U.K. live hip-hop phenoms OMA are currently barnstorming through America, unleashing a torrent of blazing instrumental re-imaginations of iconic rap anthems from coast to coast. Fresh off a low-key Las Vegas residency, the squadron is touring in tandem with Shing02 and Spin Master A-1, and the Luv(sic): Hexology U.S. tour barreled into a sold-out Regency Ballroom in San Francisco on Friday, August 16th to throaty throngs of revelers awaiting their arrival.
The late-summer jaunt finds these curious collaborators paying homage to the seismic impact of Nujabes, the dearly departed, pioneering Japanese producer extraordinaire who died in a car accident in February 2010. Nujabes frequently collaborated with Shing02 before his tragic passing, and five years later Shing02 posthumously completed their now-revered Luv(sic) Hexalogy project.
Nearly a decade after that sentimental final chapter was bequeathed to the world, this tour seeks to celebrate the songs, legacy, and memory of Nujabes, connecting the cultures through Shing02 while simultaneously introducing the masses to OMA (pronounced “oh-em-ay”). Judging from last Friday’s throwdown, their methodology is effective and the mission was accomplished. These affable British blokes first performed for U.S. audiences backing L.A.-based Isaiah Rashad in 2023; the crew more recently linked up with Shing02, releasing their live interpretation of Luv(sic) Hexology in May 2024.
The Tokyo-born, bilingual-rapping Japanese emcee spent his youth in Tanzania and England. As a nascent B-boy, he came up in the famed ’90s Bay Area underground scene, before eventually decamping to Hawaii. Shing02 released his debut EP in 1998 and maintains a sizable, passionate U.S. following as well as devotees throughout Japan and Europe.
Each night on tour, ceremonies kick off with a salivating session from Spin Master A-1 on the wheels of steel. Then OMA forwards two frames: one quartet set chock full of canonical rap bangers, before backing up Shing02 for their Luv(sic) Hexalogy tribute. Since the Bay Area boasts a sizable Asian-American population, and Shing02 has deep roots in the region, the stage was set for an ecstatic homecoming under the Friday night lights. Throw in the Nujabes factor, and the emotional quotient ratcheted up rather appreciably.
View this post on Instagram
Nujabes’ journey seemed to be just getting going when he was killed in Shibuya, Tokyo at just 36. His meditative, illusionary amalgam of hip-hop, jazz, and breakbeat techniques are held in the highest esteem by the global beatmaker cognoscenti. Sometimes you’ll hear his work or aesthetic compared with J Dilla (strangely enough, the two producers were born on the same day and both died far too young).
Released first as a single and later on Nujabes’s label Hydeout Productions 2001 compilation, Shing02’s debut song with the producer—“Luv(sic)”—sounded the opening salvo of several collaborative efforts between two artists who first connected via primitive email. “Luv(sic)” begat “Luv(sic) Part 2”, which later gave way to “Luv(sic) Part 3”, and eventually, the series blossomed into a full-blown hexalogy after Nujabes’ passing, with contributions from Uyama Hiroto. A six-part musical dedication to the goddess of music, the last installment was revealed in 2015. Between these chapters, their collabs include “F.I.L.O” from Nujabes’ 2003 debut LP Metaphorical Music; and most famously “Battlecry”, the theme song from popular anime Samurai Champloo.
When reached by email after the SF show, OMA guitarist Chris Larcombe broke down how these two parties hailing from different parts of the world coalesced to create something magical together, live and direct.
“We connected with Shingo this time last year,” Larcombe told Live For Live Music. “He was headed to London for a fashion event and reached out to us on Instagram after seeing our videos online. He wanted to film ‘Luv(sic) Pt.3’ and ‘Battlecry’, so we rented a car and drove down to London as fast as possible! After that initial meeting, Shingo invited us to perform with him at the 2024 Anime Awards. We did an additional two shows in Japan with him, including a historic night at Liquidroom, featuring Uyama Hiroto (another major figure in the world of Nujabes). We recorded this show, and released it as a live record recently.”
OMA, Shing02 — Luv(Sic) Hexalogy (OMA And Shing02 Live At Liquidroom)
Regency Ballroom in San Francisco was the fifth show on a North American excursion that will encompass 23 shows in one month. By the time the team touched down in the Bay, engines were turned over and the mojo was workin’.
Ably assisted by the well-oiled OMA machine plus Spin Master A-1, Shing02 set about re-creating the glory, leading off with “F.I.L.O” (first in, last out), which immediately took hold of every last beating heart in the ballroom, ears wide and leaky eyes transfixed. Rocking trainers and a high ponytail, Shing02 held court on the mic, and rapped clearly, assertively, and with convincing intensity throughout the set. Better yet, he blessed the people with beautiful, heartfelt reflections and benedictions between songs. The entire Luv(sic) Hexology suite was unveiled in all its spiritual, intentional grandeur, with Shing02 as master of ceremonies and Spin Master A-1 supplying ample cuts in a traditional DJ role.
As OMA dutifully uncorked faithful readings of the Nujabes creations, I couldn’t help but notice just how well-studied these guys were with regard to staying true to the original, minimalist arrangements that define Nujabes style and touch, leaving space and pocket for the emcee to catch wreck. It’s no wonder Shing02, who has performed this material with other instrumentalists before, felt so comfortable cliquing up with these cats.
After an impressive rendering of the Luv(sic) Hexalogy, Shing02 reached back for a pair of tracks he made with Uyama Hiroto: “Southside” (2016) and “Starbright” (2019). Hiroto is another longtime Nujabes collaborator, as both he and Shing02 contributed to the producer’s 2006 magnum opus Modal Soul, and then began their own work together in the wake of his passing. The Nujabes tribute set concluded with Samurai Champloo theme “Battlecry” performed as an encore with all six musicians onstage.
OMA, Shing02 — The Regency Ballroom — San Francisco, CA — 8/16/24 — Full Video
[Video: Akranar]
OMA embarked on this ambitious summer endeavor buoyed by a ten-ton boulder of momentum and gale-force winds at its back. Over the past year or so, the Manchester-based quartet has set the interwebs ablaze with its raucous readings of instrumental rap heatrocks spanning subgenres, geography, and generations. Comprised of Chris Larcombe (guitar), Corben Lamb (keys, production, and mixing), Sam Heeley (drums), and James Harper (bass), the former dreampop wunderkinds reverse-engineer screwface-inducing classics with astonishing accuracy and joyful aplomb, as evidenced on 2024 set Bread ‘n’ Butter. Their return to Stateside shores has been long-awaited and much anticipated, and their reputation somewhat loudly preceded them.
For a thrilling hour-plus, these four horsemen showed and proved they’ve been properly schooled in the pillars of contemporary hip-hop, not to mention what came before and what followed. Beginning with a shrewd move to really set it off, OMA opened with a localized one-two combo of Rappin’ 4-Tay’s “Playaz Club’ (which some may recognize as the sample that gave us Pretty Lights‘ “Finally Moving”), which swiftly gave way to the woozy East Bay smokesack “I Got 5 On It” by Luniz, and Operation Stackola was officially underway.
The students clearly understood the assignment, the Regency roared in approval, and in a matter of moments, it was already on like Donkey Kong.
View this post on Instagram
The OMA set was a dizzying blur of bangers permanently ingrained in our consciousness, hence a barrage of impassioned singalongs and copious rap hands hurled toward the stage as the band bulldozed its way through an extremely thorough, if somewhat (understandably) West Coast-weighted setlist. The way these lads confidently moved through cherished generational chestnuts with equal parts bombastic swagger and surgical dexterity was nothing short of staggering.
Materially speaking, it sure seemed like little was off-limits, especially from the 1990’s. OMA unspooled Ice Cube‘s “Good Day” and “You Know How We Do It”, Nas‘ “NY State of Mind” and “Get Down”, Wu-Tang Clan‘s “C.R.E.A.M.”, Warren G & Nate Dogg‘s “Regulate”, Notorious B.I.G.‘s “Hypnotize” and “JUICY”, plus a steezy detour through “Footsteps In the Dark” by Isley Brothers, among the more seminal sample sources in the culture’s quiver. Not inclined to ignore the Dirty South, the band tipped its fitted caps towards ATL, digging into the Dungeon Family closet with OutKast‘s “So Fresh, So Clean” and “Ms. Jackson”.
A West Coast luminary of the highest order, producer Dr. Dre was saliently saluted, as OMA knocked out a gang of joints from both the Death Row and Aftermath catalogs: “Next Episode”, “XXplosive”, “Forgot About Dre”, “F*ck You”, plus Snoop Dogg’s debut solo single “What’s My Name”, “Gin & Juice”, Dogg Pound posse cut “Ain’t No Fun”, “Gz & Hustlas” (which sampled the late Bernard Wright‘s “Haboglabotribin’”), Dr. Dre and 2Pac’s “California Love”, Eminem‘s “Real Slim Shady”, Eve‘s “Let Me Blow Your Mind”, and 50 Cent‘s “In The Club”, each cut officially credited to the production hand of Compton’s good doctor.
View this post on Instagram
Yet beyond the G-funk era, OMA scratched more than just the surface of a zeitgeist gone by. Your humble narrator was thrilled with romps through the mighty Mos Def’s “Oh No” and “Mathematics” (slaying DJ Premier’s hyperkinetic, stutter-step beat with relative ease); 2Pac’s “All About You” had people croonin’ the Nate Dogg chorus, and his Bobby Caldwell-sampling “Do 4 Love” rang out and reverberated back. Lauryn Hill’s euphoric “Doo Wop (That Thing)” got a particularly loud pop from the capacity crowd; a humorous segue spotlighting Queens, Mobb Deep’s ominous “Shook Ones Pt.2” flowed perfectly into Ja Rule & Ashanti’s syrupy single “What’s Love”.
Since California knows how to party, OMA knew to kick down more than a little Kendrick Lamar. This came in the form of Metro Boomin’s hilarious “BBL Drizzy”, straight into K-Dot & DJ Mustard’s titanic summer ’24 nuke “Not Like Us”, served up with a cheeky “A minor” chord for extra emphasis. The outfit touched tracks from good kid, m.A.A.d city and To Pimp A Butterfly, and later laced the local Hieroglyphics legacy with the timeless “93 ’til Infinity” (Souls of Mischief). To bring this fiery freight train into station with the engine fully smokin’, OMA dusted off MF DOOM‘s “Rapp Snitch Knishes” —the song that put the fellas on the map—to seal the proverbial deal with authority.
Surely, I neglected to mention a couple of tunes; with these dudes makin’ heads bob like emergency brakes, it was pretty difficult to keep score in real-time. With a ferocious onstage showing and a sold-out Regency Ballroom vibing high as the moon, folks can only hope this fab four returns in short order, because it’s crystal clear right today that the Bay loves them some OMA.
OMA is on tour in the U.S. through September 13 in Denver. Find remaining dates here.
words: B.Getz
The post U.K. Phenoms OMA Blow Up The Bay With Shing02 & Spin Master A-1 For Nujabes Tribute [Videos] appeared first on L4LM.
