The Essex-based duo are far from being household names, but if you've spent any time roaming Youtube in the last 12 months then chances are you've come across their work. This video may very well be the best of 2007, and has been pinged around cyberspace enough to have ended up in your inbox a time or two.

Looking more like the unabomber than a rhyme slinger, Scroobius Pip (the bearded one) began as a small-town poet who seems to have stumbled into stardom (this Guardian interview is a laugh). But will his wit and snarky pop culture observations translate in Japan? My guess is no, but their beats beats make up for it.

Just hope they don't try covering Snoop Dog a cappella again...

JINKI