Japanese Hip Hop

Kensho Kuma featured on Zyme’s “Live Forever”

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Yours truly is featured on longtime comrade Zyme‘s “Live Forever” track off of his brand new “Swish: Life of Zyme” E.P. Zyme has been on the independent Hip Hop grind since the late nineties Telegraph days, has been around the world covering similar territories as myself, has had songs played on major airwaves, and continues to hold it down through regular live performances. It’s definitely worth a listen. “Live Forever” also features Scarub of the Living Legends and frequent 2FS collaborator XienHow. Produced by my LA comrade XP the Marksman from Rhyme Addicts.

Zyme

 

“????????????????/ ??????????????/ ??????????????/ ??????????????/ ????????????/ ???????????? sands of time/ ?????????????/????????????”

Japan Rap Night 02/21/16 @the Stork Club

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2nd Floor Samurais are off to a very busy 2016.. Our 2nd official show of the year will be “Japan Rap Night” on 02/21 at the Stork Club in Oakland. Our longtime comrade Shing02 will be returning to the Bay after a prolonged absence, and he will be doing a Nujabes tribute set with Spinmaster A-1.

Jap Rap Night

12/06/15 ROTC x HH4C 2nd Annual Toy Drive Hosted by Pep Love

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On December 6th, 2015, Return of the Cypher will be teaming up with Hip Hop for Change to bring you our 2nd annual toy drive. For those of us unfamiliar with the above terms, ROTC is a weekly Hip Hop open-mic which occurs every Sunday evening at the Boom Boom Room in San Francisco; it has arguably become SF Bay Area’s most successful regular Hip Hop event, and is frequented by local legends, a platoon of hungry MC’s from literally around the world, and weekly featured performers. HH4C is a NGO dedicated to battling socioeconomic disparities, police brutality, and cancerous corporate rap, through educational outreaches, grassroots canvassing, and local Hip Hop showcases.

Our 2nd Annual Toy Drive will be hosted by Pep Love from the legendary Hieroglyphics crew, feature a ROTC x HH4C mini-showcase, and also the December ’15 ROTC MVP competition. All collected toys will be donated to City Team, which will then distribute the gifts to youth living in impoverished conditions.

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12/07/15 Update: The Toy Drive a tremendous success!! We got everything from Spiderman drums to remote controlled puppies to mini jengas!! Thank you for participating!! We made an actual difference!!

Toys

Inkone “We Spit Bars” Video

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Universal Zulu Nation member/ 2FS Produced Inkone just released the “We Spit Bars” video featuring Kenn Chron. Directed by OG graff writer Crayone and featuring cameo appearances by yours truly.

Inkone Graphic

“We Spit Bars” Extended Version: Yours truly trading bars with the homies at 1:35.

“We Spit Bars” Short Version

2nd Floor Samurais 10/03 IBike Concert, Union City

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2nd Floor Samurais will be performing at the IBike Concert in Union City on 10/03. The comrade DJ Stikky Ricardo will be holding down the tables. The 2FS flier was designed by Marcus Murray, the artist responsible for all of my album covers and panda logos.

2FS Ibike

Ibike UC

Exotic Jewels

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2nd Floor Samurais (Kensho Kuma x Orukusaki) teamed up with veteran Zulu Ink One for “Exotic Jewels.” The production was handled by Ink and the mixing and mastering was done by Just Jay @Hall of Fame studio in Oakland. It’s free for DL.. a flashy, fun banger you can rock to in the whip…

Kuma Verse:

I’m fresh dressed like a million bucks/ my charisma make the chickenheads blush/ yall need to be giving it up/ we are 2FS, competition get crushed/ Exotic Jewels, worn by the warlord/ rare-ass Adidas and Nikes in my wardrobe/ playing this game, don’t care ’bout a scoreboard/ flashing with fashion, and also mi flow form/ yeah, my grandfather’s peacoat/ I rock with some Wallabees, slaughtering your egos/ we know the vision that’s shown to the people/ don’t mean shit, unless you back it up with c-notes/ stay on the grind, work multiple jobs/ walk in God’s light amongst men full of Jihad/ we are M.O.P. fans, keep it rugged and raw/ but I’ll bang a model chick in a luxury car/

Mai Pen Ran Video by Mek Piisua feat. 山田マン

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Mek Piisua is a Japanese MC/ business mogul/ high class player, located in Bangkok, Thailand. The Thania location of the Woodball chain is one of my rebel bases in Bangkok; it’s a Japanese style bar with a Japanese curry restaurant underneath. Anyway, Mek recently teamed up with Japanese Hip Hop legend Yamadaman, from the pioneering group Rappagariya, and dropped the “Mai Pen Rai” video. “Mai Pen Rai” roughly translates to never mind or it’s not a big deal.  The production is handled by DJ 2High, a Long Beach Japanese producer down with Snoop’s Dogg Pound. It was shot at Pattaya Beach, and let’s just say.. what happens in Pattaya, stays in Pattaya..

Mai Pen Rai

N.W.A. (Ninja with an Attitude)

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Kensho Kuma- N.W.A. (Ninja with an Attitude)
Produced by: DJ Shin
Recorded at: Turntable Troopers Entertainment, Osaka Japan
Free DL!

Verse 1:

Catch me at your terminal. luggage full of merch/ raised in the Bay with the gutter punks and nerds/ the hippies, thugs, killers, and scholars are my friends/ rap around the world making dollars, euros, yen/ yeah the people’s champ, initiating trends/ the love is overwhelming, once the hate begins/ ride for the 510’s local residents/ the 2nd floor general known for my diligence/ ughh 95 Air Max match with my Frisco fitted/ my attitude: if it’s rap money let’s go get it/ but don’t you ever, compromise for the cheddar/ the game’s tedious but our lives getting better/ yup love to put my folks on even though we argue/ this became ah damn life, but remains an art too/ real life edition of Samurai Champloo/ fifty ninjas ready yup, you getting dismantled/

Chorus:

NWA, I’m an NWA/ a ninja with an attitude, get out my way/ a top tier lyricist outta the Bay/ “swinging swords like Shinobi”/ NWA, I’m a NWA/ a  ninja with an attitude, get out my way/ a top tier lyricist, outta the Bay/ “jet black ninja”/

Verse 2:

Asiatic immigrant conditioned to be militant/ living in the everyday struggle, which is imminent/ each breath be precious, but we on the reaper’s guest list/ ready for your death wish, hexes, and prejudices/ this just some ig’nance that E14 taught me/ and mix that with my DNA, a kamikaze/ you gotta monster modern day psychology don’t diagnose/ gave up on the psych meds, therapy, and bible quotes/ ninety four I started smoking, slightest hope I didn’t have/ now I travel around the world feeling like a diplomat/ Genghis Khan conqueror, always seek adventure/ a ninja with an attitude never speak the N-word/ and we could sell our souls, but never lose momentum/ soldier salute me when you hear my name mentioned/ gotta love the hate ’cause there’s no time for vengeance/ you could have the jewels, but you ain’t outshining Kensho/

Verse 3:

Bilingual marksman, my hood pass all access/ rappers acting backwards get smacked off they axis/ yall talk about the good days in the past tense/ while I vape flavors in a fine gyaru’s black benz/ she got an accent and wanna study overseas/ so I recommended San Francisco State and Berkeley/ looking for a man to help with her school fees/ I was told to never save ’em, she can’t fool me/

2FS Video Premier/ Kuma Birthday Bash!

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On 08/16/2015, we will be premiering 2FS’ “Whatchanameis” video @ROTC, in conjunction with Kensho Kuma’s Birthday! All patrons rocking panda attire will receive a very special Pandaneze gift from the Japanda!!

2FS birthday

4649 East Asia Hip Hop Mix by DJ DSK

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DJ DSK is a comrade of mine whom I met in China in the mid-2000’s. The all-genre British DJ had the club scene on lock; I was able to meet up with him while he was on tour last summer in Bangkok, Thailand. DSK recently featured my song “Exact Science” on the “4649 East Asia Hip Hop Mix.” 4649 (Yoroshiku) is an independent street wear brand and podcast based in London; they seem to emphasize the dissemination of global Hip Hop culture and their video section is filled with a diverse array of international talent.

WorldWide HipHop: East Asian Mix by DJ DSK by 4649worldwide on Mixcloud

DSK MixDSK 2