Life on Turntables
DST — “Rock It” set my fate
Needle dropped, world got flipped
Turntables talkin’, I got equipped
Dj honda production — hV
From party sets to battle scars
’86 — Union Square, Jeff raised the bar
Rewindin’ that VHS, frame by frame
Cash Money’s fingers? Lit that flame
DJ Aladdin with the “Rock the Bells”
Blew my chest — like I caught a shell
Ain’t no point if they don’t feel
Gotta prove it real, where it’s real for real
’85 — first scratch, “Rock It” rings
’86 — Jeff showed me what swing means
’88 — low-key cam, cut game tight
That footage schooled me every night
’89 — mailed my demo in bold
To Superman Pro — my story told
Turntables wrote my résumé
Clark Kent saw heat at NMS stage
’90 — DJ Steve Dee, first time I BATTLE
Needle drops, that’s my vow
Spinnin’ plates been speakin’ loud
Dreams I pressed in every groove
Life on Turntables — I made my move
’92 — went toe-to-toe with Raida
Now he cuttin’ from the sky — straight fader
Finals with Mixmaster Mike — real clash
Rob Swift, Sinista — all in that flash
Judges starin’: Q-Bert, Primo, Scratch
Every second — pressure, match
Stage was war, no room to front
I spoke with cuts — that’s how I hunt
This was Hip Hop, raw testin’ ground
Turntables spoke, no need for sound
Needle still spinnin’, talkin’ my truth
Record dropped, unlocked my youth
Hip Hop gave me lane and light
Plates and needles shaped my life
Gave me a voice, made it last
Life on Turntables — never the past
Needle still spinnin’, clock don’t stop
One record cracked the padlock
One stylus mapped out my fight
Hip Hop gave me name, gave me light
Life on Turntables — every night
Rest in peace. Roc Raida
Respect and thanks, DJ Clark Kent
Rest in peace
- Lyricist
dj honda
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dj honda
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dj honda
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dj honda
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Life on Turntable
dj honda
Spotify • New Music Everyday - tuneTracks (curated by TuneCore Japan) • 30 Jul 2025
Apple Music • MUSIC SHARE • 1 Aug 2025Artist Profile
dj honda
Moving to Tokyo at age 17, Honda began DJing at age 18. He built his career at clubs and events in the mid-1980s, and in 1992, he moved to New York alone. That same year, he competed in the DJ Battle for World Supremacy, winning second place. This historic moment, the first time a Japanese DJ's talent was recognized in the hip-hop scene, marked the beginning of dj honda's career as an artist. In 1995, he made his major label debut with the album "h," which reached #90 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. His follow-up, "h II (1997)," reached #57 and #16 on Heatseekers, and the track "Travellin' Man (feat. Mos Def)" reached #17 on Hot Rap Songs and remained on the charts for 16 consecutive weeks, establishing Honda as a Japanese DJ in the American hip-hop scene. He subsequently released "h III (2001)" and "h 2000 (1999)." He has performed with numerous artists who are considered key figures in the Golden Age of Hip-Hop, including Gangstarr, Redman, Jeru the Damaja, Mos Def, Fat Joe, M.O.P, The Beatnuts, KRS ONE, Common, De La Soul, and EPMD. In 2009, he released "h IV" simultaneously worldwide. His track "The Incredible," featuring Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred Durst, left a lasting impact that transcended genre boundaries. That same year, he returned to Japan and began producing and working domestically. He provided beats for all of the albums "Aftershock (2011)" and "Unity -h factor (2013)" by leading Japanese jazz musician Terumasa Hino, and led the band on a nationwide tour. He has since produced collaborative albums with some of Japan's leading rappers, including B.I.G.JOE's "Unfinished Connection" (2015), Benisakura's "DARK SIDE" (2019), ill-bosstino's "KINGS CROSS" (2021), SIMON JAP's "Golden Age" (2022), and TWIGY's "RAPATTACK" (2022). He has also produced genre-less remixes for artists such as GLAY and Maki Ohguro. Then, in 2025, he released his first full-length albums under his own name in 16 years, "hV" and "hV -Japan Edition-." This album, packed with the depth of his career, is a truly self-produced work, with lyrics also handled by dj honda. dj honda's continued evolution continues unabated.
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