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 |
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, record producer, activist and investor. 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."
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.
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.
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."
...
Wikipedia