Shōnan no Kaze

Shōnan no Kaze (湘南乃風, Shōnan Wind) is a Japanese four member reggae band. They are best known for their 2006 hit song "Junrenka" (純恋歌, Pure Love Song), which was one of the top songs of 2006.

Biography

The band's roots were first formed when Red Rice and Han-kun first performed together in Shōnan in central coastal Japan. Han-kun first formed an interest in reggae after by chance hearing Buju Banton's song "Untold Stories" in a friend's girlfriend's car, after coming home from a dance. Red Rice was a casual fan of reggae/hip-hop, until attending festivals which made him develop a great love of these genres. The pair met Shock Eye while performing, who previously worked as a hip-hop DJ. Shock Eye was friends with Wakadanna in high school, and met him again by chance in Shōnan. Wakadanna had been managing a reggae bar in Shōnan.

From 2001 onwards, the band worked together, having songs featured on compilation albums and collaborating with other artists. The band made their major label debut in 2003, under Toy's Factory.