Shing02

Shing02
Birth name Shingo Annen
Also known as Vector Omega
Born 1975
Tokyo, Japan
Genres Chillhop
Occupation(s) MC, record producer, activist, inventor
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1996-present
Labels E22, Mary Joy Recordings
Associated acts Terracotta Troops, Freelancers Utd, The Knocks, Kosmic Renaissance, Nujabes
Website www.e22.com

Shingo Annen (安念 真吾 Annen Shingo) (born 1975), better known by his stage name Shing02, is a Japanese American hip hop recording artist and record producer. He was described by Patrick Neate as one of the Japanese emcees who "has addressed important issues from Japanese ethnicity to sexual exploitation to the education system."[1]

Due in part to growing up in Western cities, Shing02 stands as one of the few multilingual rappers from Japan able to compose songs entirely in either Japanese or English. His rhyming style makes use of lyrics which are largely conceptual in nature and his hip-hop sound is known for blending various influences, ranging from reggae to traditional Japanese music to jazz. The style of music has made him a significant presence within the underground rap community, and he has achieved recognition beyond the scene for rapping "Battlecry", the theme song of the hip-hop-influenced chanbara anime Samurai Champloo, produced by late Japanese jazz rap DJ Nujabes.[2]

Biography

Shingo Annen was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1975 and grew up in various cities in Tanzania and Japan, as well as London. At the age of fifteen, Shing02 moved to the San Francisco Bay Area of California just following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, where he became involved in various creative arts programs. He then moved to Berkeley for schooling and studied art at the University of California, Berkeley.[3]

Living in the Oakland and San Francisco Bay Area he became immersed in the hip-hop scene amongst direct descendants of members of civil rights movement groups such as the Black Panthers and Asian American activists. Shing02 has said of his music that "it was natural to have political and social messages in my music; I was fortunate to be exposed to it."[3]

In 2010, Shing02 teamed up with Japanese-American jazz vocalist Emi Meyer for her second album, Passport. The two initially met via Myspace and Meyer joined Shing02 on his summer tour of Japan in 2008, after which they began work on Passport.[3]

Shing02's remix of the song "Odakias" by Ryuichi Sakamoto was uploaded to Sakamoto's SoundCloud in July 2012.[4]

Discography

Albums

Mixtapes

EPs

Singles

Guest appearances

Compilation appearances

References

  1. ↑ Neate, Patrick (2004) [2003]. "Part Two: Tokyo". Where You're at: Notes from the Frontline of a Hip Hop Planet. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 77. ISBN 0747563896.
  2. ↑ Watanabe, Shinichiro (2007). ROMAN ALBUM: Samurai Champloo. Mangaglobe/Shimoigusa Champloos, Dark Horse Comics Inc. p. 56. ISBN 1-59307-642-8.
  3. 1 2 3 Poole, Robert Michael (April 16, 2010). "Jazz singer Meyer raps up second album, 'Passport'". The Japan Times. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  4. ↑ Corkill, Edan (July 5, 2012). "Sakamoto gently rallies the troops for No Nukes 2012". The Japan Times.
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