J Soul Brothers

Third Generation J Soul Brothers promoting the single "On Your Mark ~Hikari no Kiseki~" (2010)

J Soul Brothers is a J-POP/R&B dance vocals unit that is produced by HIRO and EXILE.

Members

Second Generation J Soul Brothers

First Generation (Daiikki; 1999 - 2001)

• Vocals
  • SASA

• Performers
  • HIRO
  • MATSU
  • USA
  • MAKIDAI

Second Generation (Dainiki; 2007-2009)

• Vocals
  • NESMITH
  • SHOKICHI

• Performers
  • KENCHI
  • KEIJI
  • TETSUYA
  • NAOTO
  • NAOKI

Third Generation (Daisanki; 2010 - )

• Vocals
  • Imaichi Ryoji (今市隆二)
  • Tosaka Hiroomi (登坂広臣)

• Performers
  • NAOTO (Leader)
  • NAOKI (Leader)
  • ELLY
  • Yamashita Kenjiro (山下健二郎)
  • Iwata Takanori (岩田剛典)

Information

In 1991, then ZOO member HIRO had an idea to create a group named JAPAN SOUL BROTHERS. But, he didn't find the other members of his group until 1999 when vocalist SASA and performers MATSU, USA and MAKIDAI decided to join the group. The five-member group released their self-titled single in 1999 on the label avex. However, vocalist SASA decided to quit the group in order to focus more on a solo career two years later. This left HIRO to merge the group into his other group EXILE to create a 14 member group.

On January 2007, EXILE announced at the beginning of the EXILE LIVE TOUR 2007 EXILE EVOLUTION concert tour that J Soul Brothers would be revived with new members. At the end of the tour in August, "EXILE Vocal Battle Audition 2006 〜ASIAN DREAM〜" finalists NESMITH and SHOKICHI were added as the new vocalists while KENCHI, KEIJI, and TETSUYA were added as the new performers. Both NAOTO and NAOKI were added three months later to group as performers at the COLOR LIVE TOUR 2007 BLUE concert tour.

The second generation released a total of four singles under an indies label. The group also released their first self-titled album on February 2009. However, the group was put on hiatus once again when it was announced that all the second generation members would be joining EXILE a month after the album's release.

The hiatus didn't last long as it was announced on the show Shuukan EXILE in July 2010 that new members were going to be once more added to J Soul Brothers. The new members of the group's third generation added were "EXILE Presents VOCAL BATTLE AUDITION 2 ~Yume wo Motta Wakamono-tachi e~" finalists Yamashita Kenjiro and Iwata Takanori as vocalists and ELLY, Yamashita Kenjiro. and Iwata Takanori as performers. Second generation members NAOTO, and NAOKI were re-added as leaders of the performers. The new generation released their first single, entitled "Best Friend's Girl", on November 2010.

Discography

Albums

• [2009.02.25] J Soul Brothers

Singles

• [1999.10.20] J Soul Brothers (Daiikki)
• [2000.03.29] D.T.B. (Daiikki)
• [2000.10.04] Fly away (Daiikki)
• [2008.05.07] WE! (Dainiki; Indie)
• [2008.08.20] FREAKOUT! (Dainiki; Indie)
• [2008.11.19] Be On Top (Dainiki; Indie)
• [2009.01.07] My Place (Dainiki; Indie)
• [2010.11.10] Best Friend's Girl (Daisanki)
• [2010.12.01] On Your Mark ~Hikari no Kiseki~ (On Your Mark〜ヒカリのキセキ〜) (Daisanki)

Collaboration / Others

• [2008.07.23] EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST (#14 My Buddy / EXILE TAKAHIRO + NESMITH, SHOKICHI (J Soul Brothers))
• [2008.07.30] BLACK ~A night for you~ (#5 BUDDY feat. J Soul Brothers)
• [2008.09.24] "The Birthday ~Ti Amo~" (#3 24karats feat. J Soul Brothers & DOBERMAN INC)
• [2008.12.03] EXILE BALLAD BEST (#14 Love Dream & Happiness)

External Links

• Official Website
• Former avex Website
• Japanese Wikipedia: J Soul Brothers