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RIP SLYME

(Redirected from Rip Slyme)
RIP SLYME promoting "Long Vacation" (2013)

RIP SLYME is a Japanese hip-hop group. Currently signed onto Warner Music Japan, the members are RYO-Z, ILMARI, PES & SU who serve as vocals (MCs) and FUMIYA who serves as DJ.

The name RIP SLYME is made from the initials for three of the member's names and a popular toy at the time.
R YO-Z
I LMARI
P ES
RIP SLYME
SU & DJ FUMIYA were members added later and therefore are not included in the title.

Known for their way of using pop influenced hip-hop to create memorable tunes, they remain one of the biggest names in the music industry with a career fully of 12 years and connections with Tomoyuki Tanaka (Fantastic Plastic Machine), RHYMESTER, HALCALI, RAM RIDER, EAST END X YURI & Dragon Ash.

Memmbers

Former Members

Biography

The group had originally started in 1994, whose founding members RYO-Z AND ILMARI were old friends and dreamed of starting a music group together. With the addition of Pes, ILMARI's school friend & two DJs, they won a popular amateur rapping contest "Young MCs in Town" in the same year.

In 1997, DJ FUMIYA had joined the group, formerly known for DJing for SPEED & DA PUMP. In 1998, SU, who was friends with FUMIYA's older brother, joined the group. SU as well had participated in past groups such as being a backup dancer for EAST END X YURI.

The group were featured in the 1999 Dragon Ash Total Music Communication and reprising for 2000 and joined Tanabe Agency, a talent agency responsible names such as Tamori.

All their music were released under FILE RECORDS with the exception of their single "Mata Au Hi Made" which was released under the Warner Indies Label. In 2001, they officially signed onto Warner Music Japan, releasing their first major single "STEPPER'S DELIGHT".

RYO-Z & FUMIYA have teamed together to create O.T.F. (Oshare Track Factory) in 2003 responsible for the popular duo HALCALI. O.T.F. relies on RYO-Z's ability as a lyricist (being the only member who has never written a song) & FUMIYA's skills as a composer. PES has been working with clothing label Optimystik since 2005 and has worn their clothes for certain lives. ILMARI, with members of Dragon Ash formed a short lived unit Steady&Co. in 2001 and collaborated with singer Salyu to release the single "VALON" in 2004. He was well was chosen as one of the several Japanese celebrities to be the face of the GAP's 10th Anniversary campaign in 2005 alongside names such as BoA and HIRO of EXILE.

Their song Super Shooter, a B-side to their GALAXY single was used as the opening for the popular anime Gantz. When asked for the song, RYO-Z, PES & FUMIYA were ecstatic while SU & ILMARI only showed mild interest.

FUMIYA & SU are both childhood friends along with SMAP's Nakai Masahiro. They are occasionally on the popular music show Utaban with childhood stories. They were noted as the first hip-hop act to perform at the prestigous Nippon Budokan and one of their concerts had sold out in less than five minutes.

ILMARI & RYO-Z were both chosen, alongside m-flo's VERBAL & Kaze no Hito's WISE to form the five man group created by Nigo (creator of A Bathing Ape clothes), TERIYAKI BOYZ in 2005. They released one album BEEF or CHICKEN in November, the songs produced by big names such as Ad-Rock of Beastie Boys fame and The Neptunes. They will release a Tour DVD THE OFFICIAL Delivery Icchou on March 29th.

All members are married. In 2002 according to Japan Zone SU married an office lady on a cruise ship. They eventually divorced, and he started dating Kimura Kaela in 2007 [1]. RYO-Z married an office lady in 2006. PES married a non-celebrity woman in January 2013 [2]. FUMIYA married Chiaki Nakajima (also known as "Chii") and registered their marriage on 2004.12.28 (coincidentally the same date as RIP SLYME's Masterpiece Tour) according to Sanspo.com. Chii has participated in several RIP SLYME songs, such as "Blow" and "Nettaiya".

Commercials

In 2003, the song "Niji" from their album TIME TO GO was used by Docomo & Toyota for a new joint product. Their song "JOINT" was again used by DoCoMo. Nike came in 2005 to remix STEPPER'S DELIGHT by popular UK artist Tricky and feature it in a commercial with soccer legend Ronaldinho. "STEPPER'S DELIGHT" was given the honor to be the first Japanese song to be used in a Nike commercial aired throughout all of Asia.

Following the flow, Namco hired the group to create a song for the commercials of the popular fighting game Tekken 5. This was composed by PES and featured lyrics quite different from originally thought. Their song "Super Shooter" (B-side to "GALAXY") was again used for the image song of the Kirin Cup Soccer's 2005 image song.

In 2006, they participated in Toyota's MTV Mashup Project with former BOØWY member Hotei Tomoyasu. Together they created BATTLE FUNKASTIC that merged the style RIP SLYME's single "FUNKASTIC" along with Hotei's "Battle Without Honor or Humanity". This song was sold as a separate single but as well as a c/w to the "Hot Chocolate" single.

In 2007, "Tales" was used in commercials for the Tokyo Heart metro system. The music video starred Aoi Miyazaki, who had preciously worked with them in the music video for "Dandelion" in 2004. RIP SLYME would then team up with Sony, promoting the new six colored Sony VAIO laptops with their song "I・N・G" in its music video.

Discography

RIP SLYME promoting JOURNEY (2009)
RIP SLYME promoting Good Times (2010)

Studio Albums

Best Albums

Live Albums

Other Albums

Singles

Split Singles

Digital Singles

Video Releases

Publications

Photobooks

  • [2002.05] RIP STYLE
  • [2003.04] Todokanu Omoi (届かぬ思い)

External Links