dj honda: New York Records and Japanese Collaborations
dj honda is a Japanese DJ and producer whose career connects Japanese and US hip-hop. He moved to New York in 1992 and released records including h, h II and “Travellin’ Man” with Mos Def. In HIPHOPCs interviews, he looks back on making music in the United States and discusses the work that followed his return to Japan.[1][2]
Career milestones
| Period | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Mid-1980s onward | Built experience as a DJ in clubs and at events.[1] |
| 1992 | Moved to New York and placed second at DJ Battle For World Supremacy.[1] |
| 1995 / 1997 | The release years listed in his official biography for h and h II, respectively.[1] |
| 2009 | Released h IV and returned to Japan, continuing his recording career there.[1] |
| 2025 | Released hV and hV -Japan Edition-.[1] |
Records that connect the two scenes
“Travellin’ Man” with Mos Def and “Trouble in the Water” with De La Soul are useful starting points for his US collaborations. In Part 1 of the HIPHOPCs interview, honda recalls Mos Def coming to choose beats and explains how he met De La Soul in Japan. The conversation follows the relationships around the records as well as the music itself.[2]
His work after returning to Japan includes Unfinished Connection with B.I.G.JOE in 2015, DARK SIDE with Benizakura in 2019, and KINGS CROSS with ill-bosstino in 2021. These releases extend the story beyond his New York years.[1]
Part 2 explores the beginning of his work with Benizakura and the making of hV. He describes production as a daily practice and a way of recording who he is at a particular moment. Future projects mentioned in that conversation should be understood as plans expressed at the time.[3]
Read the original HIPHOPCs reporting
Both parts of the HIPHOPCs interview are available in English below.[2][3]
HIPHOPCs interviews
- dj honda Interview Part 1: From Hokkaido to Mos Def and New York
- dj honda Interview Part 2: hV, Benizakura and the Fifth Answer
Official information and music
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Sources and last checked date
Last checked: . This profile draws on official biographies, release listings and HIPHOPCs interviews. Personal recollections and plans are attributed to the interviews in which they were discussed. The source list includes Japanese originals; English interview editions are linked above.
- dj honda: official biography
- HIPHOPCs: dj honda interview, part 1 (Japanese original)
- HIPHOPCs: dj honda interview, part 2 (Japanese original)
Profile card: HIPHOPCs.
