Wicka-Why do I gotta be so damn hot?

September 29, 2005 12:54 PM

In the recent trend of mashing up traditional Japanese culture/instrumentation with American Hip-Hop (much like the recent, critically-acclaimed Anime series Samurai Champloo), this incredible video (warning: windows media) demonstrates America's potential to positively influence the world. Also, it's freakin' cool.
posted by basicchannel (18 comments total)

In the WMV link, it's too bad so much of the already modest 102kbps is video instead of audio. It's pretty hard to listen to.
posted by aubilenon at 12:59 PM on September 29, 2005

See also: DJ Krush, Photek, huge chunks of teh Ninja Tunes back catalogue.

This is pretty damn cool though.
posted by Artw at 1:08 PM on September 29, 2005

Seconded. This appears to be the guy on the turntables, but I haven't found any reasonable audio yet. Anyone know more?
posted by Vetinari at 1:09 PM on September 29, 2005

I'd defiantely buy this if it features this clip.
posted by Artw at 1:28 PM on September 29, 2005

showing once again that if you put a phat enough bass riff on anything it sounds good.
posted by stilgar at 1:30 PM on September 29, 2005

Appears to be DJ Kentaro with "King of Tsugaru Shamisen" Shinichi Kinoshita
posted by basicchannel at 1:40 PM on September 29, 2005

Cool idea, but bad execution. The guy on the strings is just noodling around, and a good portion of the performance is off beat.
The only really nice part kicks in at around 3.30, when they finally sorta mesh for a bit, but the guy on the strings is still seriously lacking.
posted by Edible Energy at 1:52 PM on September 29, 2005

p.s. I frikkin love Samurai Champloo ;)
posted by Edible Energy at 1:52 PM on September 29, 2005

DJ Kentaro is pretty awesome, he has a Wheels of Steel mix out on Ninja tune that I recommend. He was the Japanese DMC champion.
posted by atom128 at 2:10 PM on September 29, 2005

Cool post! I'd really like to catch some episodes, but I'm never up late enough to see anything on [adultswim]. Maybe they'll have some of these available with their renewed online presence.
posted by prostyle at 2:17 PM on September 29, 2005

Someone should really point out that Asian pop culture has exerted its influence on hip-hop as well. (see Wu-Tang Clan, etc).

(Samurai Champloo is awesome)
posted by selfnoise at 2:24 PM on September 29, 2005

artw- didnt notice your link when i posted. no, it doesnt, but it has similar tracks.
posted by atom128 at 2:35 PM on September 29, 2005

Shamisan
posted by StickyCarpet at 2:40 PM on September 29, 2005

Very cool vid, thanks for the link!
posted by ktoad at 2:43 PM on September 29, 2005

Oh, and StickyCarpet, I think you mean shamisen.
posted by ktoad at 2:44 PM on September 29, 2005

I want those eight minutes back.
posted by dyaseen at 3:14 PM on September 29, 2005

prostyle - you can get Samurai Champloo on Netflix among the 1000's of anime titles they have
did not like the vid so much...
posted by batou_ at 3:55 PM on September 29, 2005

So this is what Duelling Banjos looks like in the 21st century? I like it.
posted by Who_Am_I at 6:59 PM on September 29, 2005