DJ Krush

DJ Krush (real name Hideaki Ishii) was born in 1962 in Tokyo. After watching the film "Wild Style" in the early 80's, he was inspired, bought some decks, and started to learn the art of turntablism. In 1987, he formed

DJ Krush (real name Hideaki Ishii) was born in 1962 in Tokyo. After watching the film "Wild Style" in the early 80's, he was inspired, bought some decks, and started to learn the art of turntablism. In 1987, he formed the Krush Posse, which made numerous appearances as a group in late 1992 and gained him recognition by becoming the first DJ in Japan to perform with live musicians. He released his first album "Krush," which stated his presence in the scene, and he has since released eight more. He has had recording contracts with Chance Records, Ninty Nine Records, Mo-Wax (he was the first Japanese artist to join them), Apollo and Sony/Columbia. He works internationally as a producer, re-mixer, DJ and recording artist, bringing the unique flavour of Japanese hip-hop to the world.

Ishii was born in 1962 in Tokyo. At an early age, Ishii dropped out of school, and joined a local gang, and a few years later, Yakuza. One day in the early 1980's, he, who had a lot of questions inside himself, went to the movies with his girlfriend and looked for something different from what he had seen till then. He chose the film "Wild Style", the first hip-hop motion picture directed by Charlie Ahearn, and got the inspiration that he would be a hip-hop musician. Despite the others doubting his change, he made a firm decision to be a DJ; the day after he watched the movie, he went straight to instrument shops and looked for DJing instruments when the term "mixer" was unheard of even by most of Tokyo's electronic store salesmen. After a hard time buying the things he needed, Ishii started his career as one of the first hip hop pioneers in Japan.