Beats From Beyond: A Love Letter to Nujabes

I board the bus as the sun begins its descent below the horizon. It's packed. I stumble into an empty seat unoccupied, as if it were saved just for me. As I rest my belongings at my feet, I pull out my phone and my headphones. The symphony has already been decided upon. My home for the next hour and a half. What's playing? The luv(sic) hexology.

My story with Nujabes and his music begins during the winter of my first year in university. Around this time, a trend on Instagram and TikTok was surging. The anime Vinland Saga had its second season air, and it was all the rage. The anime is known for its compelling story, but more importantly, the second season focuses on the redemption of the main character, Thorfinn, and his journey to right the wrongs of his barbaric past. There is a line of dialogue that stuck, that seemed to have stuck with a lot of people: "I have no enemies." Says Thorfinn as he unresistingly takes on swings of a sword. There were many edits of this going around social media. All of them with the same song in the background. It was this song that made me so curious.

I had never heard anything like it. It was clearly hip-hop with its use of beats, but the sound was so unique. Almost pulling you into the wind it produces. It gave off a calm that can only be experienced by hearing it. The song in question was Aruaian Dance by the Japanese composer Nujabes. The song fit the overall aesthetic these edits were aiming for. The concept that real strength comes not in the form of brutish violence but a calm kindness. This was my first exposure to Nujabes' music, and I couldn't get enough.

I looked up his name on Spotify and started listening to his most popular tracks. The first of which was Feather ft. Cise Star & Akin. It's something that sounds so nostalgic, yet this was my first time listening. This song, unlike Aruaian Dance, had lyrics. They resonated with me. Talking about reflections and letting our souls take us away from the pain we suffer. Then I just kept listening; I went through all of his albums and songs. Modal Soul, Metaphorical Music, The Luv(Sic) Hexalogy. The songs reverberate through my body, making me feel feelings that I had never felt before. The imagery painted by the drums, the winds created by the rhythm, and the sounds of peace. I was transported into a world of Nujabes' creation and it was one that was so welcoming.

Soon enough, I found myself gravitating towards his music for most parts of the day. Studying? Cleaning? Sitting around? Driving? Nujabes. There's this concept of the "third space". We usually have two spaces we go to: our homes and then either work or school. People often try to find this "third space," which is neither of these things. For some this place could be a library, a park, or a place of worship. For me, it's the world that Nujabes' music creates. It's a world I can tap into at any moment, any time, and it's like my own person sanctuary.

Musicians have a certain allure to them; flashy rap artists or classical pianists, they all share the mystique. So it was a curious thing to never have seen the man behind the music. Jun Seba was just a normal guy who liked making music. His father had introduced him to music; while being a salaryman, he was also an amateur jazz pianist. At the age of 24, Jun founded his own independent label: Hydeout Productions. From there he would work frequently with American MCs to produce records. In 2004, he was contacted to be one of the main contributors to the original soundtrack for the anime Samurai Champloo. Funny enough, Aruarian Dance is from this anime, and when I went to go watch it I was pleasantly surprised to hear it. With the revolution of the internet, this sound would influence what we now know as the genre of lofi hip-hop.

On February 26 2010, Jun was involved in a traffic accident where he was then pronounced dead at the hospital. A life cut too short. Before his death, he had been working with an MC named Shing02 on the Luv(sic) Hexology. At the time of death, they had completed parts 4/6, with part 5 being near completion. The weeks after his passing, the instrumental for part 6 had been found on his phone and thus had been able to be completed. Even to this day, Shing02 plays this album at every concert. To carry on the legacy of his good friend.

The main chorus of Luv(sic) Part 6 resonates with me:

After six come seven and eight.

Access code to the pearly gates.

They say heaven can wait.

And you speak of fate.

A finale to a play for my mate.

I see the angels draw the drapes.

Over the earthscape

Where the wine is the spirit of grapes

Gotta finish what we started, so I cut the tape.

As our records will stay on rotate

They say you die twice. Once physically and the other when your name is uttered for the last time. However, for an artist, if we keep playing those records, if we keep playing their records, they will remain forever immortal. Finding Nujabes twelve years after his passing and the impact that he has made on my own life is enough to carry that message forward. I find it amusing in a way that his sound is able to transcend death in a way.

Jun Seba is immortal through his sound; his music will impact the lives of those that aren't born yet. Though he will never know it, I'm hopeful he's looking down from above to see how much his music is truly helping those that need it. Thus, I leave you with one of my personal favorite lyrics from him,

"It's funny how music puts time in perspective.him. Add a soundtrack to your life and perfect it. Whenever you are feeling blue, keep walking, and you can get far, wherever you are."