but follow Hassle's life in Japan on my facebook page yall!
d.j. hassle is the name!
donderdag 9 september 2010
maandag 17 mei 2010
my new DJ room
Moved into the new house a couple of weeks ago, and my man Kane hooked me up big time, allowing me to use his Technics SL1200 MK3s! Superhyped and back in on the wheels o' steel!
zaterdag 20 februari 2010
club review: 'Bed' in Ikebukuro
damn it is dark up in dat biaatch. and my threads haven't smelt like ashtray this bad in a long while. The DJ is all the way in the back of the stage where they do live performances, kinda killing that DJ/crowd interaction. So much for the negative things about club 'Bed'. Well, it's called 'Bed'. Fuck a name tho.
It's about hiphop. Real fuckin' hiphop. DJs that mix dope beats in a proper manner. From Slum Village/Dilla joints to Das Efx. Alkaholiks. Biggie. Biggie. Big L. Show and AG. Biggie. My kinda thing. It's not some clean lookin' Roppongi style joint with that Vegas bottle service vibe. They deal with the real, and shut down the fakers.
I went there with ma girl Yoshiko AKA Yoppi-chan AKA Gori-chan. We had some gin tonics. I was the only western guy up in there, so random people start talking to you, peeps are really friendly in Japanland. So yeah, I found my club of choice; four outta five stars!
It was pretty crowded, the pics don't do the turn-out any justice, and darker than the inside of Darth Vader's helmet, but here's some snaps I made:
It's about hiphop. Real fuckin' hiphop. DJs that mix dope beats in a proper manner. From Slum Village/Dilla joints to Das Efx. Alkaholiks. Biggie. Biggie. Big L. Show and AG. Biggie. My kinda thing. It's not some clean lookin' Roppongi style joint with that Vegas bottle service vibe. They deal with the real, and shut down the fakers.
I went there with ma girl Yoshiko AKA Yoppi-chan AKA Gori-chan. We had some gin tonics. I was the only western guy up in there, so random people start talking to you, peeps are really friendly in Japanland. So yeah, I found my club of choice; four outta five stars!
It was pretty crowded, the pics don't do the turn-out any justice, and darker than the inside of Darth Vader's helmet, but here's some snaps I made:
donderdag 18 februari 2010
Japan got heat
I am getting into Jpeezy hiphop a little bit now. Bein a fan of drug-slingin-gun-clappin lyrics, the MCs don't come across that hard to me (yeah yeah, no homo), but Japanese producers got that heat! Feelin these joints right now.
hells yeah
So I am moving into my permanent place soon, where I can finally start DJ-ing again. I went cold turkey coming over here, from a couple of hours a day to none.
Since my set-up back in Holland is 220 volts and Japanland is 100 volts, I couldn't use my mixer over here. So I've been on the look-out for a good second-hand one for a while. No love, so I was already preparing to settle for a new one, setting me back at least 90.000 yen.
I hadn't considered gettin the same mixer I got back in Holland tho, since it's been outta production for a while, but it's an awesome machine. Yesterday I googled 中古DJM-707 (second hand), and one popped up at the DJ store in Shibuya where I go to a lot, and hang out with the staff a little. So yeah, 29.800 yen, that's about 220 euros off the top of my head. Excellent!!!! And of course, Japanese people take care of their stuff really well, so the thing looks and feel like new! I am so stoked.
YATTA!
Since my set-up back in Holland is 220 volts and Japanland is 100 volts, I couldn't use my mixer over here. So I've been on the look-out for a good second-hand one for a while. No love, so I was already preparing to settle for a new one, setting me back at least 90.000 yen.
I hadn't considered gettin the same mixer I got back in Holland tho, since it's been outta production for a while, but it's an awesome machine. Yesterday I googled 中古DJM-707 (second hand), and one popped up at the DJ store in Shibuya where I go to a lot, and hang out with the staff a little. So yeah, 29.800 yen, that's about 220 euros off the top of my head. Excellent!!!! And of course, Japanese people take care of their stuff really well, so the thing looks and feel like new! I am so stoked.
YATTA!
zondag 31 januari 2010
zondag 24 januari 2010
a day out with my man Keiji
I met Keiji last year, and he was kind enough to let me store some of my stuff at his place when I went back to Holland.
I hooked up with him again, he recently bought a big-ass Toyota truck, and he invited me to hang out and drive around a little bit to the outside of Tokyo, and do some fishing; one of his biggest hobbies. It was good to get out of the city for a day, Tokyo can get a little claustrophobic for a small-town-white-boy like myself.
Keiji-san's pride n joy
JP style reverse driving
We went to this big second hand store in suburbia, where they sell all kindsa shits.
I need to buy this robot sometimes
Firearm laws aren't that strict in Japan
Japan-steelo van tuning
Of course we didn't catch shit in the middle of winter
Big up to Keiji for letting me drive! first time behind the wheel in Japanland
I hooked up with him again, he recently bought a big-ass Toyota truck, and he invited me to hang out and drive around a little bit to the outside of Tokyo, and do some fishing; one of his biggest hobbies. It was good to get out of the city for a day, Tokyo can get a little claustrophobic for a small-town-white-boy like myself.
Keiji-san's pride n joy
JP style reverse driving
We went to this big second hand store in suburbia, where they sell all kindsa shits.
I need to buy this robot sometimes
Firearm laws aren't that strict in Japan
Japan-steelo van tuning
Of course we didn't catch shit in the middle of winter
Big up to Keiji for letting me drive! first time behind the wheel in Japanland
woensdag 20 januari 2010
zondag 17 januari 2010
Fuck a Super Mario warpzone
Doraemon's どこでもドア (doko demo door - door to where ever) is where it's at!
Doraemon and Hassle are fo the chidrun
Doraemon and Hassle are fo the chidrun
zaterdag 16 januari 2010
dinsdag 12 januari 2010
Fujimidai!
Is the area where I will be living for the next 2 months. Nice n quite area in the Nakano district, but still only 30 minutes away from the downtown craziness. There's lotsa small restaurants (way cheaper than the ones downtown), a big supermarket and a decent 100 yen shop, where you can get all the daily essentials (any broke-ass cracka's favorite shop).
woensdag 6 januari 2010
Back in Holland
well, sorta kinda. The embassy is technically Dutch soil. I had a meeting with Jan-Emile from the economic department. I have a business to run yo. JP = work hard, play harder.
This is the main office:
The ambassador's residence:
The Tokyo Tower is just a stone's throw away.
Oh yeah, I got the new Clipse album yesterday and I was rockin it on the train all day. It's funny how these albums grow on you. I hated Hell Hath No Fury at first, but it's pretty much a classic for me nowadays. The new one has some joints on it that made me head nod on the train.
maandag 4 januari 2010
Japanland: we back!
I flew into Narita Airport yesterday. It's good to be back. Imma mellow out the jetlag for a couple days, and then I'll be on a heavy grind. The blog is gonna pop off too.
'And I don't be around the way
Like I used to I don't have time these days
I keepin busy makin power moves
I don't fuck with them coward dudes' - Dilla
Sushi dinner with Yoppi-chan. Sumitomo Building, 53th floor. I can't believe how vast the TYO is...
Lost in Translation.
“The characters that I play are real. They are real so they have as much right to be portrayed as any other characters.” - Robert De Niro
'And I don't be around the way
Like I used to I don't have time these days
I keepin busy makin power moves
I don't fuck with them coward dudes' - Dilla
Sushi dinner with Yoppi-chan. Sumitomo Building, 53th floor. I can't believe how vast the TYO is...
Lost in Translation.
“The characters that I play are real. They are real so they have as much right to be portrayed as any other characters.” - Robert De Niro
maandag 16 november 2009
Pete Rock & CL Smooth @ Bolwerk, Sneek
Zondagavond 15 november: Na concerten in Stockholm en London, kwamen Pete Rock & CL Smooth in Sneek, Friesland. Enige concert in NL yall! Er loopt niet eens een snelweg langs Sneek. Je rijdt dan ook oa. door Dearsum, home of Ids Postma.
DJ Sniper was speciaal weer ff teruggekomen uit de Bay Area om tussen de bedrijven door de boel aan elkaar te spinnen. dope. Maar toch, wat was die sound toch weer slecht. De sound engineers van Nederland zijn de slechtste hiphop mixers van de planeet.
DJ Sniper en the Ghost of DNS
Eerst nog een onaangekondigd voorprogramma met DJ DNS en Alchemist als MC. En af en toe kwam er nog een soort Bollywood Snoop ook nog ff meerappen.
Wel aardig bij vlagen. Toch voornamelijk ergens anders gehangen.
Pete Rock & CL Smooth were havin' fun. CL was een hungry mofo, en Pete Rock hella vrolijk en ook nog 'ns echt aan het DJ-en, ergo, real hiphop. Hoogtepunt: Pete's air saxophone during TROY. Die MJ tribute van 2 nummers hoefde van mij niet zo, maar CL had zin in een bakje thee. Ik was de hele show verder in head nod mode. Dat Pete Rock zn stem kwijt was boeide me niet zoveel.
CL Smooth's tea break
random picas:
Boombap fam Lowpro
Zulu Nation Sneek Chapter
Super Producer Leon Rey
Reef AKA Tareef AKA The The
DJ Frisssssssss
blond MILF action in de garderobe
Super Producer Mikkel en yours truly in de heroin spikin unfriendly WC.
Conclusie: mensen gaan haten op deze show, maar de vibe was cool. Hiphop leent zich gewoon niet zo voor live concerten, helemaal als het geluid kaka is. 't Liefst had ik Pete Rock gewoon de hele avond instrumentals horen draaien, but you can't win 'em all. Voor ons dertigers is the thrill allang gone; toch heb ik een goeie tijd gehad.
DJ Sniper was speciaal weer ff teruggekomen uit de Bay Area om tussen de bedrijven door de boel aan elkaar te spinnen. dope. Maar toch, wat was die sound toch weer slecht. De sound engineers van Nederland zijn de slechtste hiphop mixers van de planeet.
DJ Sniper en the Ghost of DNS
Eerst nog een onaangekondigd voorprogramma met DJ DNS en Alchemist als MC. En af en toe kwam er nog een soort Bollywood Snoop ook nog ff meerappen.
Wel aardig bij vlagen. Toch voornamelijk ergens anders gehangen.
Pete Rock & CL Smooth were havin' fun. CL was een hungry mofo, en Pete Rock hella vrolijk en ook nog 'ns echt aan het DJ-en, ergo, real hiphop. Hoogtepunt: Pete's air saxophone during TROY. Die MJ tribute van 2 nummers hoefde van mij niet zo, maar CL had zin in een bakje thee. Ik was de hele show verder in head nod mode. Dat Pete Rock zn stem kwijt was boeide me niet zoveel.
CL Smooth's tea break
random picas:
Boombap fam Lowpro
Zulu Nation Sneek Chapter
Super Producer Leon Rey
Reef AKA Tareef AKA The The
DJ Frisssssssss
blond MILF action in de garderobe
Super Producer Mikkel en yours truly in de heroin spikin unfriendly WC.
Conclusie: mensen gaan haten op deze show, maar de vibe was cool. Hiphop leent zich gewoon niet zo voor live concerten, helemaal als het geluid kaka is. 't Liefst had ik Pete Rock gewoon de hele avond instrumentals horen draaien, but you can't win 'em all. Voor ons dertigers is the thrill allang gone; toch heb ik een goeie tijd gehad.
woensdag 29 juli 2009
AND WE'RE BACK!
I was in JP for a couple of weeks with my homie/business partner Frank Nitty AKA smart-looking-young-francis....on business. There's was some time now n then to enjoy Tokyo's vibe. blah blah blah blah. pictures.
vrijdag 13 februari 2009
6 in da moohnin'
I just got back from my man Keiji's b-day party in some Tokyo suburb named Saitama, so going home wasn't really an option since the trains stop running at around midnight. I crashed on his couch, and hopped on an early train when I first woke up at around six.
Six o'clock on Saturday morning, and the train was crowded as fuck. I don't get it, where do all these people need to be that early. All kinds of people I might add, not just construction workers or some shit. Salariman (suit-n-tie corporate slaves), kids in school uniforms, senior citizens, punkrocker lookin dudes and girls in full dress n make-up.
Where the fuck do you people need to be on a a saturday morning?! It's weekend!! You gotta come in at the office at 7? Nobody looked in a particular good mood either....
I get it when the old-school goes off and does his thing, but what is up with these youngsters. Nothing punk rock about it. Break free yall!
I myself gonna catch a couple more hours of zzzzzz now. oh yeah and an Advil or 2..the brews were tasting mighty healthy a couple of hours ago, but I know how that is gonna turn out. peace yall.
Six o'clock on Saturday morning, and the train was crowded as fuck. I don't get it, where do all these people need to be that early. All kinds of people I might add, not just construction workers or some shit. Salariman (suit-n-tie corporate slaves), kids in school uniforms, senior citizens, punkrocker lookin dudes and girls in full dress n make-up.
Where the fuck do you people need to be on a a saturday morning?! It's weekend!! You gotta come in at the office at 7? Nobody looked in a particular good mood either....
I get it when the old-school goes off and does his thing, but what is up with these youngsters. Nothing punk rock about it. Break free yall!
I myself gonna catch a couple more hours of zzzzzz now. oh yeah and an Advil or 2..the brews were tasting mighty healthy a couple of hours ago, but I know how that is gonna turn out. peace yall.
dinsdag 10 februari 2009
Skateboard sesh!
Yesterday I went skating at this park in the Musashino district. It took me a while to find the park from station, since this guy who I asked where it was send me completely the wrong way.
After an hour I found the park, it was located in this huge sports center, with a pool, track n field course, football pitches...and of course, the 'street sports' spot.
I had to wear a helmet tho, which I HATE, but it was a pretty cool course. I met up with Jani, from the Almost Famous store and his buddies. Man, Jani fuckin ripped! Super consistent, nollie tre flips in the bank, killed the rail on the pyramid with back lips, smith grinds etc.
Here's a video impression of the park, with Jani doing a lil' run in the transitions:
I hadn't skated for like 3, 4 months, so I was a little rusty, but I had a brand new Light board set up, and after a while I started feeling it again, dropping my basic arsenal of tricks, like tre flips in the bank, kickflips over the hip and backside boardslides and nose and 5-0 grinds. I had a really good time fo sho!
Me and Jani
My set-up and helmet
FYI!
And a shameless plug for Light Skateboards! My Amsterdam people started this company last year, and the boards are manufactured at Watson, where they also do DGK and Western Edition. The product is poppin!!!! Check out their video ad:
After an hour I found the park, it was located in this huge sports center, with a pool, track n field course, football pitches...and of course, the 'street sports' spot.
I had to wear a helmet tho, which I HATE, but it was a pretty cool course. I met up with Jani, from the Almost Famous store and his buddies. Man, Jani fuckin ripped! Super consistent, nollie tre flips in the bank, killed the rail on the pyramid with back lips, smith grinds etc.
Here's a video impression of the park, with Jani doing a lil' run in the transitions:
I hadn't skated for like 3, 4 months, so I was a little rusty, but I had a brand new Light board set up, and after a while I started feeling it again, dropping my basic arsenal of tricks, like tre flips in the bank, kickflips over the hip and backside boardslides and nose and 5-0 grinds. I had a really good time fo sho!
Me and Jani
My set-up and helmet
FYI!
And a shameless plug for Light Skateboards! My Amsterdam people started this company last year, and the boards are manufactured at Watson, where they also do DGK and Western Edition. The product is poppin!!!! Check out their video ad:
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