Scratching The Surface: Japan is the first documentary project undertaken by the SRK. The film is a lyrical discovery of Japan’s hip-hop scene. Whilst exploring the global nature of hip-hop, director Suridh Hassan immersed himself in Japan’s hip-hop milieu, interviewing rappers, beatboxers, breakers, graffiti writers and DJs, and found a thriving, lively subculture that is at once a direct descendant of American hip-hop culture and yet uniquely Japanese.
Afra, Mar, Q-Taro and their peers talk about their introduction to hip-hop culture and the huge influence it has had on their lives. “Hip-hop is blood,” declares beatboxer Afra. Expressing themselves and their Japanese identity is a driving force for many of the artists, especially rapper Kan whose rhymes reflect life on the streets of Shinjuku. Although they pay tribute to hip-hop’s birthplace, over time they have developed their own unique styles and established an independent scene.
Scratching The Surface takes us on a journey across Japan passing through Tokyo and Osaka to show us that while hip-hop culture may have become a global phenomenon, at its heart it is still a local culture with its roots in community. Featuring interviews and exclusive performances of many of the scene’s most important artists, this documentary is the only real guide to Japan’s underground hip-hop culture.
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Buy Scratching the Surface: Japan from Now On DVD.
Afra, Mar, Q-Taro and their peers talk about their introduction to hip-hop culture and the huge influence it has had on their lives. “Hip-hop is blood,” declares beatboxer Afra. Expressing themselves and their Japanese identity is a driving force for many of the artists, especially rapper Kan whose rhymes reflect life on the streets of Shinjuku. Although they pay tribute to hip-hop’s birthplace, over time they have developed their own unique styles and established an independent scene.
Scratching The Surface takes us on a journey across Japan passing through Tokyo and Osaka to show us that while hip-hop culture may have become a global phenomenon, at its heart it is still a local culture with its roots in community. Featuring interviews and exclusive performances of many of the scene’s most important artists, this documentary is the only real guide to Japan’s underground hip-hop culture.
>
Buy Scratching the Surface: Japan from Now On DVD.