Biography
Since emerging in 1999, m-flo have achieved strong commercial results in Japan through a fusion of hip-hop, club sounds, and a confident pop approach. Their sound draws from jazz, soul, 2-step, and drum'n'bass, setting them apart from the narrower R&B and hip-hop framework common among their peers. The memorable, chant-style rhymes and personal style of rapper Verbal further establish him as a standout figure in Japanese hip-hop. Originally a three-member act consisting of Verbal, turntablist and producer Taku, and vocalist Lisa, the group later expanded its network through partnerships with prominent Japanese pop and R&B figures including Maki Nomiya of Pizzicato Five, Ryuichi Sakamoto, BoA, and Crystal Kay.
Verbal, a second-generation Korean born Ryu Yong Gi, first connected with Taku Takahashi at an international school in Tokyo. During high school Verbal encountered hip-hop for the first time through Run-D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way," yet the pair soon parted, with Verbal heading to the U.S. East Coast to study theology at Boston University while Taku relocated to California to develop his DJ abilities.
After both returned to Japan they committed fully to music and launched m-flo in 1998, a name Verbal has described as shorthand for "media-rite," blending "media" and "meteorite." An early track, "The Way We Were," reworked the Barbra Streisand composition of the same title and appeared on a subsidiary of Avex Trax, the nation's largest independent label.
The group advanced to another Avex Trax subsidiary for its debut album, Planet Shining, which entered the Oricon charts at number six in 2000. Both this release and the follow-up, Expo Expo, issued the next year, positioned the singing and pop hooks of Lisa (Elizabeth Sakura Narita) alongside Taku's polished production ahead of Verbal's rapping, while the arrangements explored drum'n'bass and 2-step textures more boldly than typical Japanese "hip-pop." Lisa departed in 2002 to focus on solo work.
Operating thereafter as a duo, m-flo adapted smoothly to the decline of drum'n'bass and 2-step at the turn of the millennium. Their 2004 album Astromantic, the first in three years, incorporated electro, jazz, and house elements and peaked at number two domestically. Its lead single, "Reeewind!," featured Crystal Kay and inaugurated the long-running "m-flo loves..." series of collaborations, later encompassing former Shibuya-kei figures such as Kahimi Karie and veteran performer and television personality Akiko Wada. The fourth album, Beat Space Nine, extended the series and improved on its predecessor by reaching number one upon release in 2005.
That same year Verbal contributed rhymes to the Japanese hip-hop supergroup Teriyaki Boyz, whose album Beef or Chicken appeared on Def Jam and reached the Top Five thanks to its roster of international producers that included King Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, and Daft Punk. The project united some of the country's most respected and engaging MCs: Verbal, Ilmari and Ryo-Z from Rip Slyme, and Wise from Kaze No Hito, with Nigo, founder of the Bathing Ape clothing label, handling production.
Verbal, a second-generation Korean born Ryu Yong Gi, first connected with Taku Takahashi at an international school in Tokyo. During high school Verbal encountered hip-hop for the first time through Run-D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way," yet the pair soon parted, with Verbal heading to the U.S. East Coast to study theology at Boston University while Taku relocated to California to develop his DJ abilities.
After both returned to Japan they committed fully to music and launched m-flo in 1998, a name Verbal has described as shorthand for "media-rite," blending "media" and "meteorite." An early track, "The Way We Were," reworked the Barbra Streisand composition of the same title and appeared on a subsidiary of Avex Trax, the nation's largest independent label.
The group advanced to another Avex Trax subsidiary for its debut album, Planet Shining, which entered the Oricon charts at number six in 2000. Both this release and the follow-up, Expo Expo, issued the next year, positioned the singing and pop hooks of Lisa (Elizabeth Sakura Narita) alongside Taku's polished production ahead of Verbal's rapping, while the arrangements explored drum'n'bass and 2-step textures more boldly than typical Japanese "hip-pop." Lisa departed in 2002 to focus on solo work.
Operating thereafter as a duo, m-flo adapted smoothly to the decline of drum'n'bass and 2-step at the turn of the millennium. Their 2004 album Astromantic, the first in three years, incorporated electro, jazz, and house elements and peaked at number two domestically. Its lead single, "Reeewind!," featured Crystal Kay and inaugurated the long-running "m-flo loves..." series of collaborations, later encompassing former Shibuya-kei figures such as Kahimi Karie and veteran performer and television personality Akiko Wada. The fourth album, Beat Space Nine, extended the series and improved on its predecessor by reaching number one upon release in 2005.
That same year Verbal contributed rhymes to the Japanese hip-hop supergroup Teriyaki Boyz, whose album Beef or Chicken appeared on Def Jam and reached the Top Five thanks to its roster of international producers that included King Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, and Daft Punk. The project united some of the country's most respected and engaging MCs: Verbal, Ilmari and Ryo-Z from Rip Slyme, and Wise from Kaze No Hito, with Nigo, founder of the Bathing Ape clothing label, handling production.
Albums
Singles
