Artist Interview No.1 -BOXER JUNTARO- vol.3

#Art #BOXERJUNTARO #Hiphop #Interview #Japan #Picture #Streetart #supreme #Tokyo #TOKYOURBANART 2021.06.15

In this third article, we talk about the street scene surrounding BOXER JUNTARO. In the previous episode, he talked about his love for the street scene, but this time, he talks not only about his feelings for the street culture, but also his stories about those days and his thoughts on the contemporary scene, based on his amazing relationship with those who were actually involved in the street culture in Japan. I think that this story may become a valuable document in the topic of street culture…?

I don’t remember how long I’ve been on the streets, but I think it started when I was in school. I’m of the generation where hip-hop and reggae are just coming on strong. That’s why I started going to clubs when I was a teenager, because that’s where it was played lol

BOXER JUNTARO has experienced firsthand the era when graffiti was in its dawn in Japan. Although graffiti is still illegal in some areas, there are more areas where it is legal to paint, and more people are painting on canvas. I was surprised to learn that the image of graffiti was not extremely negative. This story is from someone who was there in the early days.
And as I mentioned in the first article（https://thatisgood.jp/en/artistinterview001-a/）, JUNTARO jumped into BEAMS and started selling as an artist. It was not only painting that he was active in during this period.

At the time, I felt like I was in a period of wandering, and I wanted to do all kinds of interesting things, not just painting, so I started singing, and I also started a label. I also started an event called BOXER NITE at a place called「 I to I」, which I hosted. We were trying to create a genre-less event that emphasized live sound.
BEAMS was also a sponsor.

A flyer for BOXER NITE when BEAMS was a sponsor. The event has not been held recently due to Corona, but it is still going on.
※BEAMS was always a sponsor in the early days, and this flyer is from one time when we collaborated.

I heard that BOXER NITE had a lot of people who were into street culture, but there were also some apparel buyers who joined the event as DJs. I don’t think I’ve heard of many people in the fashion industry DJing.

The night scene and fashion were very close, and I think that was what created the culture at the time. In the club culture as a whole, people with a high level of sensitivity were doing it all the time. That’s how culture goes around. Nowadays, I feel that the number of people in the fashion industry DJing is decreasing.

It is true that we live in an age where new things are easily available through digitalization such as SNS and e-commerce sites, but this may be a superficial story. SNS and e-commerce sites are tools to transmit information, but if we rely only on them, we will not be able to be present at the moment something is born. I feel a sense of crisis.

By the way, when he was organizing BOXER NITE, there was a misunderstanding that was unique to the street community.

A lot of people seemed to think that BOXER NITE is run by BOXER KID lol
My name is also BOXER JUNTARO, and when people say “BOXER”, they also mean BOXER KID of Mighty Jam Rock. At that time, I was the BOXER who drew pictures, and he was the BOXER with the microphone. He seemed to recognize me as well. When we had a chance to meet, we got to know each other well. Now, when we are together, people say we are double BOXERs

BOXER NITE is attended by a variety of big names. How did you make these connections?

Looking at the participants, it is clear that this is an event that features many legendary street performers.

I think it’s about going out on the town. I want to do something with this person! I would go to an event where that person was appearing and try to make a move on him or her. These days, it’s easier to connect with people through social networking services, but I think it was simpler and deeper back then than it is now.

As a result of the accumulation of “simple and deep connections,” I think that BOXER NITE has become something that is leading the scene. As I mentioned earlier about social networking sites, this episode is like a wake-up call for the digitalization of human connections.

By the way, BOXER NITE has been attended by legends in the area, for example, SHINGO★Nishinari’s name is on the flyer. Could you tell us about your encounter with him and the episode?

A reggae band called V&40, of which TERRY THE AKI-06 was one of the MC, was going to release their second album from my label, and I was involved in producing it, but I thought it would be really interesting if SHINGO★Nishinari joined.　So through an acquaintance, we all went out for dinner, and that’s how we started our relationship.

The episode is… The first KFC restaurant was in Kita Osaka, and it was all-you-can-eat. I think the thing I remember most is that I ate pretty well there lol

It’s surprising that KFC is the most talked about topic, or something lol
I heard that TERRY THE AKI-06 of V&40, whose name was mentioned earlier, was also a legend who passed away at a young age but I asked him what kind of person he was.

We made things together, and I even drew his pictures. In the early days of the reggae and hip-hop scenes in Japan, each had its own sharp points, and at that time, people who went back and forth between the two worlds tended to be regarded as “strange” or “Happo Bijin (someone who’s nice to everyone)”.
But TERRY THE AKI-06 was the type that came and went. But he was free to do what he wanted, so the people around him didn’t think too badly of him. He wasn’t the kind of person who would say bad things about others, and he only left good things for everyone.
So when he passed away, I feel that the two scenes became much closer… I didn’t do anything special to mourn him, but his parents liked the picture I drew of him, so I made it into a T-shirt.

TERRY THE AKI-06’s motif T-shirt

Cultures grow by the interweaving of many people. That’s why this episode made me realize that the charm of people also plays a part in such culture. On the other hand, when I heard about IN-SIST who he has been in contact with, a unique episode came out.

At first I didn’t like it, or wasn’t interested in it lol
The sound was too light and didn’t appeal to me. At the time, I don’t think there were many people on the streets who recognized it as hip-hop, maybe just around me. They weren’t in the clubs in the first place.
In fact, they were mainly live performers, and I think the audience was the same. Nowadays, I feel that the times have caught up with IN-SIST, but at the time, I think it was hard to do many things.

How did you become friends?

Seven years ago, I met the leader of the band, Shyoudog, for the first time and talked to him, and he understood my story. They quickly became a major band, but they felt there was a gap between what the world wanted and what they wanted, and they were desperate to fill it, and they were struggling to fill it. When I met him, the gap had been closed and the major label was about to close. He gave me a copy of his album HIPSTORY, and I listened to it and it was so good. When I found out what happened, I was like, “I’m sorry too!” lol

So we hugged each other, and that’s how we started our relationship. It’s not that we don’t like each other, it’s just that we didn’t like the sound before. After that, when I would show up at a live concert, the MC would say something like, ” JUNTARO didn’t like us before, but now he likes us and comes to our concerts! lol

When I bought up all the cans of chuhai on the Shinkansen with Sakkon and tarow-one.

I knew it, but street culture is still a very edgy culture. It is only when it is developed in a certain closed area that something edgy is born.
That’s why he has mixed feelings about hip-hop, which crosses over with various pop music.

It’s not a bad thing, but I feel uncomfortable when there is a sense of friendship. I think it’s great to be excited. They also make guest appearances right away. In the past, I think you had to be prepared to do it. It’s important to work alone, and sometimes it’s good to do so.
It’s a good thing that the power of social media has brought us closer together, but on the other hand, people are always trying to go viral. That might be fine for producers, but artists shouldn’t make music for that purpose. Well, maybe that’s just the opinion of the remnants lol

On the other hand, Mr. JUNTARO has some thoughts about the new generation of hip-hop that is emerging.

WILYWNKA of the HENTAI SHINSHI CLUB has been in street culture since he was a teenager, and he was on Music Station (a Japanese TV music program) the other day, and I felt it was amazing. His way of dealing with the street scene is straightforward, clean and skillful. I can feel the strength of the new generation. I’ve been told what to do, so I know what to do, and people will say what to do, but I want them to stick to themselves.

The talk was not necessarily critical of the changes of the times, but it gave me a sense of the spirit of the people who want us to value the way we face things.

What impressed me was that he spoke so smoothly that I felt like he was just talking about his friends who he has been friends with for a long time, and I got a glimpse of a “simple yet deep” connection.
Still, it seemed to be a part of him, and he said, “There are so many things I can’t say. It’s really peaceful now lol
Hmmm…. It’s a dope world after all! Street culture!

So this time, we asked him to talk mainly about the domestic street scene. In the next article, we’ll talk about the anecdote of JUNTARO’s relationship with BEAMS and the overseas scene!

Profile

BOXER JUNTARO
Artist
instagram : https://www.instagram.com/boxerjuntaro/?hl=ja

He began his career as a self-taught painter. His artwork with simple, strong lines and vivid colors has attracted attention in a wide range of fields. He has provided graphics for many brands and famous artists. In addition, he has gained tremendous support from the street scene and is involved in a wide range of activities, including constant events involving many people.

Text: THAT IS GOOD Editorial department, Koga