@TokyoTwilighter EXCLUSIVE Interview with Gagle

Getting a behind the scenes look at music making brilliance

Last year I was blessed to have the opportunity to interview Japanese hip hop group Gagle.  We talked music, influences, family and appealing to the overseas audience.

Made up of brothers, MC Hunger, producer DJ Mitsu the Beats and long-time friend DJ Mu-r, the group has been together since 1996 making great music as part of independent label Jazzy Sport’s impressive catalog of Japanese artists.

Having been together since birth for the brothers and as a group since ’96, my first question was ‘Do you ever fight?’  To which the laid back trio was quick to reply, ‘Nope!’  Although younger brother Hunger did admit to being terrorized by older brother Mitsu as a child, sometimes when sleeping Mitsu would pour milk over his sibling to wake him up!

The onomatopoeic group name ‘Gagle’ comes from the word meaning a harsh or cacophonous sound which in the hip hop group’s earlier day’s accurately described their sound, especially Hunger’s distinct vocals, although they said over the years the music has chilled out quite a bit.

Beatmaker DJ Mitsu the Beats has gained international acclaim, with many of his videos on youtube gaining plus 100,000 hits and positive comments from fans even outside of Japan.  Mitsu’s music preferences tend towards old records, especially the 70s with his birth year being his favorite time period to sample from.

If you haven’t had a chance to hear the group’s music yet, make sure to check out their music on iTunes and YouTube.

Thanks to Magik.jp it was all capture on film and put together with some amazing show footage.

Finally MC Hunger was kind enough to do a short freestyle for me and add my name!