February 5th, 2008
joint for the day..from Apani B featuring Kojoe! “Ichinisan” means One Two Three in Japanese.
January 28th, 2008
heres an artist that Ive just ben hooked on lately,, A RAWKUS 50 Certified Artist–KOJOE!! He’s a bilingual MC that smoothly uses Japanese and English into his rhymes…
More on Kojoe:(from his myspace)
- Kojoe is a multi-talented artist and hip-hop disciple hailing from the Far East coast. Born Koichiro Sakata, native son of the land of the rising sun, Kojoe’s star has already begun to ascend rapidly having collaborated with some of hip-hop’s most respected luminaries today. His already impressive resume includes his performance trading verses with M-1 of Dead Prez on ”Broken Rhyme”, the title cut from the movie soundtrack of the of the same name; producing a track for Jean Grae on her lauded debut solo LP “Attack of the Attacking Things”; not to mention Kojoe’s duet on Apani’s “Story 2 Tell” release where he bought the seasoning to the bilingual lyrical gumbo.
There is definitely a buzz that Kojoe could be the next crossover international phenom. His music has that something that draws you in before you realize that he is spitting in another language. It is this rare quality that gives him universal appeal. Bridging the culture gap and making unity reality is the reason he humbly accepted the offer of “BET NEWS BRIEF”, hosted by Sharon Carpenter, to appear on a segment about international hiphop representing Japan.
Whether rocking renowned stages like SOB’s in NYC or Club Asia in Tokyo, Kojoe moves the crowd with minimal effort. Stylistically switching between Japanese and English with slick timing, Kojoe’s charismatic presentation takes the listener on an excursion to the land of dope. As exhibited on his street mixtape “Mixed Identities”, Kojoe is an artist with many layers who can impressively hold his own on hood anthems like “Picture Me” featuring HoodStock; seduce you to bust ya tights move with the bouncy “Tonight”, bang your head on the hard edged “Last Kamikaze” or put you in the mood to sort of reminisce on more chilled out songs, “New York” & “Home”. A new breed of classic artist , Kojoe is comfortable spinning on the 1’s & 2’s or on the boards as a producer who studies voice and piano and , a versatile emcee and producer, he does equally well for himself flexing his ample emcee skill or showcasing his soulful side on self sung hooks sounding as if he had a vintage back up section. It’s a good thing that Kojoe is equipped to keep audiences entertained with an infinite combination of magical musical agility, he will likely be around for a long time.
On a personal mission “. . . to bridge the seven seas in a way that nobody has ever done before”, Kojoe is not some wannabe looking to blend in by playing to stereotypes and trends; he is a humble messenger, promoting the culture of his people thru his passion for music. It’s easy to see why he is gaining the respect of everyone he meets; his dedication seeps thru his skin and pours out the speaker when you listen to his baritone gravel laden voice - emotional, convincing and connected to the music. Building the foundation of his sound on positive vibrations from the inspiration of a vast array of influences such as Donny Hathaway, Nas, Timmy Thomas, Jean Carne and Japanese heroes Tuyoshi Nagabuchi, Sakamoto Kyu & Hibari, Kojoe has emerged as a new favorite. Without a doubt, Kojoe has that special something that every artist wants and needs to turn heads..
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- Website:www.myspace.com/kojoeakareddot
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- -gowhere
Apani B & Kojoe
