australia tour from December to January. So pretty much I have away games all the way through this year really. At the same time I'm starting to make my next record, which will be very much more of me -- like instrumental songs and more scratches I'm thinking.
***
DJ Kentaro performs this Friday at The Shelter. He will be joined by The Lab crew and Bananas alum, Elnomo. Cover is 50rmb. Doors at 9:30pm.
Check out his MySpace page for audio and visual samples.
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Where are you from originally? How does it influence in your music?
I am originally from Sendai, Japan. It's about 1.5 kms north of Tokyo. My crew is DJ Mitsu the Beats, Gagle... Mitsu and I had a crew called "Scratch Curz" back in '90s and we just scratched most of the time together. Now Mitsu is big producer and he provides beats to lots of different artists. I guest I'm doing the same as well. We've done some collaborations before too.
Where are you based for most of the time?
These past few years I've been going to Europe a lot. At least three or four times a year. Since my label is in London as well, recording and such is always based in London.
Which place that you have toured is your favorite?
Europe is always fun and I've shared the stage with lots of great people. The experienced has influenced me a lot. France is my favorite country though. Good food, chilled-out people, and beautiful women. Haha.
How do you start out in turntablism?
Basically, I'm self-taught really. I got a bunch of videos when I was younger and watched them millions of times.
What has resulted from your 2002 win of the DMC championship?
Many opportunities to play all over the world. And, again, I've met great people, and it's influenced me a lot. I've been able to undertake many different kinds of projects and it's been a great experience.
The first video of yours I ever saw was the one where you are beat juggling on the rooftop of an office building in the morning, in the sunrise. How did you come up with the concept and what was it like shooting it?
It was just one of the concepts we had for the DVD that I made, called "National Geoscratch" (2005). We were just looking for an interesting spot to shoot the routine. The building in the video is our office building top balcony right in Shibuya. Loads of people from other buildings were looking at us during the shoot, because we were really loud from the speakers.
You have another DJ name, "KEM DJ." How did you come up with that name? What does it mean and what kind of music do you play under the name?
Kem means "smoke." Under this name I play mainly dub, chilled reggae, and I don't scratch at all. I just mix and experiment with lounge types of music.
The video "Spank Rock x Texas Juggle" on your MySpace page is part of your to-be-released "Enter The Newground" live DVD. Is the whole DVD comprised of footage from your live shows?
The subject of the DVD will be my album launch tour from last year and the DVD footage is mainly the tour finale I had in Tokyo at Liquid Room. For that show, we had all the featured guests from the U.S. and Japan, and did a complete set of the album. So once you watch this DVD and go back to my album "Enter," this will make lot more sense. Please enjoy!
In your 2007 debut album "Enter," you showcase your producing skills. How do you describe the whole album?
It's a hip hop album -- my understanding of hip hop -- using many samples, many ideas, and different ideas of how I view hip hop. So I always call this one my hip hop album.
Shanghai is one of the stops on your 2008 Asia tour, what can we expect from your set?
It's been a while since I was in China, so I'm trying to do a few new things, plus some old classics of mine. I have not done many cities in Asia as compared to Europe or Japan, but I always hear good things about China, so I m very excited for it.
What's next for Kentaro?
I making a mix album -- a remix 12 inch on Ninja Tunes in April. It's got The Qemists remix and the Le Jad remix on both sides. The DVD will be out on Ninja Tunes in May. I've got a European tour in May, a U.S. tour in July, a Japan tour in September, and an Australia tour from December to January. So pretty much I have away games all the way through this year really. At the same time I'm starting to make my next record, which will be very much more of me -- like instrumental songs and more scratches I'm thinking.
***
DJ Kentaro performs this Friday at The Shelter. He will be joined by The Lab crew and Bananas alum, Elnomo. Cover is 50rmb. Doors at 9:30pm.
Check out his MySpace page for audio and visual samples.
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