He was also an owner of "tribe", a record store in Shibuya, Tokyo, and led indie record label Hyde-Out Productions. He released two albums in Japan, Metaphorical Music in 2003 and Modal Soul in 2005. He was also a member of the production duo Urbanforest, an experimental collaboration with Nao Tokui (appearing on the Lady Brown 12").
In addition to Japanese artists like Shing02 and Minmi, he has collaborated with underground American hip-hop acts Cyne, Apani B-Fly, Five Deez, Substantial, Fat Jon and British rapper Funky DL.
He has also contributed music to the soundtrack of Samurai Champloo, an anime which blends a setting in feudal Japan with modern anachronisms, especially hip-hop music.
On March 17, 2010, it was announced on the Hyde-Out Productions website that Jun passed away on February 26, 2010 at the age of 36 after being involved in a serious car accident on the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway. He was promptly transported to the hospital, where attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. An English announcement was made on March 18 by friend and collaborator Shing02 on the Empire22 website:
Today, I have very somber news for the international hip hop community, especially fans of the independent hip hop scene, and those who have followed my career.
It has been announced that Jun Seba, aka Nujabes, Japanese hip hop producer extraordinaire, passed away late February. Official statement from the label (in Japanese) here:
http://hydeout.net/hydeout/2010/03/_hydeoutproductions.html
We deeply regret the loss of a unique talent and a close friend. Through his soulful music, Nujabes has touched so many people around the world, even beyond his dreams. He was a mysterious character to most as he avoided the public limelight, rarely conducted interviews, so only a few got to know the man behind the signature production. Yet it continued to amaze me how young listeners of all backgrounds learned of his enigmatic name, and expressed support for his music.
As I write now from Japan, I had been leaving him messages the past couple of weeks, trying to get in the studio together, so the news could not have come any more unexpected. Even last week, I passed by his house and called him thinking he was still home.
I met Nujabes around 2000 and as an upcoming MC, I was fortunate to work on tracks such as Battlecry, F.I.L.O, Luv(sic) parts 1, 2 and 3. We had been working on the next trilogy of Luv(sic) over the past year (which we're determined to see through). The last time we talked in January, Nujabes emailed me to wish Jeff Resurreccion, a 19-year old beatboxer who had just passed way from cancer, his heartfelt condolences.
While we continue to respect the privacy of his family, we will work to preserve his legacy, and pay tribute to the body of work, some unreleased, that he has left for us to enjoy. Jun Seba will be dearly missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and fans worldwide.
in peace,
Shing02
Aruarian Dance
Nujabes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Amor a las palabras
No pensaba amar un mundo que apenas conocí
Si las circunstancias me dejaban mudo
Reconocí un contexto en el que inmerso me vi, y me sedujo
No te traje mis primeras letras
Con o con pocas cosas dulces
Aunque no me guste
Y por terminar con algo especial me frustre
Y nunca me hice el fuerte
Para tener la suerte de escribir tan bien tendré que convertir lo que siento y verlo dirigir-se en una dirección, y sumergirme en la labor de brindar amor y devolveme el favor o con tu voz sintamos la ocasión y sin estar dándonos la razón, tengamos el valor de amarnos
Mirando tus ojos, reflejos, imagino tus besos, momentos que quiero guardar
No vayas a perderle la vista
Prendeme a la pista
Me inspiras a dar más
Yo tenía pensado dejarlo
Votarlo, quemarlo matarlo
Pero me ato al contacto con vos
Contando cómo lo actos te hicieron canción
Tu camisa me hechiza me invita a quitartela
Tu sonrisa me pinta la vista, cambia la realidad...
Pensarte me hace viajar a mi ínsula
Buscame en el más grande mar, tenes la brújula, deseame, sentate y escucha la única
La última rima
Me acompañan la mímica
La estética métrica
La chica no típica, tímida
Cínica su técnica
Chica tan excéntrica
Íntima, nitida, enérgica
Tanto que caigo en contradicción
Pero palpo el alma de verbos, sujetos, el tiempo y te vuelves palabras y amor
The lyrics of Nujabes's song Aruarian Dance are instrumental, but the message conveyed through its sound is powerful enough to speak to its audience. The song is an emotional and ambient journey that captivates its listeners through its soft, melodic sounds. The gentle piano keys and the smooth beat create a relaxing and serene atmosphere that, in its own way, tells a story.
The lyrics of the song reflect the emotions of someone who is trying to find themselves in a world where everything seems overwhelming. The singer talks about finding themselves in a context where they are lost and confused, but gradually, they learn to embrace it. The message of the lyrics is that, to find oneself, they must immerse themselves in what they do and be open to love, emotions, and experiences. The writer also emphasizes the importance of writing, and how it helps him direct his feelings into something that is meaningful and beautiful.
The lyrics are a testament to the power of self-discovery and the importance of self-expression. Nujabes combines the emotive nature of the lyrics with the music to create a harmonious sound that is both captivating and intriguing. The song is a beautiful reminder to be true to oneself and to explore the beauty of the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
INSTRUMENTAL
No lyrics in this section
Amor a las palabras
A love for words
No pensaba amar un mundo que apenas conocí
I didn't expect to love a world I barely knew
Si las circunstancias me dejaban mudo
If circumstances rendered me speechless
Reconocí un contexto en el que inmerso me vi, y me sedujo
I recognized a context in which I was immersed and it seduced me
No te traje mis primeras letras
I didn't bring you my first letters
Pero observa, haré las de nuevas épocas
But watch, I'll make ones for new eras
Con o con pocas cosas dulces
With or without a few sweet things
Aunque no me guste
Even if I don't like it
Y por terminar con algo especial me frustre
And frustrated myself trying to end with something special
Y nunca me hice el fuerte
And I never pretended to be strong
Para tener la suerte de escribir tan bien tendré que convertir lo que siento y verlo dirigir-se en una dirección, y sumergirme en la labor de brindar amor y devolveme el favor o con tu voz sintamos la ocasión y sin estar dándonos la razón, tengamos el valor de amarnos
To have the fortune of writing well, I have to convert my feelings and direct them, and immerse myself in the task of giving love and returning the favor or with your voice, we feel the occasion and without giving each other reasons, we have the courage to love each other
Mirando tus ojos, reflejos, imagino tus besos, momentos que quiero guardar
Looking at your eyes, reflections, imagining your kisses, moments I want to keep
No vayas a perderle la vista
Don't lose sight of it
Prendeme a la pista
Take me to the dance floor
Me inspiras a dar más
You inspire me to give more
Yo tenía pensado dejarlo
I had planned to quit it
Votarlo, quemarlo matarlo
To throw it away, burn it, kill it
Pero me ato al contacto con vos
But I'm attached to the contact with you
Contando cómo lo actos te hicieron canción
Telling how my actions made you a song
Tu camisa me hechiza me invita a quitartela
Your shirt bewitches me, invites me to take it off
Tu sonrisa me pinta la vista, cambia la realidad...
Your smile paints my view, changes reality...
Pensarte me hace viajar a mi ínsula
Thinking of you makes me travel to my island
Buscame en el más grande mar, tenes la brújula, deseame, sentate y escucha la única
Find me in the biggest sea, you have the compass, desire me, sit down and listen to the unique one
La última rima
The last rhyme
Me acompañan la mímica
Mimicry accompanies me
La estética métrica
The metric aesthetics
La chica no típica, tímida
The atypical, shy girl
Cínica su técnica
Cynical her technique
Chica tan excéntrica
Girl so eccentric
Íntima, nitida, enérgica
Intimate, clear, energetic
Tanto que caigo en contradicción
So much that I fall into contradiction
Pero palpo el alma de verbos, sujetos, el tiempo y te vuelves palabras y amor
But I feel out the soul of verbs, subjects, time and you become words and love
Contributed by Tyler R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.