Hideaki Ishi was born in 1962 in Tokyo. Inspired, in the early 80’s, by the film “Wild Style,” he bought a set of tunrtables and went to work. After much hard work and dedication, in 1987, he and DJ Muro formed the Krush Posse. Krush has had over ten successful albums and is currently touring to promote his new DVD, “A History of Krush.”

Were you well received the last time you played in North America?

I played last year in North America and the audiences always give me such a warm welcome!

Being from Tokyo, how do you view American electronic and hip hop artists?
I think it’s similar to Japan in that there are both mainstream scenes and an exciting underground scene. I don’t have much to say about the music on the chart- to me, the underground scene is far more interesting.

What about “Wild Style” influenced you to get into hip hop?
I was simply blown away by everything that I saw there. Djing, rapping, break dancing and beautiful graffiti…things I’d never seen before appeared one after another and I got excited. I mean, your parents would tell you that you’re not supposed to touch records but those guys in the movie, scratch them and they make sounds. ( He laughs.) It was so fresh and I got fascinated by the freedom of expression that hip hop had.

Why the name DJ Krush?
When I started out as a DJ, I had a two DJ set with my younger brother. We’d perform on the streets of Harajuku (a district in Tokyo) with two black, American guys. They would break dance and rap with us. One day I asked them to come up with a DJ name for me and my brother and they said “you guys are nuts, so you should be Crash and Bang.” Thus I was Crash and my brother was Bang. Then I changed it to Krush with a “K” for impact.

How supportive has your family been throughout your career?
My family has been so supportive. Back then it was impossible to feed my family as a full-time DJ so I’d work at construction sites in the daytime and make music all night. It was pretty rough physically, but I thought nothing of having such a lifestyle as it was for music. I just kept going full throttle with hope for the future. I can’t thank my family enough for putting up with my selfishness and unstable life. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.

Did you expect your first album to be as popular as it was?
It got a good amount of response. I think my first album sort of played a role of a business card that introduced me as a DJ out to the world.

Being a world renowned producer and DJ, you’ve traveled throughout the world and you’ve performed with many people. Where is your favorite place and what artists have you enjoyed working with the most?
That’s a tough question. The places I’ve been are all good in their own way, its hard to pick. As for my favorite artists, to name one from my fellow DJs, I felt that I could relate to DJ Shadow for having an inquiring mind in his music making, etc.

Are there any artists that influenced you and your style?
Music has always been part of my life since I was a kid and I’ve been listening to different kinds of music from Japanese pop to Western hard rock and from jazz to hip hop. My music equals myself and I think all kinds of music that I’ve listened to have played a role in developing my style at an unconscious level.

When you’re not making music, what do you devote your time to?
Basically I’m either touring or making music so I don’t really have much of a life besides music. (He laughs.) But when I do have time off, I like spending time with my grandson or go fishing.

Do you have any advice for fans who want to follow in your footsteps?
Grow with your love of music and make the sound that only you can make.

How did it feel to be part of Krush Posse, which was once named the best hip hop act in Japan?
We were pursuing our own hip hop using the Japanese language. Though it was such a good experience, back then it was hard to get understanding from record companies.

What are your feelings on the release of your new DVD?
It reminds me of how fortunate I’ve been to have so many people who’ve supported me over the years and to have music in my life.

The title means “There’s no end to training.” Is that your personal mantra?
Yes, to me, making music is about finding what’s buried inside of me and expressing it. It can be hard to face yourself but once I stop facing myself, my career would be over. I consider my lifetime as a process of makine one album and I’m still in the middle of it.