[RHYTHM X of Vallejo, CA]

My big bro Bob of Berkeley/Oahu played a huge role in my love for Hip-Hop while I was growing up. A mixed heritage Asian American himself (Filipino/Japanese), Bob introduced to me to vinyl, cassettes, and Rap/Hip-Hop music in general. With this said, it comes as no surprise that when I visited him in Hawaii earlier this year, he not only told me about he and his homies being the only Asian kids at Sick-Wid-It shows in the Bay Area back in the day, but also put me on to a little-known Emcee/Producer by the name of Rhythm X.

Back in 1994, a young Japanese American kid from Vallejo, California apparently got signed to E-40’s Record Label, Sick-Wid-It Records and dropped the best Bay-Area-Rap-album-you-didn’t-know-about. Known as “The Mental Oriental,” Rhythm X put out a single solo LP entitled Long Overdue, before being dropped from the label after Record executives above E-40 told 40-Water that they “did not know how to market him.” *SIGH*

[Rhythm X (feat. E-40) - This Type A Sh*t]

[Rhythm X - I Got A Few Screws Loose]

[Rhythm X - Sherry (Original 90's version)]

If anyone knows of another Asian American rapper signed to a major lablel prior to 1994, please holler at me, because Rhythm X just might the Masanori Murakami of Rap.

BUY Long Overdue HERE.

Ill toast to that.

Kampai!

Senbei