SEEDA is a prominent Japanese hip-hop artist [retired] who has collaborated with many other famous artists within Japan. While I know a lot about most of the artists I listen to, SEEDA is one I know almost nothing about.
SEEDA was raised all over the world and spent time in New Zealand and the UK as a child, where he learned to love rap. He came back to Japan in the late 90s and began working with several other young MCs in the Shibuya scene, and finally gained acclaim within the community in the early 2000s. His style became known for its heavier feel and its clear distinction from pop, a genre which many other Japanese rappers embrace. TECHNIC:
This song features KREVA and is one of several collaborations between the two artists. SEEDA has also worked with Doberman Inc., DABO and DJ ISSO. In 2007, THE SOURCE [Japan] named his album the Best of the Year in Japanese Hip Hop and he was chosen as the #3 artist in Japanese Hip Hop. Tokyo Shit, also with KREVA:
SEEDA’s beats are good, not because he’s good but because he gets his material from excellent DJs. Those of you who have already checked out my post on DJ Deckstream may notice a similarity between the beat of his song [in the post] “Play On” and a song by SEEDA called “No Pain, No Gain.” They’re both great and I listen to them back to back pretty often. Here’s a music video of SEEDA and ILL-BOSSTINO called “Mic Story”.
SEEDA is well-known for his ‘beef’ with the Teriyaki Boyz, a group made famous in the United States from their contributions to the soundtrack of Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. I can’t say too much about the details of the beef itself but there was a lot of dissing back and forth and one rather amusing youtube video where SEEDA insults the Teriyaki Boyz and then smashes five McDonald’s teriyaki burgers.
After releasing a new album in May, 2009, SEEDA announced his retirement as a rapper. He has, however, continued to collaborate with other rappers as a featured artist occasionally. He’s still performing live, though I haven’t seen him yet. Here’s a performance with KREVA in black and SEEDA in white:
If you’re interested in SEEDA, you can check out his blog.
REMIX
