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
Luv Part 4
Nujabes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here we go, part two, check me out
Once again, now where do I start, dear love
Dumb struck with the pure luck to find you here
Every morn' I awake from a cavernous night
Sometimes still pondering the previous plight
Seems life done changed long time no speak
Taking it by stride if you know what I mean
No harm done, no offense taken by me
So let's rap, we'll catch up to par, what's the haps? Perhaps we're even closer
Now after, all things considered on this side of the planet
Couldn't pick a better time even if we planned it
To come clean and candid if I have to
Oh what I wouldn't trade for your laughter
Sweet and sour spice in my poetry pot melting
Even better than the real thing
It's like the God in me saw the devil in you
I wanted to break myself in the worst way when I met you
Who would have thought, conversate by the river, celebrate birth
Sit and delivered the lines that would prove to be the seeds of trust
Unsigned, yeah but destined to grow with sunshine
Self-assigned task piled on the desk of good works
Knowing hardship appreciate the best of both worlds
C'est la vie, as they say L-O-V-E evidently, see every song has a sequel
Never same, everything but the name, all fresh just like back then, how we do everyday
C'est la vie, as they say L-O-V-E eloquently, see every dream has a part two
Never same, you got to keep it tight, always just like back then, now hear me out
Once together, now where do we go, dear divine
I pray that you keep watching over us
From the heavens where light is the nucleus
To this space filled with darkness and negative matter
Anti-gravity pull is what I would rather, feel when I leave this shell eventually
Ties to the mother earth ground me mentally
Real vibes will keep me alive spiritually
Imagination brings bliss at no cost, when I blink blink I receive at no loss
Victory comes in small packages like a leaf of an olive tree brought back by a dove
From above, then I'm gonna rhyme love
Well you saw that one coming ever since the beginning of the end
Well anyways, I am not a perfect being, yes I am, a man full of S-I-N
It's like the devil in me saw the God in you
You epitomize the etymology of enthusiasm
Look it, up there lies the clouds that form the rain
That came from the ocean that flowed from the river
I'm a believer, firm with the first words, lyrical transceiver of our ancient roots
Science plus arts multiplied by faith then divided by the number of our ethnic race
Let me mention what I've been thinking
How to save the children, when the ship is sinking
So I'm singing, no lip syncing to slogans
Political hooligans with tanks, missiles and guns
Everything is relative when it's all in the family of man
Understand the time has finally come to realize the great power of one
All formulas equalize under the sun, amen
Yeah, the rhymes will heal 'cause I believe in music
In times of need I won't be leaving you sick
The beat plus the melody's the recipe
Your vibe surely brings out the best in me
The rhymes will heal 'cause I believe in music
In times of need I won't be leaving you sick
The beat plus the melody's the recipe
All good souls lost may they rest in peace
Yeah, the rhymes will heal 'cause I believe in music
In times of need I won't be leaving you sick
The beat plus the melody's the recipe
Your vibe surely brings out the best in me
The rhymes will heal 'cause I believe in music
In times of need I won't be leaving you sick
The beat plus the melody's the recipe
Hip-hop world wide we got to live in peace, like that
In the first verse of Nujabes's "Luv Part 2," the singer reflects on the joy they feel at having found their love. They mention waking up in the morning, still thinking about their partner from the previous night, and how time seems to have changed since they met. The singer expresses gratitude for their partner's presence and seems to want to deepen and strengthen their relationship. In the second verse, the singer speaks to their love from a more spiritual perspective. They hope that their partner will always watch over them, even after they pass on. The singer also reflects on their own flaws and sins, but also the fact that they believe in love and the power of music.
Overall, "Luv Part 2" is a heartfelt, lyrical ode to love and the human spirit. The song's emphasis on the importance of connection, spirituality, and music as a healing force makes it a powerful and resonant piece.
Line by Line Meaning
Once again, now where do I start, dear love
Starting anew with your love is all I want.
Dumb struck with the pure luck to find you here
I was struck by luck to find you here.
Every morn' I awake from a cavernous night
Every morning I have dark thoughts.
Sometimes still pondering the previous plight
I still think about our past hardships.
Seems life done changed long time no speak
It's been a long time since we spoke and life has changed.
Nowadays I often forget the day of the week
I frequently forget what day it is.
Taking it by stride if you know what I mean
I'm taking it one step at a time.
No harm done, no offense taken by me
I'm not offended and no harm was done between us.
So let's rap, we'll catch up to par, what's the haps?
Let's talk and catch up on what's been happening.
Perhaps we're even closer
Maybe we're even closer now.
Now after, all things considered on this side of the planet
On this side of the world, considering everything.
Couldn't pick a better time even if we planned it
This is the perfect time for us to talk even if it wasn't planned.
To come clean and candid if I have to
I will be honest and open with you if I need to.
Oh what I wouldn't trade for your laughter
Your laughter means everything to me.
Sweet and sour spice in my poetry pot melting
My poetry has both sweetness and bitterness mixed in.
Even better than the real thing
My poetry is better than a tangible thing.
It's like the God in me saw the devil in you
We have opposite personalities.
I wanted to break myself in the worst way when I met you
Meeting you made me want to change myself.
Who would have thought, conversate by the river, celebrate birth
Who would have thought we would be talking by the river and celebrating life.
Sit and delivered the lines that would prove to be the seeds of trust
Talking and building trust through our words.
Unsigned, yeah but destined to grow with sunshine
We're not signed, but our bond will grow with time.
Self-assigned task piled on the desk of good works
Our task is to do good and help others.
Knowing hardship appreciate the best of both worlds
Appreciating life's good and bad experiences.
C'est la vie, as they say L-O-V-E evidently, see every song has a sequel
That's life, as they say, L-O-V-E is evident and every song has a sequel.
Never same, everything but the name, all fresh just like back then, how we do everyday
Things may change but they are still fresh like the old days, that's how we live every day.
C'est la vie, as they say L-O-V-E eloquently, see every dream has a part two
That's life, as they say, and L-O-V-E speaks eloquently. Every dream has a part two.
Never same, you got to keep it tight, always just like back then, now hear me out
Things may change but you've got to keep it tight, just like the old days. Now listen to me.
Once together, now where do we go, dear divine
Now that we're together, where do we go from here, my dear?
I pray that you keep watching over us
I pray that you continue to watch over us.
From the heavens where light is the nucleus
From the heavens where light is the center of everything.
To this space filled with darkness and negative matter
To this space that is filled with negativity and darkness.
Anti-gravity pull is what I would rather, feel when I leave this shell eventually
When I leave this life, I'd rather feel the pull of anti-gravity.
Ties to the mother earth ground me mentally
My connection to nature keeps me grounded mentally.
Real vibes will keep me alive spiritually
Genuine emotions will keep me alive spiritually.
Imagination brings bliss at no cost, when I blink blink I receive at no loss
Imagination brings happiness without cost, and when I blink, I gain without loss.
Victory comes in small packages like a leaf of an olive tree brought back by a dove
Victory comes in small, meaningful ways like a leaf brought by a dove.
From above, then I'm gonna rhyme love
Inspired by heaven, I'll rhyme about love.
Well you saw that one coming ever since the beginning of the end
You knew it was coming since the start of the end.
Well anyways, I am not a perfect being, yes I am, a man full of S-I-N
Anyway, I'm not perfect, I'm a man with flaws.
It's like the devil in me saw the God in you
Our personalities are the opposite of each other.
You epitomize the etymology of enthusiasm
You represent the roots of enthusiasm.
Look it, up there lies the clouds that form the rain
Above us are the clouds that create rain.
That came from the ocean that flowed from the river
The rain came from the ocean that was fed by the river.
I'm a believer, firm with the first words, lyrical transceiver of our ancient roots
I'm a firm believer in our roots and I express it through my lyrics.
Science plus arts multiplied by faith then divided by the number of our ethnic race
Science and art multiplied by faith, then divided by the number of our ethnic race.
Let me mention what I've been thinking
Let me tell you what's on my mind.
How to save the children, when the ship is sinking
How can we save our children when everything is falling apart?
So I'm singing, no lip syncing to slogans
I'm singing from the heart, not just repeating slogans.
Political hooligans with tanks, missiles and guns
Politicians who use violence and weapons to control.
Everything is relative when it's all in the family of man
Everything is relative when it comes to humanity.
Understand the time has finally come to realize the great power of one
It's time to realize the power of unity.
All formulas equalize under the sun, amen
Everyone and everything is equal under the sun.
Yeah, the rhymes will heal 'cause I believe in music
Music has the power to heal, and I believe in it.
In times of need I won't be leaving you sick
I won't abandon you during difficult times.
The beat plus the melody's the recipe
The music has the recipe for healing and happiness.
Your vibe surely brings out the best in me
Being around you brings out the best in me.
Hip-hop world wide we got to live in peace, like that
We need to live in peace, worldwide, in the realm of hip-hop.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Shing02, Nujabes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@intannurjanah2015
Snow flakes in January
Heart warm like February
I wouldn't ordinarily
March to the drum, play a fool like April
May the best dance in a Juno bridal
Power of the will, Julius and Augustus
Aw you know, it's just us
In a new semester, back in September
Boy, I wonder if you still remember
[Verse 1: shing02]
Meet me half way from mars to venus
Beep beep, the chase is on between us
Retweet the sweetest piece of confection
Hand made device for remote connection
Ask a question
Wait for an answer and make a suggestion
A time and a place for a first impression
Second and third to a fourth dimension
Rise above the weights that hold us captive
To a square, swear that I, I the captain to
Cruise in sci-fi, red sky burn like sapphire
A moth to a fire, but we can fly higher
Till we reach an apex
We fit tight like a glove with the latex
Bring it down to earth for a cooling session
Laying sideways and glazed in essence
Gazed each other in the eye to find galaxies of
Uncharted nebulas
Heard joy over spilled milk on a quilt, of lavender
Woven in the fabric of our calendar
Dress up at the end of October
Give thanks to the fam in November
A cold but cozy December
And we're back to the origin, so let me begin
[Hook]
Snow flakes in January
Heart warm like February
I wouldn't ordinarily
March to the drum, play a fool like April
May the best dance in a Juno bridal
Power of the will, Julius and Augustus
Aw you know, it's just us
In a new semester, back in September
Boy, I wonder if you still remember
[Verse 2: shing02]
When you took my hand, I couldn't hide it
Way too delighted
Tried to ride it cool but obliged to write it
Wouldn't fight it, how my watch paused
When I put my lips on your eyelids
The lost second, deposit in a memory bank
Every chance I pocketed a cent
A blank check with ya signature
Font sans serif, the curvature, a lone harbinger
With toys play coy like fish in a pond
Fond words serve poems like dish
Life is short like a doggone leash
Or a fuse in an open circuitry
That got struck by lightning
Hang a painting on the wall over the writing
Brighten up the room for a private dining
Increase the peace and cease the anxiety
Spread love and cc: the whole society
You got me shooting off on a tangent
Like I always do when I'm on the fringe
And the tally of the letters will reach
The valley where the wings will seek
A series so classic at the top of October
Give thanks to the fam in November
A cold but cozy December
And we're back to the origin, so let me begin
[Hook]
Snow flakes in January
Heart warm like February
I wouldn't ordinarily
March to the drum, play a fool like April
May the best dance in a Juno bridal
Power of the will, Julius and Augustus
Aw you know, it's just us
In a new semester, back in September
Boy, I wonder if you still remember
@AndresSanhueza-yy3ti
Maybe there's a reference to Earth&Wind and Fire "September"?
on the lyrics:
"In a new semester, back in September. Boy, I wonder if you still remember"
Seems oddly familiar to the well-known 80 hit:
"Do you remember, dancin in September"
just sayin =)
@fowourworld
Mark my words , ima make a movie one day and ima use a nujabes in the soundtrack 444% sure about it
@jugihusk9700
ok, i'll wait foy you :)
@servant0017
Good luck 😌 🎧
@alefsilvavieira8442
I'll wait here. Don't forget this comment here Bro, good luck
@leobakhache7125
go get it there bro I believe
@regpett3730
we will watch your career with great interest, may the force be with you
@chickalow6
Happy new years nujabes.. your music lives on forever, we still holding you in ever loving memory.
@ksr1581
This will always be my favorite out of all the Luv Sic Hexalogy. It changed my life.
@g3th_
Same, man.
@ShinjiIkariFTW
nujabes is magic !