- Interview With: Lotus Juice
- Location: Anime Boston 2024
- Interview Date: 3/29/2024
Anime-Zing Radio: What acquired you into music, particularly rap?
Lotus Juice: Rising up, I moved right here in 1989, for my dad’s work. I grew up in NJ. Hip-hop and R&B was a rising market within the 90’s. Each considered one of my technology listened to hip-hop. As an Asian, I do know we’re a privileged minority, however, I didn’t actually converse English fluently again then. I at all times needed to show myself, type of regarded down at exterior of college. Listening to hip-hop, my ideas, my mentality type of resembled it. That’s how I acquired into hip-hop.
Anime Herald: Whenever you first got here to America, the primary good friend you made was Travis. Are you continue to in contact with him?
Lotus Juice: Sure. How do you know?
Anime Herald: I’ll have learn each interview you’ve ever given.
Lotus Juice: We be in contact. He nonetheless lives in New Jersey or New York. He acquired in bother as soon as, however he reveals me respect. We’re cool.
Anime-Zing Radio: Your affect in rap helped you get entangled with the Persona sequence. How did that have an effect on your profession?
Lotus Juice: It had a huge effect on my profession. It modified my profession for certain.
It’s humorous. I used to be making music in faculty. Simply having enjoyable, performing in golf equipment. But it surely acquired type of outdated after just a few years, as a result of, the individuals who had been rapping in Japan… it was type of a copycat factor. Making an attempt to be unhealthy or wanting gangster, prefer it was within the ‘90s. It acquired type of boring for me. They usually had been doing medicine. I wasn’t. I used to be like “I need to steer clear of that.”
Then I met a duo group Vlidge. They had been Japanese R&B singers. They confirmed me what it was prefer to be within the music trade. We began performing collectively throughout Japan. I felt prefer it was one thing I might pursue.
Then I launched a single over the web. Then a second one, and an album. It didn’t make a huge effect, nevertheless it reached the proper individual. It was Shoji Meguro from Atlus, the composer of Persona.
I didn’t play it as a result of I didn’t have a PlayStation. I stored getting calls from my pals asking “That is you? That is fairly good.”
Two years handed. Persona 3 got here out. (Persona 4) got here out. Then, I feel in 2008 or 2009, we had Persona Music Dwell. That type of modified every thing. Individuals began recognizing me. That modified every thing. I actually admire Atlus for selecting me. I’m grateful and really blessed to nonetheless be engaged on it.
Anime Herald: There’s an web legend relating to Persona which you could lastly resolve. The legend is that the musical artists composing the tracks had far more freedom than most online game writers and composers have, in the event that they’re not the administrators.
Lotus Juice: Oh particularly me, as a result of I wrote the lyrics. Again then, Atlus didn’t have anybody who spoke English. Once I first acquired launched to Atlus and Shoji Meguro, I acquired a name from my good friend. He requested if I used to be eager about writing a music for a online game. I used to be considering 8-bit music. “I have to take heed to the music first, I can’t decide that proper now.”
Again then, no Wi-Fi. It was ISDN. He despatched me a CD. The very first thing I hear is “Child, child, child.” It’s a music known as Mass Destruction. I assumed “That is actually dope, I need to get on it.”
I name him. He informed me that the lyrics had been all already written. I assumed, “That’s bizarre, however I’ll do it anyway. It’s my very first music job.”
I am going into the studio and meet him. It’s damaged English; it doesn’t even make sense. I don’t know what they’re making an attempt to say. I inform him, “I can do that… gibberish. However don’t credit score me on it. Don’t put my identify on it. I don’t need you to place my identify on it.”
Mr. Meguro requested me if I might revise it. I stated, “Cool. Put it on loop for 20-Half-hour. I’ll attempt to write it. If I end it, we will document it.” That’s what I did. About 45 minutes later, we completed recording it. That was the unique Mass Destruction. So no one checked the lyrics. However in a while, they began hiring bilinguals. However, that they had the belief in me. I attempt to perceive the storyline earlier than I write it.
One time, I used to be enjoying a recreation and the ending had Snoop Dogg on it. However the music had nothing to do with the sport. I used to be bummed out. It simply sounded cool as a result of it was Snoop Dogg. I didn’t need that. If I used to be a fan of Persona, I need to hear one thing relatable that goes with the content material.
I try this on a regular basis. I put loads of effort into making an attempt to know the script and the story. They provide me loads of belief. In working with the Persona 3 Reload songs, not as soon as did they ask me to revise my lyrics.
Anime-Zing Radio: Being a musician who was capable of be part of a franchise like Persona, do you assume it is necessary that the music connects to the story of the sport or the anime or TV sequence?
Lotus Juice: I feel it ought to. It’s humorous, as a result of within the online game, my vocals are just a little decrease, by way of quantity. Initially, Shoji Meguro didn’t need the music to intervene with the gamers. He simply needed one thing like a rap really feel.
What I do, when I’m singing for any content material, I be certain that it sounds good, that I’m not a nasty affect on the gamers or the viewers, so I attempt to not curse. I be certain that it’s associated to the content material. Hopefully, the music makes it higher. We are able to’t at all times try this. A few of the songs on Persona 3 Reload, they needed the unique lyrics. I didn’t revise it.
Anime Herald: Why do you assume Persona has managed to develop and keep culturally related, whereas many video games from its period have disappeared?
Lotus Juice: I’m not an knowledgeable on this. What I do know is that loads of the scriptwriters and designers spent loads of time. They don’t compromise. That’s most likely one of many components that led to their progress, and the continuity. And music-wise, Shoji Meguro is simply wonderful. Persona 3, 4, and 5 all sound totally different.
He doesn’t take heed to new music. It’s all in his head. The songs are already made in his head. He simply brings it to life. He doesn’t repair it whereas he’s recording the songs. It’s already set.
The producers and administrators work onerous. They love Persona.
Anime-Zing Radio: How do you are feeling that residing within the US influenced you once you got here again to Japan? Did it allow you to convey a special model?
Lotus Juice: Positively. Hip-hop is getting larger in Japan. Again then, it was simply copycat. Performing gangster, and speaking about weapons that they don’t have. Once I went again I didn’t rap in Japanese. It didn’t really feel proper. I wrote so many songs. Once I met Meguro-san, it was time to maneuver on. Not from hip-hop, however to attempt one thing new. We had a chemical response. Hip-hop beats are usually from 85 BPM to perhaps 100, 105. However Persona songs are normally 120, perhaps 140. It was totally different. I used to be making an attempt to place my expertise and musical background into what he created. I feel we had a chemical response.
Anime Herald: What would you say Meguro-san has taught you? What have you ever discovered from him?
Lotus Juice: That he’s a genius. He’s so good that I can’t actually study from him. Think about a man who’s music is already set. You simply need to play it. I normally sit with my keys, my pads, search for samples, and begin messing round. I search for one thing new and go from there. By no means in my profession have I had a music already made in my head. So, music smart he hasn’t actually taught me something.
Anime Herald: You’re describing him the identical approach that Mozart wrote music. One lower, no edits.
(Editor’s observe: This was lined in Amadeus.)
Lotus Juice: Yeah. And he’s humble. Very humble. He’s not confrontational in any respect. Very reserved. I informed him when stop Atlus that he’s going to obtain so many provides from conventions. They’ll need to hear his facet of the story. He’s like “No, no, no. I’m nothing.”
That’s what he’s like on a regular basis. I’ve complete respect for him.
Anime-Zing Radio: How do you are feeling anime has helped improve the recognition of anime all over the world?
Lotus Juice: It’s enormous. Ten, perhaps fifteen years, loads of musicians despatched shows to anime producers to get opening or ending theme songs. That’s publicity. It’s enormous.
Anime Herald: Shifting gears, what did you consider The First Slam Dunk, and who’re your favourite NBA gamers?
Lotus Juice: Did you get to look at it?
Anime Herald: I noticed it at Anime Expo.
Lotus Juice: What did you assume?
Anime Herald: Phenomenal. Among the best films I noticed final yr.
Lotus Juice: Very, very cool. They spent some huge cash on it. One of many characters, (Eiji) Sawakita, he’s the go to man for Sannoh, my good friend did the voice for him. His identify is Shunsuke Takeuchi. We’ve a bunch (Amadeus) at Columbia (Information).
I noticed it in theaters 5 instances. I’ve by no means finished that earlier than in my life. It was so good. The music was good. The graphics, tempo, and story. I cherished it a lot. I even purchased the Blu-ray. I assumed it was among the best anime I’ve ever seen. My good friend, who’s not eager about basketball, he actually acquired into it. Individuals ought to undoubtedly watch it.
My favourite participant proper now? Steph Curry acquired me again into watching the NBA. Again after I was right here, it was the Knicks. Patrick Ewing, John Starks. Publish up strikes, bully.
Anime Herald: Charles Oakley, my man.
Lotus Juice: Yeah, Charles Oakley. However after I went again to Japan, I had no entry, no strategy to watch it. However then, NBA League Cross got here. That’s when Steph Curry began rising. I used to be like, “Whoa!” This was a game-changer. He’s doing one thing we had been taught to not do. Dribbling up the courtroom and taking pictures from the emblem. It had by no means occurred earlier than.
The sport has modified. There’s so many gamers that I like. Luca. Rui Hachimura, as a result of he’s Japanese. Trey Younger. Zion Williamson. You identify it. I simply take pleasure in watching the NBA. It simply sucks although. I used to be in San Francisco, and the Warriors had been away on a highway journey. Now I’m right here, the Celtics are on a highway journey.
Anime-Zing Radio: Are you a fan of different sports activities as nicely?
Lotus Juice: I watch the Japanese nationwide group. Not a lot else.
Anime Herald: Now that you simply’re again in America, is there something particularly that you’re wanting ahead to?
Lotus Juice: It’s been seven years. I lastly acquired my visa. Anime Boston was wonderful dealing with my visa. Joke, although. We’d been emailing forwards and backwards for just a few months, ensuring all of the paperwork had been proper. Anime Boston paid some huge cash for it. I went to the US Embassy in Japan, in Tokyo. I went for the interview. It’s humorous. I used to be dressed up. I needed to make an excellent impression. I had a binder with 143 pages. I attempted to placed on an excellent face.
The interviewer stated she couldn’t discover something about me underneath my actual identify. I stated I’ve an artist identify, Lotus Juice. She stated okay. She’s sitting there Googling silently for 3 minutes. I’m getting anxious. I ask if she’d like to have a look at the 143-page binder. She says “No.”
He doesn’t have a clue. He says “Hello.” I say “Hello.” It was so unusual.
Anime-Zing Radio: How did you come up your artist identify?
She says “You’re overqualified. You’re good. You’ll get your visa in every week.” She calls over a colleague “This man raps. His identify is Lotus Juice.”
Lotus Juice: I wasn’t actually enthusiastic about it. Again then, in 1998-99, so many artists had been calling themselves “large” or “little.” Massive Joe, Little Shun, one thing like that. I needed to do one thing totally different. In Greek mythology, lotus is a fruit that will get you excessive once you eat it. I needed my music to be a excessive once you take heed to it, however not by way of medicine. Metaphorically a excessive. That’s what I used to be going for. I do know it sounds corny.
Anime-Zing Radio: It’s undoubtedly very ‘90s.
Lotus Juice: Yeah.
Anime Herald: Who’re you listening to nowadays that impresses you?
Lotus Juice: I don’t take heed to loads of hip-hop nowadays. Justin Timberlake simply got here out with a brand new album. It’s wonderful. Yusobeit. SIRUP. HIMEHINA. Coronary heart Pie Dancehall will get caught in my head. I’ve been listening to loads of stuff. There are such a lot of good artists nowadays.
Anime-Zing Radio: I’ve discovered so many wonderful Japanese artists by means of video video games and anime, even when I didn’t like the sport or the anime. I’d go surfing and seek for the artists. Have you ever discovered that the streaming apps have influenced your progress as a musician? Are you discovering extra individuals discovering your music by means of the streaming companies?
Lotus Juice: I feel that by means of Twitter and Instagram, it’s nice. It began 10-15 years in the past. It’s a lot simpler for artists to get publicity. I’m at all times like “Man, I’ve acquired to make extra movies for Instagram or Twitter.” However I’m considering I’m too outdated for it. I ought to publish extra movies, however typically once you write a music, you get lazy about making movies.
Everyone knows that, with streaming companies, you don’t receives a commission that a lot. Even for a million hits, it’s not a lot cash. Extra publicity, certain. I’m extra geared in the direction of Twitter and Instagram. It’s simpler for me to attach with followers exterior of Japan. It’s most likely as a result of I converse English.
Yumi (Kawamura), Shihoko (Hirita), and Lyn (Inaizumi), the opposite Persona singers, they don’t converse English. After they write one thing in English, they most likely ask another person to interpret it. After they get responses, they don’t have time to get somebody to interpret it. They’ll’t reply to it, as a result of they don’t perceive it. So, I’m extra geared to Twitter and Instagram. They’ve extra entry to followers than the streaming companies.
Anime Herald: In the case of YouTube, Spotify, Twitter, and Instagram, do you are feeling a type of compulsion to feed the beast?
Lotus Juice: I do really feel it, however I don’t do something about it. As a result of making movies, it’s loads of work. I’ve 5 songs I would like to complete by the tip of April. I put loads of time into every music. I don’t have time to make movies. I do know I ought to however… it’s robust.
I am making an attempt for YouTube. I interviewed Meguro-san. That was in November. I simply completed modifying. (Laughs)
Anime-Zing Radio: When doing the interview, did you discover it enjoyable to be the one asking the questions as a substitute of the one answering them?
Lotus Juice: For certain. To be in the identical room with any individual pretty much as good as Meguro-san. It’s at all times fascinating. The way in which he handles music is so totally different from the way in which I do it. Like I stated, I can’t actually study from him, nevertheless it simply amazes me that any individual that good doesn’t spend that a lot time making music.
He informed me he wakes up round 10 AM. He doesn’t eat breakfast. 5 minutes later, he’s on his pc, programming. He’s making his personal recreation proper now, Weapons Undarkness. He’ll work for 3 hours, go have breakfast, after which he’ll work for an additional eight hours.
He was on YouTube reside. He wrote a extremely good music in two hours. I requested him about it. He stated that the music was already written in his head. He simply needed to play it. I used to be like “You simply need to play it? That’s the toughest half, what are you speaking about?”
It’s at all times fascinating. Consuming with him, speaking with him, doing enterprise with him. It’s at all times fascinating.
Anime Herald: What recommendation would you give to the subsequent technology trying to make it into the music trade, or the music in video games trade?
Lotus Juice: Positively work in your craft. Get your expertise up, every single day. It’s important to pay your dues. However on the similar time, that you must take into consideration the enterprise facet. You might want to be an excellent businessman and an excellent artist. There are such a lot of gifted singers and rappers everywhere in the world who don’t know easy methods to market and promote themselves. It’s important to deal with your small business nicely.
Anime Herald: Are you able to give a three-minute course on easy methods to deal with enterprise?
Lotus Juice: Fundamental stuff. You’d be shocked by what number of artists who don’t know easy methods to ship invoices. Significantly. Caring for your taxes. Negotiating, moneywise. Contracts. A number of musicians are very disorganized in terms of enterprise. Get organized. Possibly rent an accountant when you have just a little bit of money. Quite simple.
Anime-Zing Radio: You’ve talked about doing extra movies. Have you considered recording your self in the course of the strategy of writing a music?
Lotus Juice: I’ve. However, I’m not like Meguro-san. I have to get the synthesizer. I began enjoying guitar a yr in the past. I nonetheless suck, however I’m engaged on it. Get my pads, play with the drums, play some chords. Then, after two or three hours, I would like to face up, do some push-ups, or one thing. I don’t need my followers watching that. That’s not fascinating, proper?
Anime-Zing Radio: You’d be shocked. I wager you’d have followers watch that.
Anime Herald: Yeah.
Lotus Juice: Me doing push-ups?
Anime-Zing Radio: Individuals would take pleasure in watching that. You’d be giving your followers a take a look at you as an individual, not simply as a performer. It could assist them join with you extra. One thing actual.
Anime Herald: You by no means know what’s going to go viral. Possibly it’s you doing push-ups.
Lotus Juice: I’ve my requirements. These requirements come from the ‘90s. Once I do one thing, and watch it, I can hear my pals from highschool making enjoyable of it. And I make enjoyable of it too.
Anime-Zing Radio: I perceive that every one too nicely.
Lotus Juice: Generally, after I go reside on Instagram, I’ll look again and say “Man, that was unhealthy.”
However individuals prefer it. Gen Z likes it.
Anime-Zing Radio: I feel we might be our personal worst enemies. You speak to artists who hate their work minutes after they create it. Despite the fact that everyone loves it. Subsequent week, we’ll be celebrating ten years of our podcast. I look again at a few of the early stuff and assume “Wow, that was horrible.”
Lotus Juice: It’s truly good. You’re getting higher at it. You possibly can see the failings. I used to be telling my viewers at my panel how I acquired into music. I went to varsity in Japan. My good friend from Georgetown came to visit on an trade program. He organized an occasion, at school. He stated, “I would like you to rap in my present.”
I used to be like, “What the hell are you speaking about? I’ve by no means rapped earlier than.” He stated “However you want rap, proper?” I stated “Yeah.” So you possibly can “Rap. I’m writing you down as a rapper.” I don’t know why, however I did it.
Anime-Zing Radio: Your good friend didn’t allow you to say “no.”
Lotus Juice: Mainly. One factor led to a different. My good friend, subsequent to my dorm room, was Chinese language. He was a composer and had three synthesizers in his tiny dorm room. He made a beat. He had a good friend who was a feminine singer. We carried out. I’m so glad they didn’t movie it. It was horrible. But it surely was a lot enjoyable. That’s after I knew I type of cherished it.
Anime-Zing: When you might do music for any online game franchise that you simply haven’t labored on earlier than, which wouldn’t it be?
Lotus Juice: Good query. Like a Dragon, Yakuza. I simply completed Gaiden, the facet story. I cried like a child. So good. Get your tissues.
I really like Splatoon.
It’s at all times difficult. Generally, you’re provided a music on one thing you don’t actually take heed to. But it surely’s a job. I attempt to make it higher. It’s at all times enjoyable doing that.
