DJ Tee

Motto: Hip Hop saves the world!

Battle DJ at:
Battle Of The Year Japan 2000 – 2008
Battle Of The Year International 2002 and 2005
Battle Of The Year Korea 2004
Freestyle Session Japan 2004
Battle Of The Year International 2005
Old School Night Vol.10, 2008 etc.

PROFILE
Takeshi Yamamura aka DJ TEE was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1972. In 1985, he saw breaking on TV in Japan for the first time. He started DJing in 1990, inspired by GM Yoshi, Cash Money, Jazzy Jef and others. He also got into Hip Hop dance at that time. He started out playing rap records, but in 1995, when he got into B-Boying, he started spinning breaks for B-Boys and B-Girls.

TEE’s style represents the traditional Hip Hop DJ. He spins traditional breaks combined with new breaks when he spins for the B-Boys and B-Girls, but has a different style when he DJs for funk style dancers such as poppers and lockers. Asked about what makes a good DJ TEE said, “If you want to DJ for B-Boys, you have to be watching the dancers closely. You have to play the best part of the record at the best timing, the best length. You need to find obscure beats that nobody else has. But in general, you need to represent Hip Hop, read the atmosphere and play the music the audience can connect to.”

TEE is a very active person. With his friend Machine he organizes several events in Japan, like the Battle of the Year, the We B*Girlz battle, Dance Delight and others. He also gives workshops at the technical college about DJing and Hip Hop in general. If he has free time, he likes to watch movies or play the guitar, but mostly spends his free time with his wife Kyon and his baby boy Hugorock.

DJ Tee comes from a traditional Japanese family. His father never really understood what he was doing, or what Hip Hop was, but he started to recognize that Hip Hop was not a fad, but something that was going to stay. “He has seen me DJing for so long now and even after I got married and my son was born, this is still what I do.”

Asked about his plans for the future, TEE says, “I want to keep on doing what I am doing, representing Osaka in the world, DJ, and produce more beats,” then he laughs, “and hopefully we’ll have a second baby.”

Hip Hop plays the biggest role in TEE’s life, right after his family. He is at home in all of the four elements, DJing, MCing, B-Boying and graffiti. "But DJing is my Number One! I am not very good at the other elements,” he laughs. TEE believes Hip Hop could save the world. “To me it’s not something for the moment or something to make money. This is what I do and who I am. This is my life! Like Africa Bambaataa says, ‘Hip Hop is peace, unity, love, and having fun!’”

Hip Hop is huge in Japan now. The B-Boy scene is getting bigger, too. TEE’s hometown Osaka is considered the best place in the world for the street dance scene. “We have so many good lockers and poppers in Osaka. Also many good DJs like, DJ Batsu who spins at Juste Débout, Freestyle Session etc, are from OSAKA.

DJ Tee is looking forward to spinning for the B-Boys at the RED BULL BC ONE. “It’s such a great event! It’s the dream of every B-Boy to participate in the RED BULL BC ONE. I am honored to be part of it and ready to rock the house.”