Asia
JP THE WAVY & Takashi Murakami collab on theme song for Mononoke Kyoto [Gallery]
To be highly regarded by the legendary artist is a huge deal for JP
A few years ago, legendary Japanese artist Takashi Murakami was at his daughter’s dance recital and heard JP THE WAVY’s ‘Pick N Choose.’ He said, “The combination of the adorable and agile movements of the young children and the song, which plays on the culture of Japan's Pokémon character Pikachu, struck me as a Hop-Hop version of the concept of ‘Superflat’ that I've been pursuing for the past 30 years.” Soon, the artist and the rapper were in the studio together laying down beats and vocals for the theme song for his first exhibition in Japan in eight years called Takashi Murakami: Mononoke Kyoto.
JP said of the work, “I was extremely happy to receive the offer from Murakami. However, there was pressure to create a song with a globally renowned artist like Murakami. It took the longest time in my life to create a song, but I somehow managed to create something that fits the image of the solo exhibition.”
He continued, “Usually, I incorporate my own image into the lyrics, but this time, I worked on incorporating Murakami's vision. I went to the studio with Murakami several times to work on it, and each time, I felt like I was being allowed to do something amazing. It made me realize once again the depth of Murakami Takashi's art and the passion he puts into each piece. I think it ended up being a completely different world from the usual JP THE WAVY, so I would be honored if everyone could visit the exhibition and enjoy Murakami's art along with it.”
Want to hear the track? You have to visit Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art before September 1. More information can be found here.
Check out the amazing gallery below from the opening reception below.
