Jun Seba (瀬葉淳) (February 7, 1974 - February 26, 2010) was a Japanese hip-ho… Read Full Bio ↴Jun Seba (瀬葉淳) (February 7, 1974 - February 26, 2010) was a Japanese hip-hop music producer who recorded under the name Nujabes (new-jah-behz; which is simply his real name spelled backwards). His music is known for a strong cool jazz influence, frequently using samples from artists like Miles Davis and Yusef Lateef.
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
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
Highs To Lows Remix
Nujabes Lyrics
Individual stars float in an ocean of God
Rocking a pinky ring of Saturn while I'm visiting Mars
Egos bigger than Jupiter are breaking the bars
Holding me back down to Earth through physical laws
Touching the moon, grace as I ready resume
Comets flying through space, bringing possible doom
Blocking the Sun, bring a holocaust on the world
I'm talking back to Father Time, Mother Earth is my girl
I got the wings of angels walking down the valley of death
Watching my step 'cause The Devil's never one to respect
Come correct on the studio track, taking it back
To the pen and pad, I blast the original rap
Brother on the b-boy tip
With Krylon spit, I tag the charts with the graphical hits
So who you fucking with? Arm, leg, leg to arm, head
Snapping your neck back while you spit out a Pez
I be the original son of a bitch, hurting your wrist
'Cause you spinning my shit so much the needle skip
Flip to the rhythm and reminisce
Remember the days of '94 hip hop was a gift (ok)
Words out of her lips came straight from the heart
Never prepackaged or bought for negative thought
Peddled to consumers, magazines, and rumors
Commercial spots turn real artists to looters
Precise rap, rock and roll nigga, let's do this
I'll float through notes, break beats with my maneuvers
Yo, regardless, while I be moving swiftly through darkness
Plotting, charting my path, I'm running, cutting my losses
Stumbling over unknown bumps and complications
And tribulations of my life of revelations
Yo, regardless, while I be moving swiftly through darkness
Plotting, charting my path, I'm running, cutting my losses
Stumbling over unknown bumps and complications
And tribulations of my life of revelations
Speaking to Scorpius making my heart turn to porcelain
It used to have a steady beat, now it's easily broken
Mind coasting, train of thought stopped emotions
Welling at the core of my being, causing commotion
Need to release 'cause the stress'll tear me to pieces
My love ceases and my thoughts break into leases
The height of my life, but the strife making me leave this
I can't beat this, going to God to defeat this
Will He help or do I have to do this myself?
Alone and confused, the blues burden my health
My eyes remain closed 'cause my highs are lows
I'm feeling the blows of rain 'cause my pain is cold
Now who am I? A man, or pawn in life?
Living day to day, I pray am I wrong or right?
Losing my mind, so maybe you can help me find
The way to go so I can be leaving this pain behind
Trying to sleep "Sleep is the cousin of death"
Said a wise man from Queensbridge on beats he blessed (yeah)
Trying to rest, instead, I rest my head
On a pillow of hardships, misery is the bed
On my back, I lie, I can see the skies
Through the glass ceiling, the reason tears drowning my eyes
And I can't move grief won't let me think
My soul is dry, I crawl just to take a drink
I made you blink, think like invisible man
With mechanical hands, trying to reach out to my fans
Yo, regardless, while I be moving swiftly through darkness
Plotting, charting my path, I'm running, cutting my losses
Stumbling over unknown bumps and complications
And tribulations of my life of revelations
Yo, regardless, while I be moving swiftly through darkness
Plotting, charting my path, I'm running, cutting my losses
Stumbling over unknown bumps and complications
And tribulations of my life of revelations
Yo, viscosity of the hidden meaning between my words
Thicken the plot I got hidden rhythms and verse
I'm loading a hearse, you biting like a Dracula curse
I'm bringing the worst of hurt like a sermon in church
Pertaining to you, hurts just to listen to truth
So you'd rather listen to lies, so you're living to lose
I'm beginning to win, young man mastering sin
Battle within, looking at The Devil and grin
I'm flipping the script, walking on a journey and trip
On the gurney and missed at the fact that life is a bitch
And I'm hating this shit, losing blood, making me Crip
The stakes is high bet and I lost the grip
Searching for bliss with the razor over my wrist
Needing a job, but the drug test's checking my piss
I'm looking through a window and seeing Immaculate Conception
Reborn, piercing my core with seven swords
A knight in a war, looking to the eyes of the lord
Calculating, want more, seeing the signs of heaven nevermore
The last matador riding a pale horse
Losing my course, splitting the hairs, causing divorce
Marriage unborn, I havoc in song, I stumbled upon
Lost jewels of thought thought to be gone
Lost forever, I sever motherfuckers with letters
Written in script, forward to the rap that I rip
From the top of the lip, make a drink, taking a sip
Then I'm gulping the shit, falling deeper in the abyss
Rocking a pinky ring of Saturn while I'm visiting Mars
Egos bigger than Jupiter are breaking the bars
Holding me back down to Earth through physical laws
Touching the moon, grace as I ready resume
Comets flying through space, bringing possible doom
Blocking the Sun, bring a holocaust on the world
I'm talking back to Father Time, Mother Earth is my girl
I got the wings of angels walking down the valley of death
Watching my step 'cause The Devil's never one to respect
To the pen and pad, I blast the original rap
Brother on the b-boy tip
With Krylon spit, I tag the charts with the graphical hits
So who you fucking with? Arm, leg, leg to arm, head
Snapping your neck back while you spit out a Pez
I be the original son of a bitch, hurting your wrist
'Cause you spinning my shit so much the needle skip
Flip to the rhythm and reminisce
Remember the days of '94 hip hop was a gift (ok)
Words out of her lips came straight from the heart
Never prepackaged or bought for negative thought
Peddled to consumers, magazines, and rumors
Commercial spots turn real artists to looters
Precise rap, rock and roll nigga, let's do this
I'll float through notes, break beats with my maneuvers
Yo, regardless, while I be moving swiftly through darkness
Plotting, charting my path, I'm running, cutting my losses
Stumbling over unknown bumps and complications
And tribulations of my life of revelations
Yo, regardless, while I be moving swiftly through darkness
Plotting, charting my path, I'm running, cutting my losses
Stumbling over unknown bumps and complications
And tribulations of my life of revelations
Speaking to Scorpius making my heart turn to porcelain
It used to have a steady beat, now it's easily broken
Mind coasting, train of thought stopped emotions
Welling at the core of my being, causing commotion
Need to release 'cause the stress'll tear me to pieces
My love ceases and my thoughts break into leases
The height of my life, but the strife making me leave this
I can't beat this, going to God to defeat this
Will He help or do I have to do this myself?
Alone and confused, the blues burden my health
My eyes remain closed 'cause my highs are lows
I'm feeling the blows of rain 'cause my pain is cold
Now who am I? A man, or pawn in life?
Living day to day, I pray am I wrong or right?
Losing my mind, so maybe you can help me find
The way to go so I can be leaving this pain behind
Trying to sleep "Sleep is the cousin of death"
Said a wise man from Queensbridge on beats he blessed (yeah)
Trying to rest, instead, I rest my head
On a pillow of hardships, misery is the bed
On my back, I lie, I can see the skies
Through the glass ceiling, the reason tears drowning my eyes
And I can't move grief won't let me think
My soul is dry, I crawl just to take a drink
I made you blink, think like invisible man
With mechanical hands, trying to reach out to my fans
Yo, regardless, while I be moving swiftly through darkness
Plotting, charting my path, I'm running, cutting my losses
Stumbling over unknown bumps and complications
And tribulations of my life of revelations
Yo, regardless, while I be moving swiftly through darkness
Plotting, charting my path, I'm running, cutting my losses
Stumbling over unknown bumps and complications
And tribulations of my life of revelations
Yo, viscosity of the hidden meaning between my words
Thicken the plot I got hidden rhythms and verse
I'm loading a hearse, you biting like a Dracula curse
I'm bringing the worst of hurt like a sermon in church
Pertaining to you, hurts just to listen to truth
So you'd rather listen to lies, so you're living to lose
I'm beginning to win, young man mastering sin
Battle within, looking at The Devil and grin
I'm flipping the script, walking on a journey and trip
On the gurney and missed at the fact that life is a bitch
And I'm hating this shit, losing blood, making me Crip
The stakes is high bet and I lost the grip
Searching for bliss with the razor over my wrist
Needing a job, but the drug test's checking my piss
I'm looking through a window and seeing Immaculate Conception
Reborn, piercing my core with seven swords
A knight in a war, looking to the eyes of the lord
Calculating, want more, seeing the signs of heaven nevermore
The last matador riding a pale horse
Losing my course, splitting the hairs, causing divorce
Marriage unborn, I havoc in song, I stumbled upon
Lost jewels of thought thought to be gone
Lost forever, I sever motherfuckers with letters
Written in script, forward to the rap that I rip
From the top of the lip, make a drink, taking a sip
Then I'm gulping the shit, falling deeper in the abyss
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jun Seba
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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