Jamaican culture does it again in Japan

[Sir X]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTMs-...eature=related

simply amazing , man a say we must master english ? fe communicate in the world ?Nuff a dem DJ a twang like yankee, and Japanese a twang like we

Just asking is it necessary?

[Sir X]

boss dem ave de dance and dress code down pat , gal dem a bubbla

[Sir X]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCjDB...eature=related

Bubbalaas paradise

[Naminirt]

But that is a soca riddim X
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pQRD2jJRVw

[Sir X]

LOL a delusional trini , soca phrases too and dances.

[Sir X]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fETe...feature=relate


Nami I hear a small trini influence in this one....in my dreams...lol

[Sir X]

You can understand reggaton , how it came about , this I cannot explain , and the concerted effort to connect to jamaican culture , even teaching thier youth, the best form of a compliment is imitation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoBwa...eature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_Y0mFqxiMk&feature=related

[Sir X]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_Y0m...eature=related

[Sir X]

20 years from now , can we really call this Jamaican music , will we still be considered the holders of the holy grail or just the birth place?

These Japanese sound more Jamaican than these twang up yankee DJs, then you have the reggaeton and the UB40 slant cannot leave out the african and afro -franco slant .

I think its heading into a genre by itself calle World MUSIC.

Bobs prophecy is coming true , it gets bigger and bigger and bigger.

[Gamma]

i am more amazed dat dem ave japanese gal wid dem kinda b a t t y deh....

some people get frighten too easy....but that insecurity is born of the fact of the fact them went to foreign at an early age and at a time when their jamaicanness and accent were mocked...sometimes mi feel sorry fi dem....the mexican call them arrepentidos.

dem a jamaican same way though and in time might find themselves and lose that insecurity about themselves......som of them at any rate..

[Sir X]

Jamaica and Japan see reggae ties

By Rhoma Tomlinson
Kingston, Jamaica


Akihiko Narisawa came to Jamaica two years ago from Japan with one aim in mind - to find authentic Jamaican music produced by Jamaican artists and send it back to his homeland, where love for Jamaican reggae had skyrocketed to almost cultish proportions.
Jamaican reggae duo SOJAH did not realise how big they were in Japan

"I am interested in reggae and I want to know more about reggae music, and understand more about Jamaican culture and people," Mr Narisawa says.
"I can really only understand Jamaica if I'm here."
The 30-year-old business graduate runs the Jamaican branch of Tokyo-based Oasis Music and sends thousands of records to Japan each month.
Mr Narisawa is one of hundreds of Japanese who have come to the land of reggae to bury themselves in reggae music culture.
They want to drink in, and take back to Japan, the complete Jamaican reggae experience - late-night visits to the dancehalls, eccentrically dressed artists sporting dreadlocks, the lyrical poetry of the Jamaican DJs and the mixture of Bob Marley-styled culture reggae with hardcore dancehall rhythms.
Outspoken lyrics
Japan's love affair with reggae really took off in the 1980s.
Bob Marley's brand of conscious and culturally expressive reggae had taken the world by storm, inspiring social revolutions and placing the Caribbean island in the big league as far as the global multi-billion dollar music industry was concerned.
Young Japanese embraced the music. They loved the outspoken lyrics, the many sounds of the reggae beat and the energy of the Jamaican performers.
Today, reggae music is a multi-million dollar industry in Japan and Jamaican musicians are in demand more than ever.
Akihiko Narisawa from Tokyo is living out his reggae dream


And in Jamaica, you can see young Japanese people strolling along the busy thoroughfares, hanging out in areas like Trench Town, seeking inspiration from Bob Marley's community.
They are at the Jamaican studios and production houses, purchasing and recording what they call authentic Jamaican music.
For reggae fans back in Japan, there are businesses like Mr Narisawa's.
"I go out to the distribution companies or music studios and I get records and make CDs, then I ship them to my company's head office in Tokyo," he said.
He also gets dub plates - a promotional brand of music done on a popular rhythm by a famous artist or radio personality - and sends these back to Japan.
"After people hear the Jamaican artists in Japan, they want to hear more about the artists and want to get singles. So when they come to our shop in Tokyo, they can get these singles. We also sell music on our website."
The fans in Japan are crazy about the music... they want to talk like Jamaicans, walk like Jamaicans, and sing like us...


Singer Konscience from SOJAH


Phillip George, a Jamaican who manages Japanese-owned company Rockers Island, which also exports records to Japan, says the business is profitable.
Last year alone, Rockers Island shipped more than 800,000 records to Japan and Mr George says he currently has a list of some 130,000 records waiting to be supplied to customers there.
"These are songs produced here in Jamaica by our artists, songs from five, 10 years ago. They are still in demand in Japan."
Businessmen such as Mr Narisawa and Mr George have paved the way for many Jamaican artists to visit Japan.
Eye-opener
Last year, two brothers who call themselves SOJAH went to Japan, invited by Japanese promoter Dr Money.
Although hardly known in Jamaica, the duo's hit single, Pon Di Corner, reached number one in the Japanese charts in 2005.
Dealing with Japan's demand for reggae keeps record stores busy

They did seven shows, earning $2,500 (£1,370) per show. Sources in the business say big artists can easily walk away with $5,000 (£2,740) to $7,000 (£3,830) per show.
One of the brothers, who calls himself Konscience, said they had no idea they were so big in Japan.
"When we got there our music was playing on radio, sound systems and even on cellular phones. It was a real eye-opener for us," he said.
"The fans in Japan are crazy about the music, they don't just want to hear the songs, they want to talk like Jamaicans, walk like Jamaicans, and sing like us... it shows us that music is much bigger than what we're seeing here in Jamaica. Artists must go beyond the hype and see it as a business. We should try to write our lyrics that people worldwide can understand."
SOJAH will return to Japan in September for a promotional tour of their new album. Ask a Japanese reggae lover to name top reggae artists and the names flow from their lips - Sizzla, Beres Hammond, Bob Marley, Bounti Killa, TOK, Elephant Man, Busy Signal. The two island nations may be far removed geographically and culturally, but for now they are bound by Jamaican reggae.



Reggae Interview Series: Reggae Music In Japan
By Xavier Murphy

Sunday, October 28, 2007

This month our series "Reggae Around the World" we interview DJ Tokiya from Black Assassin Sound System in [COLOR=#555555! important][COLOR=#555555! important]Japan[/COLOR][/COLOR]. The have been playing reggae at night clubs, dances and on the radio in Japan for over 15 years.

Question: How are you involved in Reggae?
I play reggae music at the various clubs in Japan and select music for the radio station. Also I create MIX CD for sale.

Question: What is the reggae scene like there?
The situation has improved every year. REGGAE becomes popular in Japan . Nowadays, many foreign artists come and perform in Japan . Also many Japanese SOUNDSYSEM, the reggae artists, and the reggae band started to coming out in Japan . If the physical distance between Japan and [COLOR=#555555! important][COLOR=#555555! important]Jamaica[/COLOR][/COLOR] is much closer, reggae music would be much more popular in Japan .
Question: What first drew your attention to Reggae?
It was the reggae RIDDIM. It was undertaken that my impact in SLENG TENG RIDDIM.
Question: What was the first Reggae song you ever heard?
It was the mighty diamonds “ I need a roof”.
Question: Who and what are your influences?
Bob Marley, Stone Love and Killamanjaro,

Question: What style of reggae is played often in your country? [Dancehall, Lovers
[COLOR=#555555! important][COLOR=#555555! important]Rock[/COLOR][/COLOR], Conscious etc.] What style do the majority of fans seem to prefer?
DANCEHALL is the mainstream. There is a scene for ROOTS ROCK and LOVERS ROCK, too.
Not only Jamaican reggae but also Japanese style reggae often plays at the clubs.

Question: Was the fact that Reggae is English and Patois a barrier?
The language barrier used to be a large one however I find it is not much problem now.
Question: Is Reggae mainstream and is it played on the radio there? Videos on TV?
REGGAE is taken up in media of Japan . DAVILLE is one of the famous REGGAE artists in Japan . Recently the radio stations have been playing, SEAN KINGSTON. Some of the reggae artists show up on cable channels such as MTV Japan, but so much on national networks.
Question: How is Reggae influencing your culture?
I studied the black culture and the history through REGGAE. ( africa ,jah,haile selassie,etc). REGGAE asks when I do what way of life ..good...


Question: If someone traveled to visit your home and wanted to hear reggae music what would they have to do?
They can go to one our dances. Visit my website for dances in Japan: http://www.myspace.com/tokiyas

Question: How would you describe your country's reggae sound and development?
Japanese reggae sound became far more different from Jamaican style. Reggae music in Japan takes its own way of creating Japanese sound. Many Japanese reggae artists are trying to get more popularity by singing in Japanese and closing the gap between reggae and Pop music.

Question: What are some of the names of the popular local artist? Who would be the
top 5 artists?
Rankin Taxi, Ackee & Saltfish, Pushim, Ryo The Skywalker, Chop Stick

Question: How did you get interested in Reggae?
I first heard the reggae music from the radio. That melody inspired me when I was young.
I’ve been involved in Japanese reggae scene for more than 15 years.
Question: Who is your favorite Reggae Artist?
Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Super Cat, Ninjaman

Question: Where do you think Reggae will be in 10 years time? And in Your country?
I am sure REGGAE will be much popular in Japan .

Question: Do you think there is anything preventing Reggae from flourishing for you
and your fellow artists there?
NO,,,,,but GANJA is illegal in Japan .


Question: In some countries you might see people wearing a Jamaican-style hat
With fake dreadlocks attached when they attend reggae concerts and other events. Do you
see anything that you see in your country?

YES,,,,,sadly
Question: Have you ever been to Jamaica ?
YES, many times! Love it! I usually go to Jamaica to create dub plate
Question: Do you have many/any Jamaican people living there?
YES, nuff Jamaican deh yah
Question: Do you eat Jamaican food? Like what?
YES, I cook Jerk chicken for myself sometime.
Question: Any final words for the visitors at Jamaicans.com
Nuff Respeck!!!

[Gamma]

to the stiff necked FOOLS....take THAT!!!!!

[Gamma]

WAIT DEH?!!!! is x-man write dah article yah?!!!

wha di......x-man did gi mi first high top fade to rhatid.....back in 84 or 85....LOL!!!!!!

baxide!!!

[Mosiah]

We should try to write our lyrics that people worldwide can understand."

Why??!!

Question: Do you think there is anything preventing Reggae from flourishing for you and your fellow artists there?

NO,,,,,but GANJA is illegal in Japan .

It's illegal in Jamaica too!

[Gamma]

poor thing...him been to jamaica so many times and still don't realise that! hmmmmm i wonder why?!