An Exploration of Lo-fi Hip-hop, Part III: From Nujabes and J Dilla to YouTube Livestreams
The godfathers of lo-fi hip-hop and beyond
Speaking directly to lo-fi hip-hop, two names are almost always given as the godfathers or pioneers of the genre: Japanese DJ and producer Nujabes and American rapper and producer J Dilla.
Nujabes fused elements of hip-hop, jazz and electronica together to create a unique, signature sound. Through him, lo-fi hip-hop has a direct connection to Japan. By synthesizing samples, melodies and beats together, Nujabes elevated composite sounds into richer, poignant moods.
Similar to genres preceding lo-fi hip-hop, Nujabes’ music is less about genre and more about emotion. It captures the warm, longing soulfulness of a fleeting twilight, pocketed between a brilliant sunset and hollow dusk. If nothing else, Nujabes dangles an innocent feeling of optimism that lies just beyond the edge of nostalgia in his music. This bittersweet nostalgia remains a major staple of lo-fi hip-hop today.
From Detroit, J Dilla worked with major hip-hop artists, including A Tribe Called Quest, Erykah Badu, and…
