Creepy Nuts

Creepy Nuts, the Japanese rap duo formed by DJ Matsunaga and rapper R-Shitei, crafts a dynamic mix of vibrant and spontaneous rap anthems. They constructed their distinctive early style through various EPs from the late 2010s along with their initial full-length release, Creep Show. Major domestic recognition arrived via the 2021 album Case, which reached the third position and included the platinum-certified single “Nobishiro.” The year 2024 brought worldwide success through “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born,” an intense Jersey club track that shattered chart benchmarks and elevated them to worldwide prominence.

R-Shitei, whose real name is Kyohei Nogami and who began as a freestyle rapper, connected with DJ and producer DJ Matsunaga during their teenage years; the pair officially came together as Creepy Nuts in 2013, producing energetic rhymes atop lively, energetic instrumentals. Their initial release came in 2015 with “Setsuna,” followed by the EPs Tarinai Futari in 2016 and Joendanyusho in 2017 that solidified their characteristic approach. R-Shitei's diverse, frequently humorous lyrics addressing themes of solitude, societal pressures, and personal growth meshed effectively with Matsunaga’s energetic, vivid beats. After signing with Sony in 2017, they established their own label Creepers and returned with the single album Koko Debut, Daigaku Debut, Zenbu Shippai Shitakedo Major Debut, which offered a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the challenges of pursuing a music career.

The year 2018 saw the arrival of their first album Creep Show. This effort helped solidify their presence in Japan through a 20-show tour across the country and led to renewed demand for prior material, resulting in the compilation LP INDIES COMPLETE. During 2019, they took on hosting duties for the NRN radio program All Night Nippon and created its theme for the tenth anniversary, which became the namesake for their debut mini album Yofukashi no Uta released later that year. National recognition grew with the 2020 mini album Katsute Tensai Datta Oretachi e, which climbed to number five amid numerous stylistic shifts. This momentum continued with the 2021 follow-up album Case, a polished and well-received project that hit number three on Japanese charts and featured “Nobishiro,” marking their first platinum single. The subsequent year brought “Daten,” used as the theme for the vampire anime Call of the Night, along with their energetic third album Ensemble Play, also reaching the third spot domestically.

Global breakthrough occurred in 2024 via “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born.” The track sparked a viral “‘BBBB” dance challenge across social platforms; this Jersey club anthem ascended to the top position in Japan, reached number eight on the Billboard Global 200, and achieved the second-longest streak at number one on the Billboard Japan Hot 100. Following this international breakthrough, they released the follow-up single “Otonoke” and revealed plans for their fourth studio album, LEGION.