The story of Travis Tewes is an improbable one. For the last couple of years, the University of Kansas graduate has been making the ultimate hip-hop move: mixing and remixing cultures. Tewes, who raps under the name Crazy T, parlays his love of rhyming and his love of Japanese culture, creating a fusion of international styles, rapping in both Japanese and English.
It gets more improbable from there. While a student, Tewes began performing on Japanese stages with some of his Japanese hip-hop heroes. He eventually began collaborating on tracks with the likes of underground superstars E.G.G. Man, Rumi, and Oni. Now based in Japan, Tewes is readying his second LP, Rhyme and Reason, set for a nationwide release in early March. We talked to Crazy T about the differences between Japanese and American audiences, and why J-hip-hop will never (sadly) be as big as J-pop.
It's been a couple of good years for you, hasn't it? I saw that you got married (congrats!) moved to Japan, and released your first album in 2009.
Thanks! Things have been going pretty well -- a few ups and downs, but I would say in general things are good. I got married in July of 2009, and then finally had a ceremony in June of 2010. My first album, Asagaeri, came out in December of 2009.
When did you first get into hip-hop? When did you start performing and recording?
When I was 7 years old or so, my cousin, who actually lives in Belize, came to town and copied me a few hip-hop mixtapes (as in cassette tapes) that he had been listening to. I can't remember all of the songs that were on it, but I remember really liking "Informer" by Snow. I was a causal listener until I was about 12 or 13, when I started getting into underground hip-hop. Inspired by the creativity of lyricism, I started jotting down my own stuff and started recording around then with friends, but I didn't really start performing until high school.
How did growing up in Kansas City affect or influence you as an artist?
Both coasts have hip-hop subcultures that are uniquely their own, but Kansas City has never really had a "defined style." When people hear "L.A. rapper" or "New York rapper," they have a preconceived notion of what it will sound like. Being from Kansas City, I think, allowed me to create a style unique to me.
How long did you study Japanese before you realized you could rap in Japanese?
I think I kind of tried from the very beginning. Of course, I was terrible in the beginning, I think in my later years in college, I started to gain a little bit of confidence, but I still don't feel I'm anywhere near the level of Japanese rappers in Japanese.
When did you first start performing in Japan? Wasn't it while you were still a student at KU?
I think my first show in Japan was in 2007, the end of my sophomore year at KU. I had linked up with a guy who rapped out here when I first came in 2006, and we did a show together.
You rap both in English and Japanese. How have Japanese audiences responded to this mix of languages?
The Japanese have the sense that English is "cool," so they try to work it into their verses, too. The problem is, when I'm trying to do something with my lyrics other than just be "cool," they usually don't understand what I'm saying. I think Japanese is useful for helping to a serious message that would otherwise go over people's heads.
How did you break into the Japanese hip-hop scene?
I occasionally helped my buddy, who did a radio show on Japanese music, over at KJHK 90.7 FM. When I was here in 2008, I was already into Japanese hip-hop, so I decided to see if I could get some interviews with artists to play on the radio station. I ended up becoming friends with E.G.G. Man from Soul Scream, and we ended up doing a song together. Japanese artists often want to connect with foreign artists, so having that on my side -- plus the fact that I
had already collaborated with a legendary artist -- opened the door for me to link up with many other artists.
What are some of the cities you've performed in? Could you tell me about some of your best shows?
I've performed in many districts in Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba, Fujisawa, Hiratsuka, a few more. My best show recently would probably be a show I did on my birthday (September 10). It was a monthly battle called "A+ TOKYO SH*T" at a club called Vuenos in Shibuya. The battle is hosted by two famous MCs, and the contestants are always up-and-coming artists in the scene. Vuenos is a venue that was crucial to the formation of the Japanese hip-hop scene, so getting to perform there always makes me a bit nervous. It was my second time performing there, and not only was it my birthday but I won the battle, and many of my friends were there. That was a good night.
Can you give me a little insight what a Japanese hip-hop concert is like?
I think in general the Japanese tend to be a little bit more reserved than American audiences. They all stand in perfectly uniform rows and raise their hands only when told -- that is, until alcohol starts kicking in. Then they begin to jump around and have a good time.
What are some of the differences -- other than, of course, being different languages -- between Japanese hip-hop and American hip-hop?
Hip-hop is a way for youth to express their individuality and also their frustration with the way they are seen and treated by society. That part is the same. That being said, I would say while in America the root of that frustration is generally anger at the way society treats its lower-class citizens, in Japan it's more of anger towards the way society tends to discourage individuality.
Americans tend to have an impression of Japan in extremes. On one extreme, there's huge social pressure -- of Japanese people to be overly polite and honorific. The other extreme comes from what we see in popular culture, i.e., hyperactive anime and manga, and strange subcultures. What are your impressions of Japanese culture, having lived there for some time? How do these extremes filter into Japanese hip-hop?
What I've really learned is that people really aren't that different around the world. The Japanese also tend to view America in extremes (i.e., we're all fat, gun-toting cowboys that love cheeseburgers and Coke), but the majority of people are just normal people living day by day trying to make it in the world. However, a rebellion against the heavy social pressure that does exist in Japan is definitely reflected in their hip-hop.
The tracks on new album Rhyme and Reason are produced by Lucha, Evisbeats, DJ Ameken, DJ Munari, Prawduk, Yue Cue, Zipsies, Warddrumz, Illminabeats, Buzzerbeats. What's your relationship like with them? Are these producers based in Japan, like you are, or are they based in other countries?
These producers are all Japanese from Japan except for Wardrumz, a good friend of mine who is a Cuban producer based out of Miami, and Dj Munari, who is a Japanese producer out of New York who actually does production for some big American artists such as Jadakiss, Kool G Rap, Styles P, and Cuban Link. Some of these producers I knew before making the album, some I contacted myself because I had known about them for a while and wanted a beat from them. I was surprised at the enthusiasm I got from many of them about being on my album, and it was interesting how all of their unique sounds came together to create a somewhat cohesive whole.
The new album drops on March 16. Where can people purchase it?
It will be available in just about every record store in Japan. Stateside, I'm not sure. I know yesasia.com will carry it.
Tell me about some of the other Japanese artists you've worked with.
I've gotten the opportunity to work with a few other big names out here: Norikiyo, Rumi, Gami, Hab I Scream (the other MC from Soul Scream), and Oni. Everyone I work with is someone that I listened to and respected before I met them, so getting to work together with them is fun because I get the opportunity to see what their creative process is like and exchange ideas with them.
Japanese hip-hop doesn't seem to get a lot of press or international exposure the same way that J-pop does. Why do you think that is?
First of all, in America, hip-hop has already become a huge part of the mainstream popular culture, so naturally it gets a lot of international attention. Hip-hop in Japan, though, is still very much an underground culture. J-pop has enough corporate money backing it that it can be pushed into the international arena, but hip-hop has not reached that level yet here. Honestly, it probably won't. Because of the aggressive, straightforward attitude that comes with hip-hop (in Japanese), mainstream radio play is almost out of the question in a society that values ambiguity and politeness.
Japanese hip-hop actually is beginning to gain international recognition, especially in Europe (particularly in France) and other parts of Asia, but not so much in America. Americans tend to dismiss any hip-hop that isn't American as a cheap imitation. I think we need to be more open-minded, because there definitely is a lot of creative and unique hip-hop being made over here.
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