Naohirock & Suzukismooth - Keep Rock On

It took me a while to warm up to the idea of Japanese rap. I had seen bits of Samurai Champloo and was aware of artists like Nujabes. I’d also played games like Sonic Rush and Jet Set Radio, whose soundtracks were composed by Hideki Naganuma (長沼英樹). So I already knew there was some great hip-hop and hip-hop-inspired music coming out of Japan.

But actual Japanese rappers breaking it down on the mic like Eric B. & Rakim? Nah, I just couldn’t fathom it.

I don’t remember the first J-rap song I ever heard, but so far, the earliest example I’ve personally traced it back to is Motoharu Sano(佐野元春)’s 1984 single “Complication Shakedown.”

Listen, let’s get this out of the way: this song is corny as all get out. (Although he's got a nice fit on the cover)

In all fairness, it’s no cornier than Kurtis Blow’s “Basketball.” Plus, the beat is admittedly catchy, which is important. Still, I’d be hard-pressed to call Motoharu Sano a rapper. This feels more like the Japanese equivalent of Bruce Springsteen or Billy Joel suddenly deciding to turn their caps backwards.

I think it’s safe to say that J-rap didn’t really begin developing its own identity until the early-to-mid ’90s. Recently, I had the opportunity to check out the 1995 single “Keep Rock On” by Naohirock & SuzukiSmooth, and man were they cooking.

Not only does the beat sample one of my favorite smooth-jazz songs of all time, Ronnie Laws’ “Friends & Strangers,” but the actual rapping is pretty good too. Maybe it’s been a while, but I’m pretty sure most American rappers had stopped saying stuff like “It’s the place to be!” and “Microphone check, one-two-three!” sometime around the mid 80s.

Nevertheless, it’s still a really fun song to listen to. There’s something endearing about hearing the attitude, and conventions of old-school American hip-hop in another language.

I definitely wouldn’t mind cruising down Crenshaw with this blasting out of the speakers.