DJ Honda got his start on the turntables by accident, filling in at the Japanese nightclub where he worked when the regular DJ went missing. Twelve years later, not much of what DJ Honda does with a turntable can be termed an accident.

With the release of his self-produced second disc, appropriately titled HII, DJ Honda, a.k.a. Katsuhiro Honda, continues the methodical formula established with his debut LP: He writes all the music himself, then brings in a cast of all-star rappers and MCs to lay down raps over the top of his tracks.

Speaking through an interpreter by phone from New York, DJ Honda, 30,

described his creative process as it unfolded on the track "Team Players" (RealAudio excerpt). He began by laying down a thumping bass and a sharp drum beat. Then he brought in the legendary KRS-One to add the raps. "He was a very professional person. He came in and the recording was over in a day," DJ Honda said.

"He was very fast. He came up with the lyrics and did his work quickly," he added. "That's one of the reasons I believe he's been around for so long. It was a great pleasure to work with him."

Laying down the track with an assist from Doe-V, KRS-One served up lines such as, "The true philosopher of hip-hop is in the place/ I'll punch you in your face/ then discuss outer space/ did I mention, my electromagnetic extension/ radiates six feet in every single direction."

Also stopping by to lend a rapping hand were De La Soul on "Troubled Water" (RealAudio excerpt), delivering such syntactically curious verses as "From the depths of one's blurs/ everything is now clear by laws" over a spare arrangement provided by DJ Honda that's punctuated with a wandering jazz guitar and tinkling keyboards.

Rapper Al'Tariq, who appears on the song "Talk About It" (RealAudio excerpt) and on the group effort "Rock The Mic" (along with Cuban Link, JuJu, A.L. and Missing Linx), said DJ Honda was open to suggestions in the studio.

"We wrote 'Talk About It' right there in the studio. I came in and the beat was hot but it was kinda laid-back and we wanted to do something uptempo," Al'Tariq said. "He came in that next day with something different, crazy, and we wrote the hook, rhymes, everything right there and it was lovely."

Despite DJ Honda's proficiency at his trade, he doesn't see himself as being forever shackled to the turntables. "I basically think of myself more as a producer," he said. "I started off becoming a DJ but I think I've evolved more into being the main creative force behind the music."