Uzi (pronounced as "Uji") is a popular

Japanese hip-hop Japanese hip hop is hip hop music from Japan. It is said to have begun when Hiroshi Fujiwara returned to Japan and started playing hip hop records in the early 1980s. Japanese hip hop tends to be most directly influenced by old school hip hop, ...

artist. He has released four major albums, most recently his “Natural 9” album released in March 2008. Uzi is one of the rappers to incorporate more overt elements of

Japanese culture The culture of Japan has changed greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric Jōmon period, to its contemporary modern culture, which absorbs influences from Asia and other regions of the world. Historical overview The ance ...

into his music and videos, specifically aspects referring to the

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

(to which he claims direct ancestry). He is a great example of an artist who maintains the localization of hip-hop music through his dependence on the incorporation of Japanese themes into his work. Such non-Americanization of his hip-hop music has been met with varying opinions; some view this as disrespectful of the origins of

hip-hop culture Hip hop or hip-hop is a culture and art movement that was created by African Americans, Latino Americans and Caribbean Americans in the Bronx, New York City. Hip hop culture is characterized by four key elements: rapping, DJing and turntabli ...

, while there are those who appreciate Uzi’s apparent embracing of Japanese culture.

Japanese musical influences

Much of Uzi's musical influences correspond with his national identity as a corollary of the fact that "Japanese have long perceived themselves, and been perceived by others as one homogeneous group, racially, ethnically, and culturally identical". As such, a number of his influences ven regarding hip-hop specificallyare Japanese artists. Some songs and their artists which Uzi lists as musical influences include: KNOCK OUT feat. ZEEBRA 2002 produced by INOVADER 新日本プロレスエンディングテーマ, ひとり酒 DRINKING BY MYSELF 2003 produced by SUB ZERO, 開放軍 III feat. 神, KENTA 5 RUS, MASARU, 565, AKTION, DOB-ROC 2006 produced by LUCHA a.k.a. Kut.MySpace.com - UZI - JP - Hip Hop / Rap / Musique classique japonaise - www.myspace.com/bizenkou9mm
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References

External links

Uzi music video
from

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Japanese hip hop Japanese hip hop musicians Living people Year of birth missing (living people) {{hiphop-bio-stub