YTG/Sam Interview: Keeping Hip-Hop Media Real, from Yuki Chiba to HIPHOPCs
English translation of the original HIPHOPCs Japanese-language interview. Originally published in Japanese on August 12, 2026. Ages, plans and references to the present reflect the original interview, not a new interview conducted for this translation. The introduction, afterword and repeated phrasing have been condensed for this English edition.
At the end of 2024, DJ RYOW performed in Oji, Tokyo (Japanese). In a venue filled with notable rappers, including surprise guest Yuki Chiba, one man drew attention even though he wasn’t on the bill.
He was YTG/Sam, now a director at HIPHOPCs.
He has appeared in numerous music videos, including “Team Tomodachi,” bringing an unmistakable presence. Many listeners will already have met those hazel eyes on screen.
Sam has spent years around Japanese hip-hop as a friend of artists, a rapper and now an interviewer. Here, he talks about his British identity, growing up with Yuki Chiba, and why preserving an artist’s way of speaking matters to him as an editor.
Rapper Noah Ezra puts it simply: “No one like him.”
Related guide: Tokyo Rap Atlas: the city’s neighborhood scenes.
The Media YTG/Sam Wants to Build at HIPHOPCs
Sei: Thank you for joining us. Today, I’d like to focus on you not only as a HIPHOPCs director and artist, but as a person.
You’re between generations, and you’ve watched Japan’s hip-hop scene for years, including artists older and younger than you. I’d like to hear the perspective and philosophy that come from that.
First, tell us about where you are now. What have you been doing lately?
Sam: I’ve been a director at HIPHOPCs since around the end of May. That’s my main thing now.
Sei: Since you’ve brought up Cs, let’s talk about that.
Congratulations on becoming director. Since you joined, things have become more active, and everyone, including the writers, feels motivated.
Honestly, are there projects you’d like to pursue or goals you have as director?
Sam: I don’t know if this is good for Cs, but honestly, I became director because I thought it could be another way to support artists I know.
It wasn’t so much wanting to do something at Cs as thinking I could help bring attention to the artists around me. Cs might hear that and go, “What?” But I thought it could be a win-win relationship. That’s how it started.
There is something I want to do now, but I don’t want to talk about it yet. It’s a secret. [Laughs] I hope readers look forward to it. I’m the right person for that project, though. It might be the hardest project to pull off in Japan.
Sei: Now I’m curious! [Laughs]
Sam: If anyone can do it, it’s me. Doing it would mark the end of one chapter for me. Then I could say, “All right, what next?”
Sei: Some clues may come out in this interview, so Cs readers might figure it out!
What matters most to you as director?
Sam: I think about what an artist gains by working with us.
Sei: What kind of media outlet do you want to create?
Sam: Real.
Sei: Is being real also what you most want to convey to readers?
Sam: Yeah. I’d never made articles before.
What I’ve noticed is that small differences in wording can creep in while you’re making an article—the way a sentence ends or how something is expressed.
I want to make articles that preserve a person’s own expressions and way of speaking. That feels more human. I’d like to make articles and other content that don’t distort those real aspects.
Sei: That human quality matters. We see plenty of AI-written articles these days, and you can spot them right away.
Childhood Questions and Dreams
Sei: You’ve become a visible face of Cs, almost a mascot, but people probably wonder who you are. Tell us about your roots.
Share whatever you’re comfortable sharing about your family and upbringing. Do people often tell you, “Your Japanese is so good”? [Laughs]
Sam: They do. [Laughs] I’m half Japanese and half British.
Sei: British! What were you like as a child?
Sam: Active. But in elementary school, I was always asking why things were the way they were.
Sei: What do you mean? [Laughs]
Sam: There are lots of stories, but one is from elementary school. A group of five or six of us went to our local arcade and then to the bathroom together. There was a huge mirror. I remember the five of us standing in front of it and wondering why only my skin color was different.
Sei: Since we’re talking about appearance, has your appearance or background caused difficulties—or worked to your advantage?
Sam: The advantage was with girls. [Laughs]
[Everyone bursts out laughing.]
Sei: I bet you were popular.
Sam: There was another experience that really stayed with me.
In fifth or sixth grade, three or four local elementary schools held a joint sports day. Our school entered the grounds fairly late.
As soon as we entered, I heard “A foreigner!” from three directions. There were probably other kids with Filipino heritage, but no other white kids. I was the one who really stood out as white.
For better or worse, it was a significant experience.
Sei: Were you shocked as a child, or did you wonder why they were saying it?
Sam: Both. But I wasn’t happy about it.
Sei: Did your mother talk to you about those differences?
Sam: My mum always told me, “You are English.” And in Japan, people called me a foreigner from childhood, so I don’t feel Japanese at all. Maybe some of my thinking is Japanese.
But I think of myself as 100 percent British. Nobody has called me a foreigner in Britain. When someone asks my nationality, I say I’m British. If Japanese people treat me as a foreigner, Britain is the only card I have left.
Sei: I see. It’s a sensitive subject, and I appreciate your honesty.
What did you want to be when you were little?
Sam: I had about three dreams in elementary school. The first was to be an archaeologist.
Sei: Cool! Like Indiana Jones.
Sam: I loved dinosaurs. I still do—I can name them all, and I like collecting fossils. One dream is to buy a fossilized Velociraptor claw before I die.
Sei: You can buy one?
Sam: Apparently for about ¥500,000. I want to buy one and reenact that scene near the beginning of Jurassic Park for kids—the bit about their guts spilling out.
Sei: The slashing demonstration. That’s quite a dream! [Laughs]
Sam: The second was to be a guitarist.
Sei: You play guitar, too?
Sam: Not at all. [Laughs] My dad played back then, and Carlos Santana probably had a big influence.
I loved Santana, so for a while I wanted to be a guitarist. Then I discovered football.
The Musical Path to Hip-Hop
Sei: Was there a first moment when hip-hop really hit you?
Sam: It’s more about discovering music than hip-hop specifically.
The first artist I loved was Eric Clapton. The first song I loved was his “Layla.”
My mum taught English at a company every Monday then. My younger brother and I went along and had to wait until her class finished.
I’d wait with an Eric Clapton CD in my portable CD player. That’s where it started, in fifth or sixth grade.
Both my parents love music, so it was always playing in the car. My dad loved older bands from overseas and collected records and CDs. He probably has 400 or 500 records and 2,000 or 3,000 CDs.
Sei: A serious collector!
Sam: There was also a TV in every room at home, always tuned to FOX or MTV. I think I had a pretty good upbringing in that respect.
Sei: You couldn’t avoid music in that environment.
Sam: Right. One day MTV played what I later learned was Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.”
I thought it was incredible, but I missed the artist and song title. I couldn’t get the question of who it was out of my head.
For a month, I watched MTV whenever I could. Finally it came on, and I found out it was “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. That’s when I started listening to him.
Sei: So Eminem was your gateway to hip-hop?
Sam: Yeah. Then, when I was about 14 or 15, there was 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’.
Related videos: Eric Clapton’s “Layla” and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” discussed above.
Sei: I see.
Who would you name as an artist you respect or someone who influenced your life?
Sam: Pink Floyd. They had the biggest impact.
Sei: Pink Floyd? That’s unexpected.
And you haven’t only listened to rap—you’ve rapped yourself, right?
Sam: Former rapper. I don’t know whether you can put “former” in front of rapper, but I was doing it until a little while ago.
Sei: What got you started?
Sam: I went to Britain for a while to get qualified as a football coach. I think I was about 20 when I went.
I returned to Japan at 23 or 24 and didn’t really have anything to do. I was always with Yuki Chiba after I came back, as I had been before I went to Britain. It was almost inevitable.
Chiba was living at the studio then. I wasn’t working and had time, so I was there with him every day. He was always recording, asking what I thought, and I’d tell him it was good. Sometimes the recording was done on the computer at my parents’ house, too.
All kinds of people came by, and they were always rapping. Of course, I loved music and hip-hop. Before going to Britain, I’d even thought a little about becoming a beatmaker.
That’s basically how it started.
Looking Back at the Scene and His Time as a Rapper
Sei: What was the atmosphere in Japanese hip-hop like then?
Sam: There were more intimidating people. Maybe a strict sports-team hierarchy is a better way to describe it.
You said yes to your seniors. I wasn’t a rapper yet, but whenever I was with Chiba, it was always “Yes, yes” to older artists.
Sei: A different time. What were you looking for in hip-hop?
Sam: Some people look to it for courage or hope. I have those moments, too. Like when you don’t feel like going to work and put on a great song to get motivated.
But I genuinely loved music, so back then I was simply happy to be able to enter that world.
Sei: Now that you’re 35, has your relationship with music changed?
Sam: It has. I think I can enjoy it with a more open mind.
I used to have fixed ideas: this is cool, that isn’t; this artist is beefing with that person, so he isn’t cool. I don’t have those ideas anymore.
I started with rock, then became obsessed with hip-hop and listened to nothing else. Now it feels like I’m listening to the genre of music itself, rather than the genre of hip-hop.
Sei: Broadening your perspective matters.
Sam: I listen to everything—rock, rap, all kinds of things. Genre doesn’t matter. I just love music.
The people who amaze me make me think, “This person is music.” Those are the people I see as geniuses.
Sei: I see.
You mentioned making music yourself. Which release would you choose to represent you?
Sam: Y’S from Oji, Yano and I put out an EP called YYY under the group name YYY.
And “Dogs,” which I did with Yuki Chiba.
Sei: Any plans to release more?
Sam: If something comes along that feels right, it’s possible.
Sei: With whom? What would you do?
Sam: I don’t know yet, but probably someone with a name. If you’re friends, working together is natural.
Sei: You have a lot of friends who make music. Something featuring YTG/SAM?
Sam: It could be the other way around: YTG/SAM featuring someone. People have been asking me to make songs lately, so I’m open to it.
A Friendship with Yuki Chiba
Sei: Yuki Chiba’s name has already come up quite a lot.
Sam: He always comes up.
Sei: Readers will want to know more. I realize there are things you can and can’t say, but give us everything you can today! [Laughs]
Sam: I can’t. There are too many things I can’t talk about! [Laughs]
Sei: Anything you can share would be appreciated!
You said you were childhood friends. Can you tell us how you first met?
Sam: I think I’ve talked about this in another interview.
We lived in the same apartment complex. I was on the 15th floor, Chiba on the ninth, and Isamu, our childhood friend, on the eighth. I’d known Isamu since kindergarten.
On the first day of elementary school, Isamu and I happened to get into the same lift as Chiba, who was in another class. I didn’t even know his name. I can’t remember whether it was before or after school.
Isamu asked who wanted to hang out later, and Chiba said, “Me!” Remember, we didn’t even know each other. [Laughs]
Sei: Oh! A miniature Chiba.
Sam: Yeah. I think that was the first day we played together.
Sei: Wow! What did you and your friends do back then?
Sam: There was an older man who often came to the park at our apartment complex. Everyone in the neighborhood knew him.
We’d ride our bikes, call him “Mr. Tramp” and tease him until he chased us. He ran with his hands in his pockets, but he was incredibly fast.
Sei: Did you play sports, too?
Sam: In fifth and sixth grade, I played football all the time, while he played baseball, so we’d hang out occasionally. We lived in the same complex, so he was always among the people I saw.
Sei: What kind of person is Chiba to you?
Sam: He’s hard to explain.
I don’t think he did it deliberately, but he gave me opportunities. If we hadn’t spent time together, I wouldn’t have built those relationships. He gets on my nerves sometimes! [Laughs] But I’m grateful.
Sei: That’s wonderful.
Can I ask something I’ve personally wondered about? I imagined him as a natural genius—elusive and laid-back. What’s he actually like?
Sam: He likes surrealism. So do I. A Note essay I posted is my own kind of surrealism.
Sei: It’s interesting—Cs readers, check out his Note essay.
Surrealism! That’s unexpected. Is that part of why you get along?
Sam: We’re similar in a way, but slightly different. I think jokes are really important to him.
It’s about always finding the joke. I think he initially sorts people he meets into the funny one and the straight man. Like, “That person’s the funny one.”
Translator’s note: Boke and tsukkomi are the funny and straight-person roles in Japanese comedy.
Sei: Interesting. What has changed about him, and what hasn’t?
Sam: Of course things have changed. But even those changes feel like him. Change is a given.
Sei: What about his music? What did you think when you first heard him rap?
Sam: I was envious. I wasn’t making music then, but I loved music and rap.
I daydream a lot when I’m in bed—what if I were a professional footballer, things like that. I’ve also fallen asleep imagining myself as a rap star.
Because I had those dreams, there were times when I envied his ability to make good music.
Sei: I see.
Do you have any memorable stories you can share? You’re in his music videos all the time.
Sam: For a while I called myself an “MV actor.” [Laughs]
Sei: Music videos, not adult videos! [Everyone laughs.]
Sam: Right. [Laughs] An MV actor. I guess this face is easy to cast.
I was also his hype man. I probably did that for him more times than anyone else. We’ve made songs together, too.
Sei: You supported him a lot. Were there moments when you inspired each other?
Sam: I don’t know whether he got that from me, but I think he felt comfortable around me.
Sei: You are childhood friends, after all.
The Scene and Artists Who Deserve Attention
Sei: I’d like to hear your thoughts on Japanese hip-hop today.
Honestly, how does the scene look to you?
Sam: I tend to feel whether something is good or not.
But someone I don’t rate will look good to someone else. That’s inevitable. There are more people in the scene now, and I think there are more artists I like than before.
Sei: I agree. You know a lot of younger rappers. What makes them appealing?
Sam: Ultimately, it’s whether they’re making good music. They probably grew up watching people like Chiba, who raised the bar for hip-hop.
Sei: On the other hand, is anything being lost?
Sam: Probably that strict sports-team hierarchy I mentioned. Some young people still have that attitude, and others don’t.
It doesn’t particularly bother me, though some people are vocal about etiquette. It should be easier to do things now. I like the freedom.
Sei: It is easier. You can make beats and release them on streaming services yourself. The barriers are lower, and you can do everything independently.
Sam: I think that’s good. Realistically, if it doesn’t make money, you can’t keep doing it. Watching Chiba also taught me that you have to invest where it matters to make something good.
Sei: For example?
Sam: A microphone that costs a few thousand yen and one that costs ¥200,000 will sound different. Even with adjustments, I don’t think you can change the fundamentals.
Sei: That’s a perspective for people making rap to consider.
What do you hope for in Japanese hip-hop? You’re deeply involved and know so many artists that I imagine there are things you’d like to see happen.
Sam: I don’t have expectations for hip-hop itself, but there are hip-hop artists I have expectations for.
Sei: Great! Who do you think will break through or deserves more recognition? It can simply be someone you support.
Sam: I personally like Kenayeboi, though he’s already well known. We recently published an interview with him at Cs.
Generally, it’s the people around me I have hopes for: Nyture, TOKYOTRILL, Young Coco and Jake—Jin Dogg. Coco definitely deserves more recognition.
Sei: I like Jin Dogg, too. I’ve been doing small things steadily, like translating Cook Oliver’s article about him into English. I hope one of his songs goes viral worldwide. I think people would love him.
Sam: On the other hand, I see people whose potential is being wasted. I don’t know whether my advice can change that.
Since I started this job as director, I’ve been looking closely at data and numbers. You notice patterns in what performs well. Sometimes I offer a little advice.
Sei: That must be reassuring for younger artists.
In an era dominated by social media, what does an artist need?
Sam: Something to back it up—and not just rappers.
When someone releases music and listeners get interested, they dig deeper. If there’s nothing to substantiate the image they first saw, I don’t think they’ll keep digging.
Sei: That goes back to being real.
Sam: If the surface interests you, but you open it up and there’s nothing inside, it’s disappointing. For musicians who use words as their weapon, that means people will look at the lyrics.
If you’re singing about it, is that really who you are?
Sei: I pay close attention to that, too. I understand.
Sam: It’s fine to rap about gangster things, but some people aren’t actually like that. Maybe it’s a style, but if it isn’t true, the veneer eventually wears off.
Sei: How do you think about going viral versus being real?
Sam: Going viral is fine, but being real means not lying about the things that matter.
There are lies that don’t hurt people, and sometimes they’re necessary—a kind of love. You might tell someone they’re cute even if you don’t think so. [Laughs] I think that’s understandable.
But not lying about the things people will judge you on—that’s what being real means to me.
Identity, “Team Tomodachi” and a Return to Music
Sei: I’d like to return to your outlook on life.
What have been your biggest turning points, if you’re comfortable sharing?
Sam: There are probably a few. Going to Britain around age 20 was one.
I realized I was British. I also let go of what I thought of as an awkwardly Japanese part of myself—being so concerned with etiquette that I was stiff around people. I became more relaxed with others.
Sei: To me, that’s part of your appeal and style. Your communication skills as an interviewer are excellent. You’re friendly and easy to talk to.
Artists seem relaxed around you. Honestly, you look a little intimidating—sorry! People who don’t know you might be surprised, but after a few words, I think they realize how easy you are to talk to.
Sam: I don’t really get intimidated by anyone. I had a normal conversation with Matsuko Deluxe the other day.
Sei: You talked with Matsuko?
Sam: Yeah, we’re on Netflix together. I spoke casually then, too.
Sei: Going to Britain really had a positive effect.
Sam: Another turning point—or learning experience—was “Team Tomodachi,” about two years ago.
Sei: It went viral worldwide!
Sam: I went with Chiba to most of the regional stops on the “Team Tomodachi” tour.
Seeing different places, going to shows and observing everything behind the scenes made me feel strongly that I wanted to be in the music world.
Before that, music had almost disappeared from my life. I felt bored and wondered whether this was really how I wanted to live. When I talked to Chiba about it, he invited me to come along on the regional dates.
I don’t know if it’s true, but his manager said Chiba seemed more relaxed performing when I was there.
Sei: Something a childhood friend can bring.
Sam: Probably.
On tour, I paid attention to the crew: who they were, what jobs they did and how they worked. Where did the manager stand to check the sound during rehearsal? What did they pay attention to?
I learned those small details. That might have been the period when I learned the most about music.
Sei: I see.
Sam: This year might be another major turning point. Last year was the worst year of my life.
So much happened. Around then, you started asking me about interviews with artists I knew.
Sei: I was pretty bold about asking! [Laughs]
Sam: [Laughs] I was hoping this year would be better, and things changed dramatically for the better.
Sei: That’s great!
Sam: So far, it’s been a really good year. Maybe my best. I’m enjoying myself that much.
I have no days off, I’m always working and I’m ridiculously busy. But I work freely and get to talk to all these artists. It’s the best.
Sei: It makes the most of your strengths. Your connections and personality suit it.
Since you joined, you’ve pointed out issues with consistency and quality, and the articles have improved. It’s motivating and makes our work easier.
Sam: Things have changed a little.
I think the writers naturally used to focus mainly on the substance of the articles.
But it takes me time to absorb the content, so the first impression is everything. I judge whether that impression is good and whether it can draw me into the article.
I thought changing those details could make us a better publication.
Sei: Absolutely. We didn’t have someone objectively directing the overall visuals and structure. You’ve filled that gap well. Views, which had stalled, have also risen since you joined. Thank you.
What Makes YTG/Sam: Regrets, Grandparents and Tattoos
Sei: Changing direction, have you had experiences that felt like detours but proved necessary?
Sam: Maybe last year was one.
I was at rock bottom. I would rather not have gone through it, but maybe it was necessary. Those experiences helped me draw a line between what really matters and what I don’t need.
Sei: Drawing that line is important.
Do you have regrets?
Sam: Definitely. I started making music around 23, for example. Sometimes I wish I’d started moving earlier, around 18.
Sei: Do your parents know you rap?
Sam: They do. My British mum teaches English. Apparently a student found out about me and asked whether she was my mother.
Sei: Do you look alike?
Sam: I don’t know. But somehow they figured it out, and she seemed happy.
Sei: Who are you most grateful to?
Sam: My grandmother in Britain. I have a kind of ranking of what matters in my life, as everyone probably does. She’s number zero—before everything else, by default.
I lived with her for three or four years. She’s nothing but love. Nobody is kinder to living things—even grass or the air. She’s also a little absent-minded and funny.
I think I’m very similar to my British grandfather, in both looks and personality.
My real granddad… The granddad who died a little while back wasn’t related to me by blood. My real granddad died when my dad was three, so I never knew him. But I’m so much like my granddad in Britain.
Sei: If he was like you, he must have been energetic.
Sam: Very. But he was also something of a genius.
In Britain and elsewhere, people have titles like “Dr.” with their names. He had two or three of those credentials.
Sei: Wow—PhD, Dr., things like that?
Sam: Exactly. For a grandfather, he knew an extraordinary amount about computers and technology. He must have had a scientific mind. I heard he was involved in developing security-related things for the British Army.
But he had an eccentric side. If he got stuck in traffic, he’d get frustrated and start hitting his head on the steering wheel.
He’d even make, like, four backup copies of the data on his home computer. And he’d make loads of model trains and send them racing around the attic… Those trains are still being tinkered with and kept running.
Sei: He sounds like he was a fascinating person.
Readers seeing you for the first time may be curious about your tattoos. You have quite a few. Do you like them?
Sam: Yeah, I do.
Sei: Why “Why?” on your forehead?
Sam: At first, I was going to get “High Hopes.” It’s my favorite Pink Floyd song.
Then I considered “Hope.” But whatever I got, people would ask why I put it on my face. So I decided to ask the question back.
Sei: Is the “tomodachi”—friends—on the right side recent?
Sam: Yeah. Chiba has “friends” in Korean in the same place, so I thought I’d do that. It was a casual decision.
Sei: You didn’t choose the English “Friends” to contrast with his Korean?
Sam: I thought “Friends” looked uncool, so I used Japanese. It didn’t make much difference. [Laughs]
Sei: What is the poem-like message on your neck?
Sam: That’s from the final four lines of Pink Floyd’s “High Hopes.”
Editorial note: The Japanese edition quotes the passage here. Its imagery of daybreak, water and continuity is summarized rather than reproducing the lyrics in this edition.
Sei: You have lots of portraits on your body, too. Family members? [Laughs]
Sam: No, they’re all footballers.
And this one—[points to his right temple]—is Pink Floyd. That means a lot to me. It’s hard to keep their mindset all the time, but I want to. It’s like a reminder or a wish.
Looking Ahead with Noah Ezra and Hikaru
Sei: As we approach the end, what artist or album should readers listen to?
Sam: Definitely listen to Pink Floyd’s “High Hopes.” It changed my life.
Sei: Who would you like to work with?
Sam: Jake—Jin Dogg—Chiba, and K DUB SHINE.
At Chiba’s Budokan show, King Giddra had a part performing “Team Tomodachi.” We were on the same stage. When our eyes happened to meet, K DUB SHINE came over to say, “What’s up?”
He was an artist who influenced me in middle school, so I instinctively put my hands together in reverence. [Laughs]
Sei: K DUB SHINE, if you’re reading, please get in touch! We’d love to make that happen.
If you could tell young people who know nothing about hip-hop one thing, what would it be?
Sam: First, listen to hip-hop. Start with Eminem.
Even looking at the numbers—record sales, live ticket sales, everything—he’s great. And in some ways, the fact that he was white helped me, too.
Then I want them to dig into all kinds of artists.
Sei: Eminem brought something new to an industry led by Black artists, and he earned respect from Black artists, too.
Finally, a message for HIPHOPCs readers?
Sam: I guess I’m supposed to say I’ll work hard to make articles everyone enjoys. [Laughs]
But more than that, I’ll make lots of articles I enjoy. If I enjoy the process, I think everyone else can enjoy the result. So I’ll keep making articles that are fun for me.
Sei: I’ll do my best as a writer, too!
At this point, rapper Noah Ezra and Sam’s friend Hikaru, a businessman, unexpectedly joined us at the interview venue. We asked for their perspectives on Sam.
Sei: Noah, thank you for coming.
How did you meet Sam? I’d like to hear about him from an artist’s perspective.
Noah: The “Team Tomodachi” music video. I think that was when I first saw Sam.
It’s a long story, but I think it began with Yoshi (24k). As I remember it, he apparently once got caught up in a disagreement at a club where Sam was also there.
Sei: What kind of disagreement?
Noah: A little trouble—nothing pleasant. Yoshi called me that day to tell me what had happened.
Years later, Sam and the others apparently remembered that day. Sam invited Yoshi to Oji. I didn’t really know the whole background.
That’s how the connection happened and how I heard about the video. Yoshi told me, of course.
Sei: What was your first impression of Sam?
Noah: I thought I’d never seen anyone like him.
Not just his appearance—his personality, too. Sam himself is already different from other people. Before you even get to his looks, his presence is special. There’s nobody else like him.
Sei: What do you respect about him? You do respect him, right? [Laughs]
Noah: Of course! [Laughs] He creates the atmosphere in a room.
It’s the same on the tour bus. Even when we’re with Captain Chiba—Yuki Chiba—the atmosphere is different when Sam is there.
Sei: He sets the mood. Do you spend much time together outside work?
Noah: Yeah. Especially last year, we were together almost all year, with Hikaru, too.
Sei: Is there anything you’d like to say to Sam, positive or negative?
Noah: He always gives me encouragement.
Sei: Any complaints, then? Just kidding! [Laughs]
Noah: [Laughs] Lately, I think it’s really been a case of getting to do what you want to do. And it’s going well.
Sam: It’s only a matter of time before Noah becomes a big name.
Sei: Do you have plans to collaborate or work on projects together?
Noah: Whenever I do something, I tell Sam everything, and he does the same with me. We know what the other is thinking. If we have an opinion, we just say, “Wouldn’t this be better?”
Sei: That’s a great relationship. Almost like a manager?
Noah: More than that—a mentor. He opens doors for people. Some managers can’t do that, but Sam did it for me from the beginning.
Sei: It’s the same at Cs. We didn’t have those connections, but Sam does. He opens doors for writers like me, too. We’re really grateful.
Hikaru, what is Sam like from your perspective?
Hikaru: We’ve known each other for nearly 20 years. He’s a face of Oji. He stands out.
Sei: Have you worked together in business?
Hikaru: He helped me for a while when I started my company.
He’s known me since I had nothing, so he helps me in different ways. We’ve shared some unusual times.
Sam: He’s being very generous! [Laughs]
Sei: It’s lovely to hear.
Sam, what is Hikaru like to you? Who is he, exactly? Readers will probably be curious.
Sam: Who is he? Hikaru doesn’t like talking about himself. He only opens up to people he’s close to.
But he’s a big man. B-I-G-M-A-N. He does impressive things without showing them off. He’s serious about business. I respect him.
Sei: A businessman, then. Thank you.
Hikaru, is there anything else you’d like to say to Sam?
Hikaru: I’ve told him before that this director role suits him and that it’s a good start.
Now that he’s begun, I want him to become a pioneer in the industry.
Sam: I really do hope I can establish something in this industry.
There are hip-hop media outlets, but I want one that can do things properly over the long term. I want Cs to become that, and I’ll make it happen. I never used to want to put myself out front, but I don’t think I need to hide anymore.
I’m going to do it. I’ve decided.
Closing Note
For Sam, keeping an interview “real” includes something as small as preserving the way a person ends a sentence. That is a useful standard for a publication built around artists’ voices.
Noah calls him a mentor, and Hikaru says the director role suits him. Sam’s own commitment is to make HIPHOPCs a publication that does good work over the long term—and to enjoy making the articles along the way.
YTG/Sam: Official Links
Instagram: Instagram
Note: Note
Photography
Yohei Nagata: Instagram
Interview subject: YTG/Sam. Additional comments: Noah Ezra and Hikaru, Sam’s friend and a businessman introduced in the article. Interviewer: Sei.
