Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

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Madara
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Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

Post by Madara »

In watching Mai Kuraki’s concert DVD from 2004, I was struck by her duet of “Tonight I Feel Close to You” with lead guitarist Jeffrey Qwest, one of four black male American musicians on stage with her.



Image



I’ve seen instances of J-pop performers with black backup singers or backup dancers (e.g. Namie Amuro), but no actual duets as I can recall. It got me to wondering how many other duets like this have been done between J-pop solo stars and black American singers. Specifically, has there ever been one involving two female singers? Or a Japanese male singer and a black singer, either male or female?



I know of collaborations with white Americans, e.g. Seiko Matsuda and Donnie Wahlberg (from New Kids on the Block), and Mai Kuraki and a white guy named Michael Africk. And I’m curious about more of those.



Can anyone here think of major on-stage collaborations between Japanese singers, male or female and:

1) black American male or female singers

2) white American male or female singers



Or even in the recording studio?



Is there any website that might list such collaborations?



In any event, please post anything you might remember offhand.



Thanks.
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Re: Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

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How about all of the rap/hip-hop collaborations? Off the top of my head, I can tell you that Namie has done stuff with Lil Wayne, and VERBAL did songs with Nicki Minaj and Drake, but I remember seeing Ja Rule in someone's album also about 9-10 years ago. There was also Snoop Dogg and Aki-la. Lil'AI was another one but I can't remember who she collaborated with.



I can't think of any others off the top of my head but I do know there are a handful, especially around 2002~2005. You might have to dig around the indie labels though.
Last edited by Wapiko on Tue Feb 26, 2013 5:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

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Koda Kumi and Fergie collaborated for one of her (I think) singles.

Live version

MV
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Re: Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

Post by Gerald »

Stereopony with Evan Taubenfeld = Evanpony



Utada Hikaru uses a number of (I assume, she talks to them in English) American musicians on her live gigs.
Last edited by Gerald on Wed Feb 27, 2013 3:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

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[quote name='The Turtle Moves' timestamp='1361965139' post='145438']

Utada Hikaru uses a number of (I assume, she talks to them in English) American musicians on her live gigs.

[/quote]



And her Cubic U cover of "Close to You" from her Precious album has a black guy singing with her on it. Didn't bother listing it because I couldn't find his name in the credits, and I don't think she's ever performed that song live, but there are lots of songs in Jpop like that. You just probably will hear backtrack for the other person's vocals for live performances.



Namie Amuro's Sweet 19 Blues album and a couple of her early R&B songs come to mind.
Last edited by showraniy on Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

Post by Madara »

Thanks for the responses. I want to research those for a future blog entry.



In the meantime, my coverage of a Mai Kuraki concert (the one I took the screen grab from) is now up on my blog.
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Re: Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

Post by MiniLovely »

Right, Utada also did a collab recording of Do You by Ne-Yo.

I don't know how official it is though since the original was a duet with some other woman.
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Re: Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

Post by Wapiko »

[quote name='showraniy' timestamp='1361983495' post='145463']

[quote name='The Turtle Moves' timestamp='1361965139' post='145438']

Utada Hikaru uses a number of (I assume, she talks to them in English) American musicians on her live gigs.

[/quote]



And her Cubic U cover of "Close to You" from her unreleased Precious album has a black guy singing with her on it. Didn't bother listing it because I couldn't find his name in the credits, and I don't think she's ever performed that song live, but there are lots of songs in Jpop like that. You just probably will hear backtrack for the other person's vocals for live performances.



Namie Amuro's Sweet 19 Blues album and a couple of her early R&B songs come to mind.

[/quote]



What do you mean "unreleased?" I swear that one was on the album too, unless that was just her.



[quote name='Afternoon Mimolette' timestamp='1361991902' post='145491']

Right, Utada also did a collab recording of Do You by Ne-Yo.

I don't know how official it is though since the original was a duet with some other woman.

[/quote]





It's official (it's on iTunes) but it's more a remix than anything else. Originally Mary J. Blige sang that part but Hikki put in different lyrics. VERBAL kind of did a similar thing on a T-Pain song.
Last edited by Wapiko on Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

Post by showraniy »

[quote name='Wapiko' timestamp='1362000745' post='145520']

What do you mean "unreleased?" I swear that one was on the album too, unless that was just her.[/quote]



Oh, oops. I thought that whole album, Precious, never got a release. But it looks like she did get to release it in Japan and America after she debuted. My bad, fixed.
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Re: Question about J-pop singers’ collaborations with Americans…

Post by neshcom »

[quote name='Afternoon Mimolette' timestamp='1361940109' post='145414']

Koda Kumi and Fergie collaborated for one of her (I think) singles.

Live version

MV

[/quote]

OH MY GOD, THAT AIN'T COOL! Finally,this song has some sort of cultural relevance to anything. Scratch that, Fregie's not black, so back to business <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... stling.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whistling:' />



Memory Seishun no Hikari had a rap by L da Headtoucha. There's also TERIYAKI BOYZ who had a number of singles with Kanye West, Pherell, The Neptunes, Busta Rhymes, and Chris Brown. I thought they were somehow produced by Kanye West, but maybe that was just something I heard...
Last edited by neshcom on Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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