rice water Groove: “Classicism isn’t nostalgia. It’s a foundation to rebuild”

rice water Groove formed in Tokyo in 2016. The crew reworks 90s and 2000s hip-hop, staying clear of easy nostalgia. Their aim is to restore dignity to Eastern cultures, too often flattened in the West into kung-fu, samurai, and ninja clichés. The sound draws on hip-hop’s golden age to carry that message. The group also founded Doggy G Central Records, an independent label that brings together creators who share its vision. The crew shifted gears when they met IKE, rapper and beatmaker from the LowCulTokyo collective. Moved by their vision, IKE pitched a collaboration:

“Your hip-hop spirit hit me hard. I’m convinced my style can bring out your essence. Here’s my hip-hop.”

The members backed his production from the first listen. That meeting gave birth to IKE & rice water Groove Production. The goal: push into the current scene against the grain, built on precise references and an unbending aesthetic standard. The crew blends funk, G-funk, and Latin groove to rework hip-hop’s foundations, an approach that stands apart in a Japanese scene usually looking elsewhere.

ABOUT DOGGY G CENTRAL RECORDS
Doggy G Central Records launched in September 2019, alongside YUPPIE, the first album from IKE & rice water Groove. The label has one clear goal: to become the most refined sound label in the East. It runs as an independent structure, free from the constraints of the traditional industry. The name “Doggy-G,” a nod to royalty, sums up their philosophy, reviving the golden age of sampling and authentic hip-hop.

Thanks for doing this interview. Can you introduce yourselves to our readers?

TBS’93: I’m TBS’93, MC and beatmaker. I grew up on West Coast sound and Latin groove; that’s what shaped me. I do both, rap and production.
Chancylemon: I’m Chancylemon. I rap and do some graphic design, mostly artwork. I rap mainly over beats made by the guys in the crew.

How did rice water Groove start?

Chancylemon: We founded the group in 2016. IKE joined us in 2018. There were two entities, “rice water Groove” and “IKE & rice water Groove.” The two crews were close and naturally merged.
TBS’93: We met our members through different events. Not many people shared our vision of classic, reworked hip-hop. We built the group around that.

rice water groove, RJHH Interview Tokyo 2024 by ATTANGO

Why this name?

TBS’93: Each of us picked a word we liked: rice, water, groove. We put them together, and it sounded right.

What are your main influences?

TBS’93: I found hip-hop at fourteen, in the CD racks at Tsutaya in Shizuoka. DJ PMX, DS455, OZROSAURUS, and of course G-Funk, all of that shaped me.
Chancylemon: I really started listening to hip-hop around twenty. I’m also into R&B, D’Angelo, Heavy D. Here in Japan, I listen to PSG, Gipper, Punpee, 5LACK, and others.

Attango: What’s your favorite album?

TBS’93: Departure, no question. It’s our strongest project; it shows how we’ve grown musically. The track “Low 2 the End” pays tribute to old school while laying out our vision.
Chancylemon: I’d pick “TWENTIES” off YUPPIE. We sampled an old school drum break, “More & More.” There’s respect for the past, done in a modern way.
TBS’93: “Mega Hip Hop.” It samples a classic Doberman Inc hook from B-Boy Park 2002. A straight tribute to the Los Angeles sound.

“Keep going. Don’t stop. Make music people want to hear…

How has your music been received?

TBS’93: After YUPPIE dropped, our visibility grew. People from France, the US, and even Taiwan reached out. Thanks, RJHH! And Tower Records Shibuya featured the album, which helped us reach a wider audience across generations.

Have you played outside Tokyo?

Chancylemon: We’ve played Osaka, Nagoya, Toyama, but we want to go further, play everywhere in the world.

Where do you see yourselves in ten years?

TBS’93: Keep going. Don’t stop. Make the music people want to hear, and the music we love. Mix underground and mainstream with no compromise.

You started as four. Why did a member leave?

TBS’93: He simply lost the drive to make music. It wasn’t a conflict. We hope he comes back one day if the desire returns.

You have a job outside music. How do you organize your days?

TBS’93: I work remotely here in Tokyo. I work during the day, then eat, bathe, and make music until midnight. I barely go out.
Chancylemon: I also work in Tokyo, but not remotely. My schedule is a bit lighter than TBS’s, but I’m doing both, too.

A final message for our readers?

TBS’93: Our music is original, even within the Japanese scene. It’s a mix that can speak to people anywhere in the world. Listen to us!
Chancylemon: This isn’t pure “Japanese rap.” We respect the pioneers, but we bring in Latin sounds, G-Funk, and funk. If that speaks to you, you’re already family.

Interview by ATTANGO