DJ Krush is one of the most respected DJs and producers in Japan. His sound has comfortably sat at the intersection of Trip Hop, Breakbeat, Electronica, and Hip Hop for decades. ILL-BOSSTINO is half of the group THA BLUE HERB, and has been unflinchingly commanding rooms and earphones since 1997. Both of these OGs share a foundation of Japanese Hip Hop from its early years, so it was only right that they collab on a musical project, XO.

‘The Owner’ is a statement piece about the album. Directly in the middle of the tracklist, ‘The Owner’ shows what DJ Krush & ILL-BOSSTINO are all about. When DJ Krush mixes up some moody space sounds, Boom Bap drums, and celebratory horns, ILL-BOSSTINO shows why he’s a beast in the booth.

His rhymes are thick and dense, and feel like Sapporo city on a rainy evening. He spits about ODB, a dying homeland, mudslinging, and burning corpses…and that’s only the first verse. BOSSTINO is a true underground MC with decades of lyrical punch. Together with DJ Krush, ‘The Owner’ is a must-listen from XO, a project full of must-listens.

Check out DJ Krush and ILL-BOSSTINO’s ‘The Owner’ below.