Bilingual Rapper Shing02 Debuts New Song On iTunes

There's a Japanese-American underground rap scene. A new song in the niche market has been released on iTunes. "Luv(sic) part 4" is by Japanese-born, Calif.-based Shingo Annen. He's also known as Shing02.

Copyright ? 2011 National Public Radio?. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

STEVE INSKEEP, host:

And today's last word in business takes us into a niche music market. Maybe you'd even say a niche of a niche. The niche market is Japanese-American rap. And here we're going to talk about Japanese-American underground rap.

The last word is: "Luv(sic) part 4."

(Soundbite of song, "Luv(sic) part 4")

SHING02 (Rapper): (Rapping) Snowflakes in January, heart warm like February. I wouldn't ordinarily March to the drum, play a fool like April, May the best dance in a Juno bridal...

INSKEEP: It's a new song, out this week on iTunes. It's from the Japanese-born, California-based Shingo Annen. This program owns the international rap story this particular week. Also known as Shing02, the bilingual rapper had been collaborating with a Japanese producer on a series of tunes called "Luv(sic)," all of them romantic rap tunes.

(Soundbite of song, "Luv(sic)")

SHING02: (Rapping) Remember the time that you told me that cold night to relax, but all I knew was to hold tight.

INSKEEP: We're sorry to tell you that Shingo Annen's producer died in a traffic accident last year. But he left behind several tracks, among them this week's new release. After hearing "Luv(sic) 4," one follower of the Japanese hip-hop scene wrote: My night is complete.

That's the business news on MORNING EDITION, NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

LINDA WERTHEIMER, host:

And I'm Linda Wertheimer.

(Soundbite of song, "Luv(sic)")

SHING02: (Rapping) Oh, I wonder if you remember.

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Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/06/10/137099111/the-last-word-in-business?ft=1&f=3

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