Nujabes

Nujabes (pronounced /nuːdʒəˈbɛs/, Noo-Jah-Bess; Japanese: ヌジャベス, Nujabesu, /nɯdʑabesɯ/), stage name of Jun Seba, was a Japanese breakbeat/hip hop/jazz rap record producer. The artist name is his real name spelled backwards.

Born: February 7, 1974, in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Died: February 26, 2010, in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan (aged 36).

Nujabes was the owner of the “[l=Tribe (2)]” record shop in Shibuya, Tokyo, and also ran his own independent record label, [l=Hyde Out Recordings]. “Tribe” is now also a label that releases 7″ records of songs by various friends and associates, such as Uyama Hiroto and Five Deez.

His music is known for a strong cool jazz influence, frequently using samples from artists like Miles Davis and Yusef Lateef.

He was also a member of the production duo Urbanforest, an experimental collaboration with Nao Tokui, appearing on the “[r=496638]” 12″. He died after a car accident in Tokyo.