I doubt anyone here knows him, but have any of you heard of a Japanese DJ named Nujabes? You may not know him, but I'm sure you heard his music before. If you haven't, then I assume you haven't watched Samurai Champloo, because that's where his music is featured. Here are some quick facts about him.
Jun Seba (せば じゅん, Seba Jun?) is a Japanese hip-hop music producer and DJ who records under the name Nujabes. Nujabes is an anagram of his first name (Jun) and last name (Seba) spelled backwards and combined.
Besides making music, he is also an owner of "T Records" and "Guinness Records" (both record stores in Shibuya, Tokyo), and runs Hyde-Out Productions, an indie record label. He has released two CD albums in Japan, Metaphorical Music in 2003 and Modal Soul in 2005. He has also contributed music to the soundtrack of Samurai Champloo (with Shing02), an anime which blends a setting in feudal Japan with modern anachronisms, especially hip-hop music.
In addition to Japanese artists like Uyama Hiroto, Shing02 and Minmi, he has collaborated with underground American hip-hop acts Cyne, Apani B, Five Deez, Substantial, and with British rapper Funky DL. His music is known for a strong cool jazz influence, frequently using samples from artists like Miles Davis and Yusef Lateef. He is also a member of the production duo "Urbanforest", an experimental collaboration with Nao Tokui (appearing on the Lady Brown 12").
Here are some examples of the songs he makes:
YouTube - Aruarian Dance- Samurai Champloo Tribute YouTube - Nujabes Feather YouTube - Nujabes Lady Brown YouTube - Nujabes - Reflection Eternal