Lovely R&B and soul

A masterpiece of Japanese black music. A noteworthy work embodying the soul of black music.

POPS writer/editorKEI
Since discovering music during my school days, I’ve mainly listened to Japanese and Korean pop. I have experience writing articles for sites like Utaten. 2000s J-pop and 2010s K-pop were especially the soundtrack of my youth. With the mindset that “good is good,” I enjoy music across genres. Thanks to past work environments and their influence, I was exposed to lots of classic rock and kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs), which may have broadened the scope of what I love. At RAG MUSIC, I currently focus on K-pop and J-pop. I strive to edit with a feel for the scene and an eye for hit potential.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICKeisuke Hane
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

Black music originally refers to music genres with roots in Africa, encompassing a very wide range such as jazz, blues, funk, soul, R&B, and hip-hop.

When we think of black music, we tend to picture songs by overseas artists, but in fact there are many cool tracks within Japan that have brilliantly incorporated black music.

In this article, we’ll showcase a selection of black music created by Japanese artists all at once!

From popular singer-songwriters to bands, we’ve gathered songs from a variety of artists, so take this opportunity to give them a listen!

Masterpieces of Japanese black music. Featured works embodying the spirit of black music (41–50)

ALL GODS BLESS MERYKEYDADDYDIRTY

RYKEYDADDYDIRTY / ALL GODS BLESS ME

ALL GODS BLESS MERYKEYDADDYDIRTY

Rapper RYKEYDADDYDIRTY, who rose to popularity through the contrast between his brazen persona and delicate lyrics.

His track “ALL GODS BLESS ME” is a signature work, widely loved for its poignant lyrics.

The hook leans more toward a vocal part than rap, giving it a mellow finish.

The vocal range is narrow and doesn’t require complex pitch movement, so the hook shouldn’t feel difficult.

The rap sections also don’t feature challenging flows or fastest-rap passages, making the overall difficulty relatively low.

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Masterpieces of Japanese black music. Featured works embodying the soul of Black music (51–60)

Dear, My Friendsmashoe’

mashoe’ – Dear, My Friends 【Music Video】

Dear, My Friendsmashoe'

Singer-songwriter mashoe’, who has been drawing attention for his versatility not only in songwriting but also in mixing and mastering, released the single “Dear, My Friends” on April 12, 2023.

It’s a track that fully showcases mashoe’s musicality, rooted in Black music.

The lyrics, written as a message to friends far away, are likely to make many listeners recall someone dear to them.

With catchy, chorus-driven hooks, it’s a soulful pop tune.

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CRAZY OUTSIDEMIYACHI & Thelma Aoyama

MIYACHI & THELMA AOYAMA – CRAZY OUTSIDE (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

CRAZY OUTSIDE MIYACHI & Thelma Aoyama

The collaborative track CRAZY OUTSIDE by Thelma Aoyama and MIYACHI is a song with a hip-hop flavor.

MIYACHI is a Japanese American rapper based in New York, and his style that blends English and Japanese is seriously cool.

The song is included on his EP GOOD NIGHT TOKYO, released in January 2021, and it was also released as a single in March of the same year.

Its laid-back, programmed rhythm is the kind of sound you often hear in R&B and hip-hop, and it just makes you want to move your body.

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Melody of SummerTAMTAM

TAMTAM – Summer Melody (Official Video)

Summer Melody TAMTAM

TAMTAM is a band whose appeal lies in a sound rooted in reggae and dub, incorporating elements of club music.

“Natsu no Shirabe,” included on their limited cassette tape and digital-only album EASYTRAVELERS mixtape released in 2017, is a track characterized by a mellow, mid-tempo tropical vibe.

Opinions vary on whether Jamaican-origin genres like reggae should be classified as Black music, but there’s no doubt it’s a groove you can really get into—so definitely give it a listen!

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DRAMATENDRE

TENDRE – DRAMA（Official Music Video）

DRAMATENDRE

TENDRE is the solo project of Taro Kawahara, who is also active as a member of the three-piece band ampel.

This song is included on his debut EP, Red Forces, released in 2017.

It evokes a city night—mechanical and inorganic, yet somehow warm.

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OutskirtsThe fin.

The fin. – Outskirts (Acoustic Session)

OutskirtsThe fin.

With its relaxed tempo that feels so pleasant, this is a song that makes you want to close your eyes and listen.

It’s a track by The fin., a three-piece band from Hyogo Prefecture.

This is the acoustic version of “Outskirts,” included on their 2018 album There.

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If that's the caseZA FEEDO

ZA FEEDO “If That’s the Case” MV

If that's the case, ZA FEEDO

This song is included as the lead track on ZA FEEDO’s second EP, “Passengers,” released in 2018.

Mei Oki’s clear vocals—relaxed in the best possible way—are captivating.

The pop sound is something you’ll want to keep listening to forever.

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