Luv(sic) hexalogy

"Luv(Sic)"

It is widely acknowledged that love can be sickening. True love has the power to turn one's world upside down, transforming the very core of their being and rendering them utterly helpless. The duration of this dream-like, infatuated state, whether it lasts for days, years, or a lifetime, is entirely dependent on the individual. It's all about timing; you can never plan for it. One day, when you look back, everything seems to make sense and feels scripted. Is it all just a happenstance, or do we, including all the elements around us, attract each other through metaphysical means? Love defies any formula; it borders on the realms of insanity and spirituality. No matter how slim the chances may seem, once you meet the love of your life, you might just end up creating something that will outlast your own lifetime.

Shing02 first dedicated "Luv(Sic)" to the goddess of music at the end of 2000. Fifteen years later, this dedication has evolved into a six-part series (Hexalogy). Each chapter is united by a certain voice, a character, if you will. The unconventional spelling of "Luv(Sic)" (using "sic," from Latin for a misspelled quote) symbolizes that it isn't just a straightforward love song; there's a layer of obscured honesty to it. While there are many classic hip-hop songs in the form of love letters, such as LL Cool J's "I Need Love" or Common's "I Used to Love H.E.R.," it was important for Shing02 to write something personal, a song that spoke about his own vulnerability and his desire for a lasting relationship with music.

At that time, Shing02 wasn't particularly inclined towards writing mellow songs, as he was more involved in the west coast underground freestyle scene. However, one day, Nujabes contacted him about collaborating on a 12" single. Shing02 had no idea who Nujabes was or where he came from. He was surprised to find out that Nujabes was a Japanese guy named Jun Seba, diminutive and shy. When they met up in Tokyo, they listened to beats in Nujabes' minivan. Shing02 was impressed by Nujabes' simple yet soulful layering of samples and chopped drums. Shing02 believes that you can tell how good a producer is instantly by listening to the drum track. That day, they played each other's music and parted ways.

As Shing02 listened more to Nujabes' beat tape, one song really stood out. Being picky when it comes to choosing beats, Shing02 wanted to be truly inspired. Envisioning your voice on a track is akin to predicting the future; the space in the music invites you inside so you can place your vocals in it. When Shing02 contacted Nujabes about the particular beat, he learned that Pase Rock had already expressed interest in it, so he would have to negotiate with him.

Unlike the other collaborators of Nujabes, Shing02 already had a friendship with Pase Rock. They had recorded together in Ohio for a Five Deez project, and Pase Rock graciously let Shing02 have the track. Perhaps Pase Rock understood how much Shing02 wanted it, but Shing02 can't help but wonder, what if Pase Rock had said no? He would be forever grateful to him for that. When Shing02 told Nujabes that he got Pase Rock's blessing, Nujabes was genuinely surprised. Nonetheless, it paved the way for their first collaborative record. Nujabes had released many records as the head of Hydeout Productions and Guinness Records (a record shop in the heart of Shibuya). Pressing 12" vinyl was a big deal to them as 90's hip-hop heads; it was the only way to gauge if a song was a hit or a miss. Oh, how times have changed.

"Luv(Sic)" (2001)

Shing02 remembers recording the vocals to "Luv(Sic)" on a Roland VS-1640 and an Octava mic (which he still uses) at his home studio in El Cerrito. As he notes, the song is a simple letter from a 25-year-old rapper. It was a departure from his usual style, but a return to the poetry he had written back in high school. In essence, rap is a form of creative writing and storytelling at its best. He was building a character that spoke in idioms and riddles, but also a narrative that one could relate to by reading "between the rhymes." After listening back to the song, he wasn't sure about his delivery, but it didn't really matter. He was living in the moment.

The scratch DJ played a crucial role in the entire "Luv(Sic)" series. It was ingrained in Shing02 from early on that having a good scratch to a rap song is key, so he took the time to select the samples from various sources. They only used vinyl records without exceptions, which enhanced the analog aesthetic that Nujabes adhered to.

For his first record, DJ Top Bill got on the decks. Shing02 took samples from a comedy record and a rap song (easily recognizable), and also featured some vocals from Entense that were on Top Billion Dollar Banks, a battle break record pressed by Top Bill. It's always a nice return of investment when you can feature a scratch from your own pressings. For the cover art, Shing02 was traveling to the island of Yakushima with artist Emuse, and Emuse snapped a photo of Shing02 holding a dog of his friend Mr. Kurotobi. Emuse was kind enough to send Shing02 a print of that photo, which he scanned along with his rhyme book on the back cover, put his tag on it, and it was done.

"Luv(Sic) Part 2" (2002)

On September 11, 2001, when the world was in shock after the tragic events, Shing02 was scheduled to fly back to California. However, with flights grounded, he decided to stay in Tokyo and work on music. While focusing on writing his Japanese album, Nujabes emailed him another track. It served as a welcome release from the somber atmosphere, inspiring Shing02 to express his feelings towards the world. The first line came naturally, "once again now…"

It wasn't common to have a series in a rap song, but it felt appropriate to title it as a sequel to a letter, as if Shing02 was writing to someone he had lost touch with. He recorded the vocals in Shibuya, and DJ Dai Nasty contributed with the scratches. Technically, DJ Dai Nasty was Shing02's first live DJ back in San Francisco. His rhythm was impeccable, and they used an a cappella by Jah Earl from Shing02's previous Japanese album, among other samples.

For the cover art, Shing02 asked SYU, a young graffiti artist, to contribute. SYU's sister had emailed Shing02 out of the blue to introduce him to her brother. SYU was a quiet character, but his sensitive touch matched nicely with the song. The finished artwork, which also became the cover of the CD, presented a unique look. SYU would go on to create more covers for Nujabes, starting a lasting trend with watercolors and feminine motifs for record covers.

"Luv(Sic) Part 3" (2004)

After the success of Part 2, Nujabes mentioned working on the next installment. At the time, Shing02 was mostly in Oakland, so they exchanged emails. When Shing02 received the instrumental for Part 3, he wanted to speak about the power of music and the need to rediscover our roots to find it. DJ A-1 (currently SPIN MASTER A-1) recorded the scratches at Shing02's studio using odd records from Shing02's healthy collection, and they completed the track quickly.

Shing02 structured the song so that the second verse mirrored the first (a technique he had previously used for a song called "Pearl Harbor"), and the third verse rounded it out. Nujabes decided to include Part 3 on the CD "Modal Soul" and postponed plans to press the single. However, he left out the third verse, intending to include the full version on the 12". When a friend's blog leaked the full version, Nujabes was displeased. Shing02 convinced him that many fans worldwide supported the series concept and that they shouldn't deprive them of content. In the end, Nujabes agreed, showing how they could work out their differences.

Jeff Resurreccion, also known as Jeff the Beatbox Prince, was a young, talented musician. In late 2009, Jeff's family contacted Shing02, informing him that Jeff was bedridden with terminal cancer and would like to meet him. Coincidentally, Jeff lived very close to Shing02's home in Los Angeles and had even attended one of Shing02's shows at Citrus College. Jeff requested that Shing02 sing "Luv(Sic) Part 3," but it wasn't part of Shing02's repertoire. So, he performed "Battlecry" and "Luv(Sic) Part 2" with his friend CAV3 instead. Coincidentally, the word "Resurrection" is scratched at the beginning of Part 3, a fact that Shing02 believes Jeff was aware of. Jeff passed away in January 2010, and Nujabes also offered his condolences. Shing02 was heartbroken over the loss but felt a renewed sense of commitment to perform the "Luv(Sic)" series. In February, he re-recorded Part 3 with a band and released an a cappella as a tribute to Jeff, unaware that he would never hear from Nujabes again. Ten years had passed since the recording of Part 3 when they finally released the 12". Shing02 wanted to update the takes, so they recorded vocals at Nujabes' studio in Kamakura and mixed and mastered them for vinyl at M's Disk in Tokyo. For the B-side, they enlisted the help of Australian producer Ta-ku, who had released a tribute beat series for Nujabes. They met up in Hawaii and became good friends. Ta-ku was open to contributing a remix for the project, and he did an excellent job.

"Luv(Sic) Part 4" (2011)

Around 2008, they started talking about adding another part to the "Luv(Sic)" series. When they met at Nujabes' studio in Shibuya, Shing02 told Nujabes that he felt the series was already complete and didn't want to add another part. However, he said he'd be up for it if Nujabes gave him three instrumentals that he couldn't refuse. It was a bold statement, but Shing02 wanted to challenge Nujabes as a friend. Nujabes eventually sent Shing02 a message that he was ready. He had started working with a lot of musicians, including Uyama Hiroto. Among the beats he sent, two of them would become Part 4 and Part 5. When Nujabes unexpectedly passed away in February 2010, Shing02 had the chorus for Part 4 sitting around for a long time. So, he finished up the verses and recorded the song at Nujabes' studio.

The unfinished songs gave Shing02 the motivation to finish the work at Nujabes' place, which Hydeout had kept around. This ritual to record in Kamakura would continue for the rest of the series.

The scratches for Part 4 were done by another longtime collaborator, DJ Icewater. His scratching technique and touch were world-class. Shing02 gathered spoken word records that he had found in LA, Portland, and Seattle, and DJ Icewater also contributed his ideas. FJD contributed great cover art for Parts 4-6. His art enhanced the feel of the new trilogy, which represented "encounter, parting, and reuniting." By relaunching the series, they hoped to go back to the essence and fun memories of making music for the passion, regardless of how commercialized the genre had become.

"Luv(Sic) Part 5" (2012)

The beat for Part 5 was initially intended for a separate collaboration, but after meeting Jeff, Shing02 wanted to use a somber feel for Part 5. Initially, Nujabes rejected the idea, citing that it was too dark, but eventually, he agreed. Shing02 wanted Part 5 to be a serious departure from the harmonic atmosphere that surrounded the series, aiming to make it a spiritual conclusion. However, the unexpected passing of Nujabes added a deeper intensity to the song. Shing02 had already finished the first verse about Jeff when he received the news of Nujabes' passing. Overwhelmed by the outpouring of condolences from around the world for Jun, Shing02 finished the second half of Part 5, representing both events in the verses.

They recorded the vocals in Kamakura and found scratch samples from Nujabes' vinyl collection. SPIN MASTER A-1 laid down the cuts. When everything comes together perfectly, there's always a strange sense of serendipity. All artists can attest to those moments, which remind them why they fell in love with creating in the first place.

"Luv(Sic) Grand Finale" (2013)

In the spring of 2010, when Shing02 visited Tribe Records (located a floor beneath Guinness, both now gone), Takumi, then-manager for Hydeout, told him about a song called "Luv(Sic) Grand Finale" they had discovered on Nujabes' cell phone. Shing02 was quite shocked, and Takumi played him the loop inside the store. It was a simple loop, but Shing02 instantly knew they had to finish it. The only reason Nujabes hadn't sent him the beat was because he was a perfectionist. If they had worked on it more together, they could have developed the foundation further.

For the last three parts, Shing02 exchanged data with Uyama Hiroto to finish the mix. Uyama Hiroto laid down many layers to replace the samples, but the hip hop feel was preserved. Nujabes' beats were not complex, with deceptively simple drum patterns, but the mixing process was quite sensitively tailored to each part. Uyama Hiroto played an instrumental role in finishing the new trilogy. He also did a remix for Part 6, for which they made a music video, the only official video among the entire series. The video was directed by Kimie Tanaka, shot at the Kamakura studio. When they finished shooting the last scene, Shing02 felt a real sense of peace in the silence.

DJ Kou handled the scratching duties for both the main and remix versions of the song. He also did the cuts for "F.I.L.O" years ago. They went through Nujabes' records to pick out samples and string together a nice sentence for the finale.

It's remarkable that, to this day, Hydeout Music has never been officially distributed internationally, but the internet connected them with listeners worldwide. The "Luv(Sic)" Hexalogy has been received by many listeners worldwide. Despite initial releases being limited to vinyl copies, they managed to reach all corners of the world, and younger generations keep discovering their music. Shing02 has performed the songs with many DJs and live bands, and it never feels repetitive. He sincerely hopes to meet more fans in a live performance setting.

"Perfect Circle" (2004/2014)

The CD contains a bonus track called "Perfect Circle," which they also finished in Kamakura. This instrumental was sent to Shing02 in 2004, already titled and conceptualized. It could have been a figurative phrase or a reference to Earth. Shing02 finished writing to it but never recorded it, as no immediate plans were made. He used the instrumental for a Faderboard demonstration, with Nujabes' permission (though he couldn't reveal the source then). The song's existence was somewhat of a mystery to them, including Nujabes' brother Mao (who is currently in charge of Hydeout) and SYU (who was asked to work on the artwork for it). At the request of Hydeout, they set out to excavate the session and breathe life into this sleeping beauty.

Shing02 made it a point not to alter any of the lyrics, preserving the feel of what it would have sounded like had they finished the song then. DJ Kou handled the scratches, and they stumbled upon the perfect phrase that matched the pitch of the beat, making them smile as if they were still discovering the joy of working with Nujabes. For the vinyl release, SYU created a new piece of art, with Uio Loi, another Nujabes fan, producing a fresh remix.