Shing02 is probably best known for his collaboration with producer Nujabes on the Samurai Champloo soundtrack. There is much more to the Japanese emcee than that project of course.

courtesy of Shing02’s MySpace

Residing in the Bay Area, Oakland, Calif., Shing02 has produced hip-hop that spans across the ocean. He’s released material in both Japan and the USA also collaborating with musicians from the respective nations.

Shingo’s past is just as colorful as his music and it comes as no suprise. According to his official MySpace page, “Born in Tokyo 1975, raised in Tanzania, England, and Japan. Shing02 landed in California at the age of 15, and soon thereafter got involved in creating art, which was the first love.”

Among Shing02’s most distinguished work are “Luv (sic)” parts 1, 2, and 3, “400″, “Battlecry” (w/ Nujabes), “Lift the Fog Up”, and “Love You Like Water”. The latter is my personal favorite and what we’re here to talk about.

“Love You Like Water” strikes me as particularly cool and “beautiful”. It’s a nice, heartfelt song about love, naturally. The overall message being how someone’s love is so important and vital for life. One needs love like they need water to live. Also, it’s not something you always realize you need until it’s taken away. To me, “Love You Like Water” is deep (no pun intended) and meaningful, the loop is soothing yet memorable, but with crisp, frequent, and clever rhymes, the lyrics outshine it all.

“You suprise me with your presence, the dopest present of all, totally in awe, by the simple fact that ya came plus ya answered my call.”

The music video for “Love You Like Water” works well with the song. It’s a cute, narrative Flash animation that’s odd enough to be cool. The animation is credited to Japanese animator Dekodashi.

Shing02’s official website
Shing02’s official MySpace

*fun fact sidenote: In another great Bay Area rapper, Jern Eye’s video, “Click” feat. Zion I, Shingo makes a little cameo. He quickly appears a few times throughout the video (look for the guy wearing a blue Adidas track jacket with the Japanese flag on it).