The 2004 anime series Samurai Champloo was created and director by Shinichirō Watanabe, known at the time for his work on Cowboy Bebop. It was the debut television project of Manglobe, a studio founded in 2002 by former Sunrise staff. Watanabe's goal for the series was to blend a traditional Edo period setting with anachronistic elements including the culture and music of hip hop. When deciding on the music, Shinichirō Watanabe wanted to incorporate hip hop, fitting in with the series' original goals and themes. While several staff members wanted him to bring back Cowboy Bebop composer Yoko Kanno, Watanabe was reluctant as he wanted to use professional hip hop artists. The soundtrack was collaboratively composed by Shinji "Tsutchie" Tsuchida of Shakkazombie; American musician Fat Jon; Nujabes, a DJ known for his sampling and blending of genres in tracks; and the DJ team Force of Nature, consisting of KZA and DJ Kent.
