Toshio Nakanishi

Toshio Nakanishi aka Tycoon-to$h (Born January 13, 1956 in Tokyo) is a musician and an artist who is best known as the founding member of Plastics in 1976. He was a part of techno pop fever in Japan and first pioneer of Japanese Hip Hop scene with Major Force. Also he is a painter, Jean-Michel Basquiat was a big fan of him.

He currently lives between Tokyo and London.

Contents

Career

His first band, Plastics, had a world tour with Talking Heads and The B-52's in 1980. When the band broke up in 1982, he went to New York and formed Melon with Percy Jones of Brand X, Dougie Bowne of The Lounge Lizards, Bernie Worrell of Funkadelic and Chica Sato, trying to merge funk with Japanese Group Sounds. At the same time, he formed Water Melon with Gota Yashiki and Yann Tomita, playing Hawaiian 50's exotica music Martin Denny-style. Melon signed with CBS in Japan and Virgin in UK transformation to Electro Hip Hop Funk Band. In 1987, he formed Major Force with Hiroshi Fujiwara, Gota Yashiki, K.U.D.O. and Kan Takagi. In the 1990s, he moved to London and worked with Mo' Wax. He formed a band called Sky Lab with Mat Ducasse and Howie B.

Globalized Message

Tycoon Tosh is an MC, guitarist and percussionist from Tokyo, Japan. His real name is Toshio Nakanishi but he also has released music prolifically under the aliases of Toshi Skylab and Tycoon Tosh. According to hip-hop scholar Mark Schwartz, during the early 1980’s this MC was “laying the groundwork for the Major Force collective with his band, the Plastics. [1]Furthermore, Schwartz also argues that the best hip-hop thinks globally but raps locally. [2]By addressing topics lyrically that pertain to issues that are relevant in an increasingly globalized world, yet remaining “real” to a local diaspora, a hip-hop artist can expect a certain degree of respect. Accordingly, scholar Robert Christgau supports this claim by stating that “in hip-hop, styles are regionally distinct, although they certainly crossbreed, and representing where you're from is the rule, especially when you're coming up.” [3]

Discography

Obtained from the website entitled, “Tycoon To$h Kingdom”.

1979 Plastics COPY ROBOT Roughtrade 7"

1980 Plastics TOP SECRET MAN Victor 7"

	Plastics	WELCOME PLASTICS	Victor	LP/CD	 
	Plastics	GOOD	Victor	7"	 
	Plastics	Peace	Victor	7"	 
	Plastics	Origato Plastico	Victor	LP/CD	 
	The Crap Heads	Snakeman Show	Alfa	LP/CD	 

1981 Plastics WELCOME BACK Victor LP/CD

	Melon	戦争反対	Alfa	LP/CD	 

1982 Melon Do You Like JAPAN? Alfa LP/CD Melon P.J./Eddie Spaghetti Alfa 7"

	De Melon	TRA No.2	TRA	TAPE	 
	Toshio Nakanishi	土屋昌巳 / RICE MUSIC	Epic	LP/CD	 

1983 Melon / Water Melon Group ピテカントロプスの逆襲 Alfa LP/CD

	Melon	TRA 503	TRA	TAPE	 

1984 Water Melon Group COOL MUSIC Alfa LP/CD

1985 Melon SERIOUS JAPANESE CBS/Sony 12"

	Toshio Nakanishi	MUTE BEAT / No.0 Virgin Dub	TRA	TAPE/CD	 

1987 Melon Deep Cut CBS/Sony CD/LP

	Melon	HARD CORE HAWAIAN	CBS/Sony	12"	 
	Melon	日本之扉	CBS/Sony	12"/7"	 
	Melon	FUNKASIA	Epic	12"	 

1988 Tycoon To$h & Terminater Troops COPY'88 Major Force 12"

	Tycoon To$h & Terminater Troops	GET HAPPY	Major Force	12"	 

1989 (The Orchids) YES,WE CAN CAN Major Force 12"

	(The Orchids)	LIFE IS A SCIENCE	Major Force	12"	 
	Tycoon To$h & Terminater Troops	GUESS WHAT	Major Force	12"	 
	Tycoon To$h	T.P.O. / PUNK INC	Major Force	12"	 
	Tycoon To$h & Terminater Troops	KOOL DJ RED ALERT & MAJOR FORCE POSSE / PROP MASTER'S PARTY	Major Force	12"	 
	Sexy T.K.O.	Touch Me, Take Me	Major Force	12"	 
	Tycoon To$h	CHINASYNDROME	Major Force	12"

1990 Sexy T.K.O. TRIBE of LOVE Major Force 12"

	Toshio Nakanishi	GORGEOUS GIRLS	Down 2 Earth	CD	 

1991 Sexy T.K.O. THE 1st KISS Down 2 Earth CD (Natural Calamity) DOWN IN THE VALLEY Down 2 Earth CD

	K.U.D.O. & Tycoon Tosh	SANDII:COME AGAIN	Toshiba EMI	CD/12"	 
	Toshi& K.U.D.O.	SANDII:JOGET TO THE BEAT	Toshiba EMI	CD	 

1992 (Natural Calamity) LET IT COME DOWN Down 2 Earth CD

	(Natural Calamity)	NEAR MOUNTAIN	Down 2 Earth	VT	 

Group of Gods GROUP OF GODS Down 2 Earth CD

	(Tamap Iijima)	DASK'TIL DAWN	Down 2 Earth	CD	 
	(高木完)	Grass Roots	Ki/oon Sony	CD	 

Melon DEEP CUT REMIX Sony Records CD

	Melon	DEEP CUT VIDEO REMIX	Sony Records	VT/LD	 

1993 Love T.K.O. EP Major Force CD

	Tosh& K.U.D.O.	高木完 / Heavy Duty Vol.1	Ki/oon Sony	12"	 
	Major Force Productions	GRASS ROOTS DUB	Major Force	12"	 
	Love T.K.O.	Tongue in your Ear	Major Force West	12"	 
	Love T.K.O.	FOR WHAT IT WORTH/DESERT SONG	Major Force West	12"	 
	Love T.K.O.	FOR WHAT IT WORTH	Major Force	12"	 

1994 Love T.K.O. HEAD TURNER Major Force CD

	(Natural Calamity)	SUN DANCE	Down 2 Earth	CD	 

Major Force BOMB THE BASS / DARK HEART Island CD Skylab #1 SEA SHELL L'Attitude CD Skylab vs Dom.T RIVER OF BASS L'Attitude 12"

	Mo'Wax vs Major Force	Mo'Wax VS MAJOR FORCE	Mo'Wax	12"	 
	Love T.K.O.	Monday Michiru: Maden Japan	Kity	CD	 

1995 Tosh & Silver Arks CLEOPATRA & NOAH'S ARK Major Force CD

	Skylab	OH! Skylab	L'Attitude	CD/12"	 
	Skylab	EXOTIKA	ASTRALWERKS	12"	 
	Love T.K.O.	UFO/ Multidirection 2	Polygram	CD/LP	 

Toshio Nakanishi & Natural Calamity x-rex File Records CD

1996 Love T.K.O. 古畑任三郎 ORIGINAL SOUND TRACK REMIX Pony Canyon CD/12"

	Toshio Nakanishi	ユーリ ORIGINAL SOUND TRACK	Victor	CD	 
	Jenny Devivo	MY DAD	L'attitude	12"/CD	 
	Hale, Nakanishi, KUDO	SWEETBACK / SWEETBACK	Epic	CD	 
	Typhoom Tosh	KODAMA & GOTA / SOMETHING REMIX	Sony Records	CD	 
	Skylab	Silent Poets / Firm Roots Remix	Toy's Factory	CD	 
	Major Force	SUKIA / CONTACTO ESPECIAL CON EL TERCER SEXO	Mo'Wax Japan	CD	 

Skylab The Trip Eye Q CD/12" Derrick Carter vs Skylab The Trip Eye Q 12"

	M.Ducasse& T.Nakanishi	DAVID HOLMES / MY MATE PAUL	GO! DISCS	CD/12"	 

1997 Skylab DAVID HOLMES / Lets Get Killed GO! DISCS CD/12" Water Melon Out of Body Experience Major Force CD/12"

	Water Melon	Out of Body Sessions	Major Force	CD/12"	 
	Tycoon To$h	MAJOR FORCE REMIXES	Major Force	12"	 
	Love T.K.O.	ORIGINAL LOVE / Tyrannosaurus	WONDERFUL WORLD	12"	 
	Water Melon / Typhoon Tosh	Fish Smell Like a Cat	Pussyfoot	CD/LP
	Nakanishi & Bernstein / Love T.K.O. / Typhoon Tosh	Pussy Galore!	Pussyfoot	CD/LP	 
	Major Force	CATH COFFY / Mind The Gap	ISLAND	CD	 
	Melon	Shinjuku BladeRunner	Alfa	CD	 
	Melon	Terimakashe	File Records	12"	 
	Plastics	All Across The U.S.A. 80 Live	Alfa	CD/LP+VT	 
	Typhoon Tosh Band	ears / SNAKE MAN SHOW enfants	No.9	CD	 
	Skylab	BITE THIS !	Eye Q	7"	
	Skylab	JUDAS !	Eye Q	CD/12"	
	Skylab	?	Eye Q	CD/12"	 
	Skylab	Depeche Mode : HOME	MUTE	CD	 
	Skylab	OFFBEAT : A RED HOT SOUND TRIP	WAX TRAX	CD	 
	Skylab	Alisha's attic / indestructible remixes	Mercury Records	10"	 

1998 Skylab RED HOT + Rhapsody ANTILLES CD

	Skylab	Baxter / Baxter	Warner Bros.	CD	 
	Skylab	Magenta	Eye Q	CD/7"	 
	Love T.K.O.	Suck It and See	Pussyfoot	CD/LP	 
	Toshi Skylab	Curve / Come Clean	UNIVERSAL	CD	 
	Patrina Morris & Tosh	sitting on the edge of the world	APEMAN	10"	 

1999 Tosh & Kenji Jammer Black Velvet wea Japan CD/12"

	Tosh 'POSH' Skylab	WELCOME TO PLASTIC WORLD	Epic	CD	 
	Water Melon	Field Trip	Major Force	CD	 
	Tosh& Kenji Jammer	JAPANESE NOISE BAND	APEMAN	10"	 
	Generic Skylab	Nickers Of a Girl / Sumo Riders	Eye Q	7"	 
	Skylab	#2 : 1999 "Large as Life and Twice as Natural"	Eye Q	CD/12"	 
	Water Melon	RUTA DE EVACUACION	Major Force	CD/12"	 
	Major Force	STILL/THE JOINT: SUGARHILL REMIXED	SUGARHILL	CD	 
	Major Force West	MAJOR FORCE WEST 93-97	Mo'Wax	CD	 
	Tycoon Tosh	NIGO / APE SOUNDS	Toy's Factory	CD	 
	Tycoon Tosh	PRMX / LICENSE OF SKILL	Epic	CD/12"	 
	Tycoon Tosh	NIGO / KUNG' FU FIGHTIN'	Toy's Factory	CD/12"
	Tycoon Tosh	NIGO / Making of KUNG' FU FIGHTIN'	Vap	VT	 

2000 Major Force West MAJOR FORCE WEST 93-97:日本盤 Toy's Factory CD

	Skylab	#2 日本盤	Epic	CD	●
	Tycoon Tosh	year of dragon2000	File Records	CD	 
	LOVE T.K.O.	TRIBE OF LOVE	CHOCOLATE BOY	CD / 12"	 
	Major Force	Return of the Original Art Form CUT CHEMIST MIX	Mo'WAX	12"	 
	Skylab	DAVID HOLMES / Bow Down To The Exit Sign	GO! DISCS	CD / 12"	 
	Japanese Noise Band Melon Thumpin' Thursdays	21ST. CENTURY FORCE	SONIC FORCE	CD	 
	Major Force	Return of the Original Art Form DJ FORMAT MIX	Mo'WAX	12"	 

2001 V.A. DRAGON REMIX BATTLE ROUND 1&2 MAJOR FORCE 12"

	Toshio Nakanishi	GOMA / GO	JAPAN OVERSEAS	CD	 
	Toshio Nakanishi	JIM WHITE / No Such Place	LuakaBop	CD	 
	Tycoon Tosh	From Silence	DigiCube	CD / 12"	 
	Melon / T.Nakanishi	HOMEWORK 2 TO$H'S LOST TRAX	This HP	MD	 
	Toshio Nakanishi	JOUJOUKA / NEW ASIANS	TOEMI	CD

References

  1. ^ Schwartz, Mark. "Planet Rock: Hip Hop Supa National." In The Vibe History of Hip-hop, ed. Alan Light, 361-72. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1999.
  2. ^ Schwartz, Mark. "Planet Rock: Hip Hop Supa National." In The Vibe History of Hip-hop, ed. Alan Light, 361-72. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1999.
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Planet Rock: The World's Most Local Pop Goes International." Village Voice, 2 May 2002.

Christgau, Robert. "Planet Rock: The World's Most Local Pop Goes International." Village Voice, 2 May 2002.

Schwartz, Mark. "Planet Rock: Hip Hop Supa National." In The Vibe History of Hip-hop, ed. Alan Light, 361-72. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1999.

"Tycoon To$h Kingdom". http://www4.airnet.ne.jp/mor/tosh/. Retrieved 2008-04-14. 

External links