Interview With DJ-BUSTA-ROW
Location: Anime Expo 2017
Interview Date: 7/3/2017
Let me introduce you to DJ BUSTA-ROW. He captured international attention when he won the 2015 Miller Soundclash in Japan. That victory included an invitation to play out in Las Vegas. At the time he’d been spinning for seven years, including two at V2 Tokyo. He’s performed at Privilege Ibiza, Ultra Korea, Spectrum Dance Music Festival, and EDC Japan. However, none of that could have prepared him for the spectacle that is AX Dance. On second thought, he seemed pretty well prepared.
He began spinning in high school. His tastes were diverse, ranging from American hip hop, to EDM DJ’s such as Diplo. He specifically mentioned the film “You Got Served” as an inspiration. When I asked about his musical education the answer was enlightening:
“It’s a bit like sushi chefs in Japan. You are expected to watch the experienced chefs and learn their movements on your own. It is expected that you will steal their technique.”
But from whom specifically is DJ BUSTA-ROW expected to learn from? That would be his boss, DJ YAKSA. When asked to describe his boss, DJ BUSTA-ROW shared:
“He’s very strict. He’ll listen to my music and if he doesn’t like it, he’ll tell me ‘Leave. Change. Done.’”
He continued:
“The process is very hard. It’s like a filter that tests your spirit and guts.”
I asked him about his thoughts on Anime Expo:
“I want to come back every year.”
As for his tastes in anime, they’re very obscure: Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Pokémon, and Evangelion.
In terms of touring it’s rather straightforward: Have USB stick, will travel. As for when he is not touring, he can be found at V2 Tokyo. Actually, let’s talk a bit more about the nightclub.
V2 Tokyo CEO Katsuhisa Fujii is a former MMA fighter who decided to get into the hospitality industry via his nightclub and restaurant. For inspiration, he turned to his favorite anime from childhood:
The Tower of Babel went from the Book of Genesis to Mitsuteru Yokoyama’s manga, which was adapted into an anime, which inspired Fujii to create one of the hottest clubs in Tokyo. It’s kind of like going from judo and amateur wrestling to mixed martial arts to pro wrestling to restaurateur. I found this fascinating, so I emailed him a few questions?
Anime Herald: What led you to decide to become a restaurateur and club owner?
Katsuhisa Fujii: A board member of my company found me when there was a famous incident on the 2nd floor of the ROA bldg in Roppongi. (V2 is on the 13th floor). I was 40 years old. I protected a customer as security there. That’s how I became famous. Besides that, when I retired from being a MMA fighter my friend insisted that I go to this famous fortune teller. I have never believed in such things, since I am not spiritual at all. But, that fortune teller told me that I will make a great success in the “food and drink business”. That time I thought maybe I am going to start an OKONOMIYAKI stand. I never thought I would get involved in the night club business. Maybe this is destiny and this is what I was meant to be. I myself never decided. I was just following the path in front of me everyday.
Anime Herald: Was it harder than you expected?
Katsuhisa Fujii: No it was never hard. I have this thing inside me that I deeply want to entertain people and make them happy. Of course day by day sometimes a customer argues or there are times when you have to make a hard decision, but as long as I am needed by someone and there are people who are enjoying themselves, I want to be there.
Anime Herald: Has your training as a wrestler and MMA fighter come in handy?
Katsuhisa Fujii: I was happy. I put in effort and did everything I could. I used to think I would never regret even if I were to die today. Every day I trained to knock someone out, and that was my job. So for example when I see a big guy on the train, I used to simulate “what happens if I fight with him”? LOL. My brain goes, I will attack him from this part…then lock his legs and punch from this side….it was kind of a hazard of my type of work. But this everyday simulations trained me to think ahead. So that is why when there was the incident in Roppongi, I immediately made the correct decision required to protect our customers and staff. I’m a quick decision maker. Those simulation skills are helpful to my business.
Anime Herald: You mentioned Babel II as one of your favorite anime. What are some of your other favorite anime?
Katsuhisa Fujii: Fist of the North Star, Mazinger Z (not the Great Mazinger!) and Tiger Mask. I decided to become a fighter because I loved Raoh from Fist of the North Star (HOKUTO NO KEN). At the age of 15, I was 185cm and 65 kg. I was quite big comparing to other Japanese kids around my age. As a child, I was attracted by those strong characters. I long for those characters with ambitions and who show what real strength is.
Anime Herald: Do you read manga as well? If so, what are some of your favorites?
Katsuhisa Fujii: Yes I still do. When I want to relax before I got to bed. I read “Ushijima the Loan Shark“, “Kachō Kōsaku Shima” and “GOLGO 13”
Anime Herald: Do you have any stories from Club V2 Tokyo that you would care to share?
Katsuhisa Fujii: I cannot say much about our customers but there is one story I am allowed to talk about. I cried when Rihanna sang karaoke in the VIP room. I love that my job lets me meet those top-notch (top-ranked?) people. I feel the responsibility to provide top notch service to those people so that it is what they remember and talk about when they get home from Japan. (Editor’s note: Once a you get used to living your life by your ranking, it becomes easy to think about people in terms of their competitive rank.)
Anime Herald: Are you excited for Tokyo to host the Olympics in 2020?
Katsuhisa Fujii: To be honest, I am more concerned about preparing to care for the many types of people with different cultures who will be visiting our facility. I am more focused on being professional than being excited or enjoying the Olympics. In addition to V2 Tokyo, we have a restaurant named Ruby Café in Odaiba and we have a Halal menu there. We started a new club DIA TOKYO and named the building “Tower of Babel”.
Anime Herald: How do you usually find new DJ’s for Club V2 Tokyo? You met DJ BUSTA-ROW at a party when he was a junior DJ. How did you meet DJ YAKSA?
Katsuhisa Fujii: Yaksa and I know each other from AI Tokyo (AI Tokyo became Vanity and then it became V2). Yaksa will bring in the DJ’s as that is his territory. I trust who he brings.
Anime Herald: How was your experience at AX? Did it meet your expectations?
Katsuhisa Fujii: It was exciting. The cosplay was so seriously impressive, but I didn’t know 80% to 90% of the characters. We make costumes for our dancers so I was checking if there is anything that we could bring back to Japan. Especially the robots and the electrical masks that transform into different shapes.
Anime Herald: Apart from the events involving the people you are associated with, with as there any event at AX you greatly enjoyed?
Katsuhisa Fujii: I thought Otaku culture was united. In Japan Otaku are not respected as they are in US. (Editor’s note: LOL). I enjoyed this friendly event and would like to learn more and think about the possibility of becoming more immersed with this culture and our culture in the future.
Anime Herald: Did you like the food in Los Angeles? If so, anything in particular?
Katsuhisa Fujii: Yes! Especially I love In-N-Out Burger. When I was a fighter I used to stay in Torrance. I used to buy 7 of those and eat 5 for lunch and 2 for snacks. Hahaha. I don’t eat as much as I used to but still it brings me back the vibe and the view where I used to be. Good memories. (Editor’s note: In-N-Out Burger is awesome. I went to college in Claremont, California and had In-N-Out Burger regularly. Now I live near a Shake Shack and a Five Guys and eat maybe three burgers from them combined in a year.)
Anime Herald: Finally, do you or any of your DJ’s (or chefs) have any plans to visit New York?
Katsuhisa Fujii: What a good question! I will make plans to visit New York and I will visit New York! Any ideas? LOL Watch out world!
As for the Tower of Babel, I didn’t expect to get Biblical with y’all, but here it is:
Genesis Chapter 11
1 And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
3 And they said one to another: ‘Come, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly.’ And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
4 And they said: ‘Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, with its top in heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’
5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.
6 And the Lord said: ‘Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do; and now nothing will be withheld from them, which they purpose to do.
7 Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.’
8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth; and they left off to build the city.
9 Therefore was the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth; and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
TL;DR: We built a tower. God was displeased. God scattered us and we no longer had a common tongue. In short:
“Babel is the tower of confusion.” And now also a tower of food and dancing. Take that God!
For those of you looking for more information on DJ BUSTA-ROW, he can be found on Twitter and Facebook. You can also find his music on Mixcloud. (Editor’s note: I’m currently listening to the Ultra Korea 2016 mix). If you want to give BUSTA-ROW the hook and listen to his boss, you can find DJ Yaksa’s music here.
Special thanks to DJ BUSTA-ROW, V2 Tokyo’s Katsuhisa Fujii, and NePt’s Karen Sakurai for setting up and translating the interviews.
