The Otaku King, Richie Branson, has returned again with a really fun and innovative new project. Taking an open source approach to nerdcore, he's released some instrumental music tracks so anybody - - you, you and you - - can saddle up with the #OtakuGang. The movement celebrates fandom and expression on all levels, and we really want to drop Richie a line to hear more about it.
ANIME VICE: Last year, you made some beats you'd produced freely available, encouraging fans to take them and create their own songs. What has the response been like?
RICHIE BRANSON: The response went really well. I received a bunch of remixes, covers, and entirely new songs created from the beats I released. I just released a second, larger collection of free-to-use beats and the response has been even bigger! I'm really excited to see what folks come up with to these tracks.
== TEASER ==
AV: Remix culture is a huge part of a hip-hop, obviously. Prior to #OtakuGang, or even your reign as Otaku King, how much did remixing relate to your early work as an artist?
RB: Very heavily. The first beats I ever created were hip-hop remixes to Mozart and Vivaldi pieces. Most of my formative years as a producer were spent flipping and remixing as many samples as I could find.
Remixing has an even bigger impact in the nerdy rap scene...folks go crazy over hearing hip-hop beats set to their favorite video game & anime tunes. It's one thing to drop an ATTACK ON TITAN rap, but it's a completely different experience to drop one over a hip-hop rendition of "Vogel Im Kafig" from the AoT soundtrack.
AV: If somebody reading wants to join #OtakuGang, how can they get involved? What if they can't rap?
RB: I see #OtakuGang as a completely open & leaderless movement. I don't intend on discriminating based on talent level or artistic outlet. If nothing else, I wanted to create a community where people can grow their artistic talents and express their fandom.
OtakuGang.com will serve as a hub for folks to broadcast their otaku-influenced fan art...whether it's in the form of music, visual art, anime music video, cosplay, etc. Anyone with a creative project they wish to share through the #Otakugang movement can send their work to submissions@otakugang.com !
AV: When are you thinking the first #OtakuGang compilation album will be dropping? Have you picked any tracks yet?
RB: I'm hoping to have the first #OtakuGang compilation out by May. I anticipate it being pretty big. I've already received a few dozen tracks since the first set of tracks were made available last year, and I'm already seeing works based on the new beats I released.
from Anime Vice Site Mashup http://ift.tt/1xdpubz
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