Tsutchie mentions how he got the initial hookup for the anime, which would end up having a domino effect, leading to Takumi Koizumi reaching out to Jun, then Jun conversing with Fat Jon to work on it together:

One day, I received an unexpected call from anime director Shinichiro Watanabe. He told me he was working on the production of a crossover historical anime series set in Edo period, which combined Samurai and Hip-hop. Then he added “I need someone to take care of the soundtrack.”

The anime served as a visual example of how masterful direction could blend two things on opposite sides of the spectrum. Underlying themes such as that of race acceptance and determination through common interest allowed viewers to see personal parallels at a different level than other anime which lacked such. Mladen over at The Find Mag wrote an exceptional piece detailing this, stating:

The influence of these four mostly unknown artists on the the new batch of young beat-makers is palpable, many of whom will admit that Samurai Champloo was their first memorable interaction with hip hop. In this case for anyone who has watched the influx from the outside, it’s clear that the series has led to an over-inflation of the importance of the four acts mentioned, to the point where the music itself is perhaps no longer judged on its own merits but through a lens of devotion and nostalgia.

Whether or not they’re ‘real’ hip hop fans is a ridiculous point to argue, as we’ve all had our different entry-points to this music, but the influx of an enthusiastic and international youngsters into the scene has been nothing but positive for hip hop overall.

This is true, as a lot of the new generation of people associated with the aforementioned modern lo-fi movement credit this very anime, specifically the two main soundtracks (Departure and Impression) as their first taste of hip-hop. As many hip-hop heads may know, the chilled aesthetic we hear throughout the anime is far from mainstream hip-hop, thus presenting more appeal to a wider audience, through a sound which is much easier to digest, often without lyrics.

Whether it was through sound, aesthetic, or both, Samurai Champloo both inspired and connected with people differently than other anime. 15 years after its initial release, this continues to be true.

The Era of Modal Soul

Two years after the release of Metaphorical Music, and a year after Samurai Champloo had begun to air, Jun dropped his second full-length album entitled Modal Soul. A more downtempo approach at jazz-hop with features from familiar faces, this would signal a shift in both sound quality and direction.

Following an extensive collaboration with Fat Jon, cleaner mixing and more smooth currents could be found within Jun’s tracks. The aforementioned collaboration has been mentioned by multiple people who worked closely with Jun as being a paradigm shift in his approach to music, both aesthetically and technically. Pase had more to say on just that:

The Samurai Champloo deal came in around the same time; I’m not 100% sure about the details regarding that, I would have to check with Fat Jon, but I think that [the trip and time in the studio] is why that ended up happening. They were doing that project together, so they ended up in the studio together for a little while.

You get a different Nujabes after that, in my opinion.

…

To me, it’s like night and day. After that period, his [Nujabes’] music got way better in my opinion.

…

His music got a lot more musical especially when he started to collaborate with Uyama Hiroto. Hiroto worked very closely with Jun for years. A lot of Modal Soul is Nujabes and Hiroto.

A lot of the later stuff is also if you pay attention. I love that era of his music when he started to incorporate Hiroto’s playing into his tracks. I’m a big Uyama Hiroto fan. The later trips I had with Jun he was starting to play more instruments, trumpet and flute, a lot of flute. Another Fat Jon influence I think.

Modal Soul, Jun's second full-length album

Again, like Marcus, Pase, and Substantial mentioned in their interviews, influence within hip-hop is very much a two-way street, always taking and giving, an eternal cycle to draw inspiration from, to craft into your own sound. Sub mentioned the following:

Jun was always digging for new music, and was a huge Dilla fan. He was also a big fan of Fat Jon. He started to play flute because he found out that Fat Jon played flute.

It’s that friendly competition. I would say that the greatest artists usually keep great company, and almost always are influenced by those they work closely with. … Both ways.

You can hear a difference in Jun’s music prior to working with me, and after. Same thing with when him and Funky DL collaborated. Same thing with his collaboration with Fat Jon, especially—you can hear a lot of dance music feelings in his work, something Fat Jon was already doing before Nujabes had technically put something out.There is always an exchange, and even if we’re not talking Nujabes.

We can see a show in Seoul, right after the release of Modal Soul, where Jun himself is playing a flute. Jun says the following:

If anybody knows, I came to Korea one time to DJ, but at that time you probably did not know me, and at that time I was maybe just with my first band with two or three people; [we were] mainly tourists.

I had one-two-three 12-inch released six years ago or something, so I was just… I am just an ordinary guy. [sic]

A quick look at the sheer amount of samples, and how rare and unknown some are (or rather, were, before people went digging after hearing his music), is a testament to how deep Jun dug in the crates.

Perhaps the most recognized sample in all of Jun’s discography is I Miss You by Noriko Kose, found within Reflection Eternal. Another sample which took years and years of digging to pinpoint by hip-hop heads around the world is Tens (Calmaria) by Nana Caymmi.

The album itself is a crowd favorite among fans, and although the sound may be similar on the surface to Metaphorical Music, it was anything but if you lent a closer ear while giving it a spin.

Jun’s Last Album: Hydeout Productions 2nd Collections

In November of 2007, what would be Jun’s last album, was released to the world. Consisting of 14 tracks, 12 were produced and mixed by Jun. The exception being Uyama Hiroto’s solo track, Windspeaks and Emancipator’s track entitled With Rainy Eyes.

For years, the 6th track off the project, Counting Stars, was the most viewed Nujabes song on YouTube. In the midst of the Samurai Champloo fan wave, it was one of the very first uploads of a Nujabes track in the west, and it stuck like glue to fans around the world who became engrossed in the music.

A more serene and glowing sound than other work, it was clear that Jun had once again shifted his sound into a different mold. Arguably the most atmospheric of any work up to that point in his discography, Hydeout Productions 2nd Collections is also the one project listeners are often confused about. As a whole, does it evoke sadness and guilt, or happiness and confidence?

One of the more peculiar things about the project as a whole is its cover art. Not done by an in-house artist, or even a local artist, the cover is extremely abstract and doesn’t necessarily match up quite as linearly as previous covers. Warm and lush tones going to and fro, courtesy of Cheryl McClure, an obscure artist out of Texas whose sole cover art credit is this.

Unfortunately, despite positive reviews and a track record of linearly increasing skill set with each new release, this would end up being the final album the world would hear from Jun. After the release of the Second Collections tape in 2007, Jun took a hiatus from music.

How the original painting (right) was discovered by Hydeout remains unknown

Jun’s Lasting Legacy

The logo for Hydeout which Jun created; no one knows what it was meant to convey or portray

20 days after the fact, it was confirmed to the public that the musician hailing from Tokyo, Japan who a global audience had come to know and love as Nujabes had indeed passed away, after failed attempts to resuscitate him at a hospital in Shibuya.

This came as an earthquake to the hip-hop scene. Just 4 years prior, James “J Dilla” Yancey had passed, and now Jun. One of Jun’s closest friends Shingo, wrote the following statement:

It has been announced that Jun Seba, aka Nujabes, Japanese hip-hop producer extraordinaire, passed away late February.

We deeply regret the loss of a unique talent and a close friend.

…

Even last week, I passed by his house and called him thinking he was still home.

…

Jun Seba will be dearly missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and fans worldwide.

Although Jun left this life too early, his music continued to make waves. In some respects, larger than ever, due to word of his passing which spread across the globe.

Following his passing, friends banded to together in unison, promising to maintain Jun’s legacy and preserve his music in the best way possible. Shingo headed to the studio and collaborated with other close friends to make sure the half-finished project Jun was working on would see the light of day as a final release. Funky DL had great insight into this process, being a high-level professional producer who often crafts his own beats from scratch, with no sampling:

In regards to the posthumous project Spiritual State, as you may know, as a producer it’s very difficult to infer or assume things that another musician intended to do with the music. Matching sounds and instrumentation up was incredibly hard to do for that album. Takumi was telling me it’d be released soon and I was loving it, it was just the sounds that were being matched up were very difficult to make sound correct.

You may have different versions of the song. Perhaps you used this MIDI sound, or that one, or when the song is loaded up you want a different version, or you may know what sounds to record that no one else does.

When Nujabes passed away, no one knew what sounds he was using or what his final intentions were regarding that album’s overall sound. It took a really long time to figure everything out. Even something as simple as what you hear as a piano, it would have to be matched. Music programs these days, you can open a window and there’s 50 piano sounds, so which one is it? A hard sound, soft sound, a more sustained or subtle sound.

That’s something which I think is interesting about his last project.

Spiritual State, the last project (posthumous) to carry Jun's name on it

That album was released in December of 2011. A posthumous release, it would be Jun’s third album. Despite not having the polish of previous projects, it carried just as much sentiment and emotion.

Left-to-right: Fat Jon, Pase Rock, Marcus D, Cise Starr, Funky DL, Substantial

Nao Tokui said it best, when asked about what he thinks Jun would say to him today:

“Nao, don’t waste your time by just testing new ideas. Make music!”

It was this steadfast mentality which allowed Jun to improve quickly and ascend through the ranks as a producer. Starting out with remarkable confidence, despite having questionable results, yet never phased by criticism, and always open to influence from those in his circle or otherwise.

A now-revered hip-hop producer who is often put up near the top, Jun continues to reach millions of fans globally. Although we may never know what Jun’s end goal was with music, it could be said that fame and labels are far from what he would have appreciated most.

It was a journey of self-exploration, while evoking emotion from the listener. Being influenced by those close to him, and taking in knowledge. Sharing stories through his music, and connecting with those who could relate.

Enjoying life.

This was Seba Jun’s immortal legacy.

Left-to-right: Marcus with Mao (Jun's brother), and Jun's mother