Rip Slyme

Biography

Rip Slyme (often stylized all uppercase) is a Japanese hip hop group composed of four MCs (Ryouji "Ryo-Z" Narita, Ilmari, Pes and Su) and a DJ, Fumiya. Their sound is influenced by old-school hip hop and other western rappers such as the Pharcyde, De La Soul, Public Enemy, Jurassic 5, the Beastie Boys, DJ Premier and Leaders of the New School.
During their career, they have released two indie albums, ten major albums, one live album, one indies collection, and three best-of albums. They released six singles as an indie act, and 17 with a major label.
On October 31, 2018, the group announced that they were suspending all activities. This announcement came six months after a tabloid alleged that Su was cheating on his wife and the group started conducting activities without him. Rip Slyme’s website has since shut down. Pes left the group as well in November 2017, but this was unknown to the general public until October 2021.
On April 15, 2021, Rip Slyme, now the trio of Ryo-Z, Ilmari & Fumiya, returned with the first of what was said to be five monthly singles, "Human Nature×Human Nature15 April 2022 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Human Nature3:04". In April 2025, they announced that Pes and Su would be rejoining and the group would perform again as a five-piece until March of 2026.

Career

The group was formed in 1994 by Ryo-Z and Ilmari, who were later joined by Pes (he attended the same school as Ilmari). The Rip in Rip Slyme stands for their initials. Slime was a popular children's toy at that time. Their name is also a pun on the phrase "lips' rhyme". After winning an amateur rapping contest "Young MCs In Town", they started their musical career with a guest spot on fellow Japanese rap group Mellow Yellow's 1995 album Mellow Yellow Baby, and the release of their first album Lips Rhyme the same year. In 1997, DJ Fumiya (who had studied under East End X Yuri's DJ Yoggy) joined the group, and in 1998, Su (previously a backup dancer for East End X Yuri), joined during recording of their second album, "Talkin' Cheap×talkin' cheap21 February 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Cheap Talk3:432Recess : Fellow0:523白日 (album version)4:054Fade Away4:325Zeek2:176Searchin'4:077サヨナラを言わせないで2:478風に吹かれて4:319真昼に見た夢5:3310Recess : Bush1:4311Tones4:3912At the Lounge5:3513Recess : rub delight2:5514真昼に見た夢 (MUMMY-D remix)6:10", which was released later that year. In the years following this album release, Rip Slyme also took part in Dragon Ash's Total Communication event.
Becoming more successful, they signed to Warner Music Group in 2000. By then they had released several indie singles including their EP "Underline No. 5" and "Mata Au Hi Made" which had received the help of Fantastic Plastic Machine. "Mata Au Hi Made" was released on Warner Music Group's Indies label. Their first major single was "Stepper's Delight" released 22 March 2001. The title was a play on the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight".
In general, Fumiya composes most of the music, while Ryo-Z, Pes, Ilmari, and Su write their own lyrics. However, before Fumiya became a member, Pes composed most of the songs. Each member has tried their hand at composing music for Rip Slyme, and Pes occasionally played guitar on some tracks (Such as Home and More & More, for example). Allegedly, Pes was in a rock band before being introduced to hip hop music by Ilmari and Ryo-Z.
In 2002, they received MTV Video Music Awards Japan for "Best Newcomer" and "Best Hip-hop Group".
The same year they released a big-budget album "Tokyo Classic×TOKYO CLASSIC23 July 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1By the Way3:07A2Tokyo Classic4:03A3楽園ベイベー5:05A4花火7:01B1FUNKASTIC4:41B2奇跡の森4:03B3バンザイ3:21B4One4:48", which became Japan's first million-selling hip-hop album, with a sound compared to James Brown's soul and funk. Two singles from the album, "Funkastic×FUNKASTIC27 March 2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1FUNKASTIC4:432Disco-Mmunication4:543Home4:03" and "Rakuen Baby" collected MTV awards in 2003. "Super Shooter", featured as a B-side to their
single "Galaxy×GALAXY7 July 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1GALAXY5:242STRANGE5:283Super Shooter4:44", is also the theme song for the anime Gantz.
From late 2005 (after the release of Good Job! in August) through 2006, DJ Fumiya took an extended break, citing illness. For performances, a friend of the band, DJ Soma, was a stand-in. Fumiya returned to activity for concerts in late summer 2006, and for the Rip Slyme release, Epoch.
On 7 July 2007, Rip Slyme performed their single "Nettaiya" at Live Earth in Kyoto, Japan. Later that year, they would go on to release their fifteenth major single, "Speed King×SPEED KING7 November 2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1SPEED KING4:522obsession3:133Wonderful (CHRISTMAS CLASSIC version)4:46", and their seventh Warner album, Funfair×FUNFAIR28 November 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Introduction1:192NP4:383Bubble Trouble4:014SPEED KING4:535Tales4:296残念ボーイ3:327concourse10:488EVOLUTION4:039Fa-a-ar4:2110I・N・G4:5111concourse20:5812Remember5:2413熱帯夜4:5014StroboX3:5515流れの中で5:14, shortly after.
In summer 2008, they released "Taiyou to Bikini". Later that year, three digital singles would debut, all of which would be on the February 2009 single "Stairs×STAIRS25 February 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1STAIRS4:132love & hate5:013Supreme3:30". Rip Slyme released their eighth album, Journey×JOURNEY10 June 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Intro0:312Good Day5:413太陽とビキニ4:074Rock'n' Roll Radio3:335Do it !2:546Journey3:417love & hate4:538Watch out !3:519Here comes the Hero3:5210ヒッチハイクガール3:0711SPLASH3:0812STAIRS4:1113Beauty Focus5:46, on June 10, 2009.
Rip Slyme has provided voiceover work as well as new ending theme for the Japanese dub of SpongeBob SquarePants, replacing the original ending theme. The first episode was first used on April 1, 2009, and was used until 2019.
In 2010, Rip Slyme was one of the artists launched on Warner Music's new sublabel, unBORDE.
They provided the theme song for the Japanese release for Despicable Me, "Good Times (Bad Times remix)".
The theme song for the Japanese version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014 film) is "Secret de Onegaishimasu" by them.
In October 2021, during the group's hiatus, Pes announced that he had quietly parted ways with Rip Slyme in November 2017 and stated that "a reunion would be difficult" due to the tensions he had with the other members.
From 2022 to 2024, the group reunited, released new music, and performed live as a three-piece, now with two stand ins for the retired members: Wise, with whom Ryo-Z and Ilmari already collaborated in Teriyaki Boyz, performing for Su, as well as Emi Okamoto from Friends replacing Pes. In April 2025, however, they announced that they would be reuniting with the original five-person lineup until March 22, 2026, the twenty-fifth anniversary of their major debut.

Side projects

Ilmari formed a short lived group with Kj and BOTS of Dragon Ash, and Shigeo of Skebo King called Steady & Co. The group released their debut album Chambers in 2001. Ilmari and Ryo-Z along with Wise, Verbal of M-Flo, and Nigo the founder of A Bathing Ape formed a super group known as Teriyaki Boyz. The Teriyaki Boyz released two albums: Beef or Chicken (2005) and Serious Japanese (2009). In 2012 Ilmari formed a Hip-Hop/Rock band the Beatmoss with Kosen, Yas, and Sohnosuke. The group released two albums: The Beatmoss Vol. 1 (2012) and The Beatmoss Vol. 2 (2013). Pes released his first solo album, Suteki na Koto in 2012.

Members

Ryo-Z: Ryouji Narita (成田亮治 Narita Ryouji), born July 15, 1974
Ilmari: Keisuke Ogihara (荻原恵介 Ogihara Keisuke), b. June 17, 1975
DJ Fumiya: Fumiya Takeuchi (竹内文也 Takeuchi Fumiya), b. March 14, 1979
Pes: Masatsugu Chiba (千葉昌嗣 Chiba Masatsugu), b. December 27, 1976
Su: Kazuto Otsuki (大槻一人 Kazuto Ootsuki), b. November 20, 1973

Other albums and songs

Superliminal (M-Flo, 2026), song: "Arigatto×ARIGATTO17 September 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1ARIGATTO4:01" (as m-flo loves Rip Slyme)