Japanese Hip Hop

Cloud NI9E- Golden Gate feat. R.O.T.C. MC’s

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A brand new posse track produced by my Japanese trackmaker Cloud NI9E. My R.O.T.C. infantry Denero, Slice IX, Unlearn the World, and Spread Fox, were recruited to rock this classic sample with me. I decided to implement my patented 4 bar language switch-up on this one.

 

“??????????????/ ?????????????/??????????????/??????, ????????/startups are killing it, residents getting by/ everything around here’s getting so gentrified/ this the Bay, where the dope artists are centralized/ home of the independent hustlers, we meant to rise/ ??????????????/ ????????????/ ????????????in the house/ ?????, ??????,  ????/ to unify the tribes, is what we rapping for/ from the cities in Asia to International/ traveling overseas, on sabbaticals/ as I teach continents, what I’m learning back at home”

SPAT App for MC’s

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My comrade Shing02 recently assisted in the development of the SPAT app; it allows you to connect two phones via bluetooth, select an instrumental, spit bars against one another, upload, and then have the community vote on the winner. SPAT also features a solo freestyle mode which allows you to archive your takes. I wholeheartedly believe that this is a great resource for anyone in the rap discipline and also it’s just productive fun!!

Download Link -> https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1005035395

iPhone Screenshot 1iPhone Screenshot 2

Solo Show in Berkeley

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I will be performing a solo set @Berkeley Community Media on 07/29/16. Solo shows for me are becoming rarer and rarer, because I’m putting  more and more effort into my crew 2FS… The show is going to be broadcasted globally on BCM and is being masterminded by Tefari Casas from Filmatic Productions. Tef is a multi-talented young gun coming up, and is a seasoned B-Boy and videographer. My comrades Breathless and Agatron are on the bill as well.. oh, and chicken, waffles, more chicken, and more waffles!

Berkeley Show

Kensho Kuma Albums Free Downloads

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My first album “Rewritten Code ov Honor” and second album “Projekt Life Force” are now available for free download.

Rewritten Code ov Honor Free Download

Projekt Life Force Free Download

“Rewritten Code ov Honor” was independently released in 2005. I could only rhyme in English back then.. upon completion of this album I left on a 2 year exodus to Asia, and lived in Chengdu, Shanghai, and Tokyo. I literally traveled the world with this CD in my luggage and will forever cherish the memories it allowed me to have.

kensho front cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spent the next five years developing my Japanese flow… I just needed to become a bilingual MC, that’s all that I cared about.. “Projekt Life Force” was released in 2010 from We Nod Records in Tokyo. In retrospect, this is the album that marks the advent of the MC I am still becoming today.

PLF_Front_Cover_Final

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Projekt Life Force” features “Peto,” which is some real shit about the only woman that I’ve ever loved.

Peto.jpg (2)

 

New Video “海外移住” from Mek Piisua

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Mek Piisua is an international entrepreneur slash Japanese emcee located in Bangkok, Thailand. We have rocked some memorable shows together during my last three summer Asia tours; I plan to visit his part of the world again this winter and god-willingly we’ll collaborate on some epic-ish.

One of his many business ventures, Woodball Thaniya, is one of my main rebel bases in South East Asia.. they serve delicious Japanese curry downstairs, and it’s the only place on this planet where I’ve attempted Japanese Rap karaoke. If you’re in BKK and need a chill place to kick it, or get some information, head to Woodall.. the majority of his staff speaks English and they know what’s up.

Mek Piisua just dropped a brand new music video..　”海外移住”　means “living overseas.” He raps from the perspective of a long-term Japanese resident living in Thailand.. he makes some interesting points in the song.. Mek is able to offer an exit to the workaholic nature of Japanese society, promotes the laid back nature of S.E. Asia, and also warns Japanese listeners about Japanese con artists living in Thailand that specifically target other Japanese.

FREE Double Download 2nd Floor Samurais

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My group, 2nd Floor Samurais, have posted two FREE exclusive tracks!! These are exclusive non-album tracks available for your enjoyment..

Foreign Faculty feat. Vago-

This one features our comrade Vago from Switzerland, and production was handled by Yakkle, repping Kobe Japan.

I’m especially proud of my verse on this one.. “Not an activist, No I’m a regular dude/ demanding our government invest in our schools/ a rapper slash teacher when I step in the booth/ my knowledge and experience are weapons I choose/ rep with the youth, while y’all glamorize narcotics/perpetrating fake shit, we don’t want no part of it/ songs played on iHeartMedia will target kids/ and have ’em popping hella pills like a pharmacist/ lacking the guidance, idolizing Young Thug/ will leave you beat down, have you bleeding by a dump truck/ rapping ’bout guns, then make sure your guns bust/ and even if you peaceful, the cop’s gun is untucked/ urging to kill, while we searching for a thrill/ life is worth more than our rap songs worthy of a deal/ yeah everything you see ain’t contingent on skill/ let me pack my shit, go to Switzerland and just chill”

Golden Age-

Production on this one was handled by Sticky Ricardo, who frequently serves as the 2FS live DJ as well..

“No famous cosigns or celebrity friends/ not a follower of stupid ass hipster trends/ don’t care ’bout the view by a million men/ ’cause I believe what we need are skills in the end/ but this rap game’s similar to Instagram models/ fine as hell, so everyone instantly follows/ then you realize their musical substance is zero/ and don’t reflect the lives of struggling people/ ugh, none of my chicks have been thick as Amber Rose/ even if I had the cash, I wouldn’t pamper hoes/ my fans know, they can keep all the fancy clothes/ I’d rather be the man that my friends and family knows/ we got our own lane, don’t gotta ride dick/ rather have a queen, than a whole lot of side chicks/ ain’t fifty deep but the guys that I ride with/ play a vital role in the life that my tribe lives”

2nd Annual Samurai Sunday

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2nd Floor Samurais (Kensho Kuma x Orukusaki) will be teaming up with XienHow to bring you the 2nd annual “Samurai Sunday” on 05/29/16 @ Return of the Cypher. As stated numerous times before, ROTC has grown into the livest Hip Hop weekly in the SF Bay Area.. local Rap icons have become regular patrons in the past year and a half, and mainstream celebrities have begun to show their faces.. and we thank you. Come celebrate with 2FS on Memorial Day Weekend. We will be debuting a brand new set, and of course it’s FREE and no cress code as usual.

Samurai Sunday

 

Here is footage from the 1st “Samurai Sunday” shot by Tefari Casas.

2nd Floor Samurais NEW Site

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My group 2nd Floor Samurais have a brand new site!! We have 4 album tracks, 3 FREE downloads, and 2 new videos!! Please also make sure to sign up for e-mail list to receive notification about our upcoming debut project and performances..

Kensho Kuma featured on MixtapeLive Episode II: Cali Factors

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Yours truly is featured on Xienhow‘s “MixtapeLive Episode II: Cali Factors” off of the upcoming “No Retreat, No Surrender” mixtape. The track is an interesting new concept; 5 pairs of emcees spit 8 bars over 5 different beats, the DJ blends them, and there will be a music video to accompany it. It’s literally a mixtape in a single song.. The featured emcee pairs are Zyme and Jack Tradez, XP the Marxman and Ruby Ibarra, myself and Orukusaki, and Babii Cris and XienHow, with DJ Rebelion holding down the blends.

Xien

And since I only had 8 bars, I alternate languages every 2 bars to showoff the bilingual swordz.. “Animated murderer, similar to Deadpool/ ninja with an attitude, conditioned to behead fools/ ?????????????????/????????????/ (East Bay) edition of Asiatic poetry/ guided by righteous minded fighters who are close to me/ ???????????/????????????”

 

Raps United Nations Japanese Wave Vol. 1

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Kensho Kuma’s “Exact Science ver2.0” is featured on “Raps United Nations Japanese Wave Vol.1,” presented by Billy Danze from the legendary M.O.P. squad and mixed by DJ Kuni. The mix project specifically focuses on up and coming Japanese Hip Hop artists, and I feel honored that my track was personally chosen by Billy Danze.

MOP

Kuni Track List