Transcriber: Mieko Yabiku Reviewer: Ellen Maloney
Hi.
(Applause)
I watch TED online.
It's amazing to be standing here.
Exciting, and nerve-wrecking, actually;
more nerve-wrecking than being on stage.
But most of all, it's an honor, and it's a pleasure being here.
So without further ado, I'm just going to start my presentation.
(Ping)
(Music)
(Rapping) Life is like a game of musical chairs.
Opportunities come along in limited numbers.
When you're not there to claim your spot,
when the music stops,
you are out of the game, so to speak.
(Music stops)
if you don't take advantage of the opportunity at the moment
you may never encounter it again.
You can't put opportunities on layaway.
I don't know about you guys, but in my life, I've come to realize
opportunities seem to always come about at the very inopportune times.
In 1998, I was faced with the contract to come out with my first record
for my group M-Flo.
As Patrick mentioned, we just released our eighth.
But anyway, back in 1998,
I asked the guy from the record company who was sitting across the table from me,
"Like honestly, what's the lifespan of a rapper like me?"
He said, "Hmm, two years, tops."
That's in Japanese, obviously.
But as if it gave me a consolation prize, he told me, "But don't worry.
you can write lyrics for other big artists and make lots of money."
Being in my early 20s,
I was puzzled with the suggestion,
because not only did I want to go into a music career
because I wanted to end up being a lyricist,
but also that I didn't go into it for the love of money necessarily.
At that instant, I realized that
I needed to proactively make opportunities for myself,
and when it does come around
that I cannot put it on layaway, and as I said it in Japanese,
"You cannot save chances."
Being bilingual,
I was actually mixing Japanese and English in my work by nature,
but a lot of people told me
I should just keep it either Japanese or English.
But I kept to my craft because I had the gut feeling.
When I started, I was rapping something like this.
(Music video)
(Japanese and English mixed lyrics)
So that was one of my verses from my early works
Thank you
(Applause)
Thank you.
And as I mentioned in the last line,
this dialect, my original mixing of English and Japanese
is what brought me through throughout the years.
OK, fast forward 15 years.
(Music)
After eight albums, and many tours later, we are still here.
Actually I just finished my tour.
(Music)
Started my show for my new album last night.
Actually this is footage from last year.
(Music)
2004 is our 15th anniversary,
and I feel honored
to have many truly good friends with whom I've collaborated with.
As I mentioned, that's footage from last year
but hopefully I get invited again some other time
so I can show you some new footage.
(Music)
Life is full of unknown
so I've made of point of developing other passions
which have also become part of my portfolio beyond music.
I've developed a passion for jewelry, technology.
and anything that becomes an essential part of how I express myself.
I've had the pleasure working with Louis Vuitton, Sakai, Bathing Ape, Reebok,
just to name a few.
And it has expanded my world beyond my imagination.
But for me, my long time collaborator has been my wife,
with whom I build my brand AMBUSH
and to be able to connect with people in the fashion field.
And contrary to popular belief, it's not that bad working with your wife.
(Laughter)
As I mentioned earlier,
I felt the need to proactively make opportunites
and when it does come around that I cannot put it on layaway.
and I wrote a rap about it and it kind of goes like this.
(Music) (Rapping)
Thank you
(Applause)
So that was the verse where I mixed English and Japanese
and where I juxtapose two opposing terms
being a front man and behind the scenes guys
at the same time, and being globally minded,
and being locally-conscious at the same time and so forth.
I felt that in order for me to connect with the unconnected,
I can't just be an artist, but need to play different roles
and understand the work that goes into a performance or a product.
Basically inside out I just wanted to know everything.
You know, how the guy at the "gemba" feels,
how the guy on the stage feels.
Proactively, I made opportunities
and when it did come around I didn't put it on layaway
I've believed that that's the only way I'll keep discovering new things
and be able to meet and deeply connect with people from all walks of life
Thank you
(Applause)