"It's astonishing to think that I was in elementary school when they started up as a label," remarks DJ Kentaro, in the runup to this weekend's Ninja Tune XX, an event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the famed Ninja Tune label.

Two decades down the line, Kentaro Okamoto, who goes by his first name, has also become a valuable member of the Ninja Tune family. The Japanese turntablist signed to the London-based label started by Coldcut DJs Jonathan More and Matt Black in April 2006 and has seen his profile rise ever since. "Simply put, it has been an honor," he says.

More and Black created the imprint in 1990, and although they are renowned for their mixes and contributions to '90s hip-hop and jazz, the label is home to an expansive spectrum of DJs and producers. Kentaro's own brand of hip-hop found its place without any hitches.