Nujabes

Nujabes (real name: 瀬葉淳, Seba Jun) was a Japanese hip-hop record producer, DJ, composer and arranger, who to this day is regarded as one of the most extraordinary, influential, and revered hip-hop producers of his generation.

He is famous for his mellow and atmospheric approach to hip hop, as well as his focus on the instrumental aspects of the genre. His inspirations were many, ranging from jazz artists like Miles Davis and Laurindo Almeida to hip hop producers DJ Premier and Pete Rock. Oftentimes, music that he admired would appear in his own tracks via sampling. Very little is known about Nujabes’s life outside the studio: he avoided interviews, live concerts, and other promotional activities, instead choosing to keep the public’s focus on his music, rather than the man behind the records.

This page is a tribute to his life and legacy.

A timeline of Jun Seba's life:

• 1974: Born on February 7th in the Nishi-Azabu district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
• 1995: Opens his own record store, Guinness Records, at the age of 21. The Shibuya-based shop quickly develops a following among underground hip-hop fans.
• 1998: Founds Hydeout Productions, the independent record label under which he would release both his solo and collaborative work, along with that of many other talented artists.
• 1999: Releases his first 12-inch single, Ain't No Mystery.
• 2000: Begins a decade-long collaboration with Shingo Annen (aka Shing02) on the Luv(sic) hexalogy.
• 2003: Releases his first solo album, Metaphorical Music. This album goes on to sell over 20,000 copies in 2004, an unheard-of amount for an independent release. Other notable events:
  • The release of Hydeout Productions 1st Collection, his first compilation album.
  • The opening of his second record store, Tribe Records, in Shibuya.
• 2004: Director Shinichirō Watanabe contacts Nujabes and Fat Jon to collaboratively produce two soundtracks for his anime series, Samurai Champloo. Jun's extensive work on these soundtracks quickly propels him to international fame.
• 2005: Releases his second solo album, Modal Soul.
• 2007: Releases Hydeout Productions 2nd Collection, his second compilation album.
• 2010: Dies on February 26th after being involved in a traffic accident upon exiting the Shuto Expressway late at night. He leaves behind a wife and daughter. He is only 36 years old.
• 2011: Spiritual State, his third and final solo album, is released posthumously. Though the album was incomplete at the time of his death, the artists who collaborated with Jun throughout his lifetime remained determined to see it finished.
• 2012: Shing02 reveals that a beat titled "Luv(sic) grand finale" was found on Nujabes's cell phone at the time of his passing. He announces his intention to finish the track.
• 2013: Grand Finale, the final part of the Luv(sic) hexalogy, is released by Hydeout Productions.