ica , ▁and ▁electronic ▁music . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁professional ▁Japanese ▁steel pan ▁player , ▁first ▁Japanese ▁hip ▁hop ▁producer , ▁and ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁record ▁label , ▁which ▁he ▁founded . ▁ ▁Biography ▁He ▁was ▁introduced ▁to ▁the ▁sound ▁of ▁steel pan ▁drums ▁by ▁a ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁Van ▁Dy ke ▁Park s ▁album , ▁and ▁subsequently ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Tr in idad ▁and ▁Tob ago ▁to ▁learn ▁how ▁to ▁play ▁them . ▁He ▁later ▁performed ▁with ▁Park s ▁on stage ▁during ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁playing ▁steel ▁pan . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Water ▁Mel on ▁Group , ▁led ▁by ▁T osh io ▁Nak an ishi ▁of ▁Pl ast ics ▁fame . ▁He ▁also ▁mixed , ▁arranged , ▁and ▁co - produ ced ▁Se iko ▁I to ' s ▁ME SS / AGE ▁( 1 9 8 9 ) ▁album , ▁which ▁has ▁been ▁c ited ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁pione ering ▁works ▁in ▁Japanese ▁hip ▁hop . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁Tom ita ▁has ▁purs ued ▁a ▁music ▁brand ▁of ▁cos mic ▁k itsch , ▁using ▁synth es izers , ▁steel pan ▁drums , ▁ex ot ica ▁and ▁musique ▁conc r ète . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁his ▁acc laimed ▁works ▁is ▁his ▁Space ▁age ▁pop ▁concept ▁album ▁Do ope e ▁Time ▁( 1 9 9 5 ), ▁which ▁followed ▁members ▁Su zi ▁Kim ▁and ▁Caroline ▁Nov ac ▁( play ed