On the up: Thee Phantom

Time Out Tokyo watches genres collide, as Beethoven meets the Beastie Boys in the hands of Thee Phantom, an up-and-coming hip hop artist with a classical twist, jetting into Tokyo mid-April to take on the Ginza Apple Store, Japanese orchestra in tow.

Hip hop and a live orchestra? What's that about?
I grew up with access to a wide range of music. I sang in the church choir in addition to taking piano and flute lessons as a child. When I was exposed to hip-hop, it seemed to naturally fit with classical music. The first beat I ever made in the late '80s, combining Beethoven's 5th Symphony with, 'Paul Revere' by the Beastie Boys.

Why Tokyo and why the Apple Store?
My fiancee (The Phoenix) toured Japan with hip-hop artist Steph Pockets a few years back, and she raved about [the Japanese] love of hip-hop and how technologically advanced their culture was. I'm also a techie, so it seemed like a great idea to team up with the leading technology company in the world in one of its most forward thinking cities. The Ginza store has the largest theater of all the Apple locations.

How did you pick the Japanese musicians that will be playing with you?
I've had quite a few friends tour Japan, so I used my resources and references. I met Kazushige Uchiyama through a mutual friend on Facebook and we've been organizing the ensemble, which will consist of strings, brass, woodwinds and a pianist.

Can you sum up Thee Phantom in 140 characters or less?
B-Boy meets Beethoven. Thee Phantom combines the raw energy and passion of hip-hop, with the beautiful, sweeping, sounds of classical music.

As a first-timer, what are you expecting Tokyo to be like?
This will be my first trip to Tokyo. Whenever I speak to anyone who has traveled there before, they always refer to Tokyo's love of hip-hop. I look forward to sharing that love. My expectations are that I'll leave Tokyo with a wide range of cultural experiences.

What can Thee Phantom bring to Japan's capital that it doesn't already have?
From what I understand Tokyo has it all! However, if you've never witnessed a fire-breathing MC, a passionate soul songstress and a master mixologist, being backed by a 10 piece Japanese orchestra, this is something that you don't want to miss.

Thee Phantom plays the Apple Ginza Store, June 9, 7pm. His album, Making of an Underdog, is available via iTunes: Making of An Underdog - Thee Phantom