#also in their exchange of 'is this a diss rap / everyone has their own style / but is it a diss rap / no / freestyle? / it's a diss rap'

[dreamaze]

Save Giuk 9/� … from hyungu's lackluster diss rap

[hoochy-coo]

"WE know Abel isn’t a threat to Drake or his legacy but Drake doesn’t know that because he’s insecure and paranoid. Imo if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be signing all these one-hit-wonder artists in the guise of ‘nurturing’ them only to hop on their hit song and steal their thunder lmao"

But if he were insecure and paranoid why would he give so many new artists he doesn't need a shot on his album or even a feature if it's only to steal their thunder?(Which tbh is a stretch in itself because it implies that his own thunder's on a clock...three years since an album...still the most streamed musician on the planet) Why would he give Kendrick Lamar, niche-as-hell rapper in 2011 an entire interlude slot to himself on his album? Why throw out a feature worth 100k on Lil Baby or Blocboy JB for free? Why consistently praise a dude or even want to collaborate with them who just about used him and sneak disses after the fact? You hear of the "Drake Effect?" I think if he were as paranoid and insecure as you think he is, he wouldn't SHARE the thunder the way he has since about, 2009

Hmm...so I don’t think we’re gonna agree on this because of my personal read on Drake as an artist and as a male in general. BUT I do respect it and I do agree with some of your points. I also do agree that there is a ‘Drake effect’ for sure but I don’t think he’s resting easy knowing that he’s got that impact. 

In terms of why I think Drake would be cool with giving KDot, Lil Baby or Blocboy JB features and bugging them up, it’s because I view that as a mutually beneficial exchange for everyone involved. All those artists have their own little following so he’s bringing his audience to them and vice versa. All those artists also occupy a vastly different lane in rap than he does. KDot has hits, sure, but he’s not making party-feel-good mainstream rap that Drake has been doing. They’re not comparable because KDot will always be considered more of an MC and Drizzy will always be considered more as a rap star with a pop appeal. With Lil Baby, he also does a very different brand of rap (street rap, if you may) that’s never going to block Drake’s lane aka we’re never seeing Lil Baby on the pop chart (at least not on his own song anyway). Same goes for Blocboy JB. The Weeknd is a different situation for Drake because there is a massive overlap in sound and style from both of them. Their sounds weren’t all that different at the beginning and clearly, they’ve both branched out to do different things and explore different sounds, but they’re both still making it on the same, pop/mainstream chart. The way I see it, they both sneak disses each other but it’s again, mutually beneficial for them to collab or link up because their fans want to see that. If they announce that OVOXO album tmr, they’re both going to make a shit ton of money, sell out arenas and break records - they’re both going to win. 

[eng-hypnosismic]

Spoon Interview (Shirai Yusuke)

Please support spoon 2Di !! You might be able to find them on Amazon.jp (international credit cards accepted) and CD Japan. Please show Hypmic that international fans also contribute to the sales!!  This article is from vol. 41. 

Shirai Yusuke is the voice actor of Shibuya’s cute idol Amemura Ramuda. How did he perform the cuteness unique to the bubbly Ramuda, or his intriguing duality? We’ll be asking him about all that!

——How do you feel about the current boom of popularity?

“Until the release, I was still unsure about how well the hip-hop genre would be received, but now that I know a lot of people are listening to it, I’m delighted. I never imagined it would have such a sudden upsurge in popularity.”  

——During the nico-nama live stream the other day, you probably directly felt the reaction of the audiences.

“The enthusiasm was just incredible. I felt like we were all enjoying something new together.”  

——How did it feel to actually rap freestyle?

“I took up the challenge just like that, but freestyling was difficult (laughs). You have to get your words in rhythm, and keep going at it while rhyming nicely; I really felt the importance of wit, vocabularies, etc. However, it was something that I don’t usually do, so it was refreshing and felt good. If there’s another chance, I want to practice a bit more and take the challenge again no matter what!”

——So in hindsight, how did you feel when you heard about the project of Hypnosis Mic?

“Since I always sing songs of rappers I like at karaoke, a rap project seemed interesting to me. Actually, I auditioned for other characters instead of Ramuda. But then after that, they sent me an offer that said, “please be Amemura Ramuda.” There I saw Ramuda for the first time and was a bit shocked, like, “this cute boy... me?” So I had to go up to my manager and confirm with them if the role of this character was really offered to me (laughs).”

——Ramuda's visual is really cute like a girl (laughs).

“They directed me to make him bubbly and sly like he knows how cute he is.. However, even though his appearance is this cute, he’s still a grown man who’s 24 years old, so it has to be within reasons, as I was told. So I did my best to show as much slyness  as I can. I I have never played any characters look as androgynous as he does, and I think this is my first time playing a main character whose voice is this high-pitched.

——So you really focused on showing the cuteness and slyness while you’re performing as him.

“That’s right. Ramuda himself is also “clever, and understands how others see him [according to the character profiles],” meaning that he makes himself look cute; his slyness probably comes from him trying to act cute. So I thought that if that’s the case, I could pull it off, too. Therefore, when I voice Ramuda, I try to make sure I show a little of that forced cuteness.”

—— In the drama tracks of Fling Posse VS Matenrou, weren’t there parts when you had to also portray his other side?

“When I first voiced Ramuda, I didn’t know about his duality, so I didn’t act with the thought in mind that he had another side. Therefore, I was also shocked by that side of Ramuda!”

——Now that you have performed as him so far, what do you think Ramuda is like?

“He’s just full of mysteries. We still don’t know about his past, and just like how Gentaro was saying in the drama track, Ramuda is "too spotless" and it feels almost like it's all made up. In Fling Posse VS Matenrou, I played “Dark Ramuda.” ...that’s how I called his other side (laughs). Since I don’t know whether that was his true self or his acting, I am looking forward to how it will turn out. What’s more, since he also has connections with Kadenokouji Ichijiku-san (who is a high-ranking official of Chuo-ku), I think he’s going to be the key character of the plot. I am also looking forward to the story’s development.”

——It was really shocking that he was in communication with Ichijiku-san; as his voice actor, how did you feel about this?

“I had so much fun. Finally, I could talk in a comfortable tone (laughs)! Though I had also wondered if I should keep a little bit of his usual cute vibes, I intentionally changed [my voice] to the extent that it sounded like a different person. When people told me how shocked they were to find out about that Ramuda, it made me grin thinking, “I know right” (laughs).

——So what kind of team do you think Fling posse of Shibuya Division is?

“Fling posse started off with Ramuda forcing Gentaro and Dice to join, but taking that into consideration, they’re getting along pretty well. They have bright, pop-like vibes to them. However in the drama tracks of Fling Posse VS Matenrou, Gentaro was also suspicious of Ramuda, so they were both probing into each other and things were turning a bit sour… And then amongst them there is Dice who’s the only one not caring about anything (laughs). That’s why I think thanks to Dice, the team can maintain its balance. His lightheartedness really helps; I think he’s a great guy. Gentaro is a serial liar, Ramuda is full of mysteries, and maybe that’s how Dice’s straightforwardness stands out so much. Even though Dice loves gambling to death, he’s in general a sensible person. For example, he stood up for Gentaro when Hifumi dissed his clothes. When you see how much he treasures his friends, you can really tell that they’re ‘posse’. I am glad to see that their relationships have improved a lot compared to when they first started.”

——What do you think about the relationship between Ramuda and Dice?

“It feels a bit superficial. But since Dice trusts Ramuda, the exchange between the two is generally pleasant.”

——What about Gentaro then?

“Even though he likes saying “it’s a lie,” I think there has to be some truth in there. Anything could be a lie or a truth; it’s fun to ponder on it. Actually, I wonder if Ramuda already saw through what Gentaro was thinking; as I mentioned just now, in this CD’s drama track both Ramuda and Gentaro were figuring each other out. But Ramuda didn’t really let him know much more than what he revealed. However, there are also quite a few mysteries regarding Gentaro. For instance, he was angered by Hifumi’s comment on his vintage outfit, he seems to have all sorts of secrets. Not just Ramuda and Gentaro, everyone seems to have their own past. I really want to know about them soon.”

——What do you think is the strength of all three of them as Shibuya Division?

“Although they seem to have nothing in common, surprisingly they get along. I think their charm lies in their youthful, pop vibes, as well as their positivity.”

——As your opponents in Battle Battle Battle, what kind of team do you think Shinjuku Division is?

“Contrary to Shibuya’s youthfulness, Shinjuku are adults, and they are a team of mature appeal. However, they also surprisingly get along, which is nice. Jakurai-san seems like a loner at first,  and yet he goes fishing with Hifumi. Doppo and Hifumi were friends since they were very little, but I didn’t expect that they’re living together. They’re so close with each other.”

ーー In Jakurai and Ramuda's duet, it has awfully thrilling feelings when you listened to it, is there anything you were conscious of when you perform?

“I try to be offensive and snappy towards Jakurai at full power. Therefore, I exaggerate my expressions, and put extra effort in delivering the taunts. Honestly, I had fun doing that (laughs). They were in a team together in the past, but curiously he seems fine with Ichiro and Samatoki; it was only with Jakurai that he has this antagonism. Ikebukuro and Yokohama, or Ichiro and Samatoki are also hostile towards each other; I really want to know what happened between them.”

——We were only given some intriguing keywords. Like how Samatoki calls Ichiro a “hypocrite”, and that Jakurai mentioned that Rumuda had “done something inhuman”.

“Oh well, what inhuman things have you done, Ramuda…(laughs)”

——For the next part, I would like to know more about the songs. To start with, please tell us was there anything you were particular about or paid attention to while you were recording your solo song Drops?

“Since it’s a solo song, it is the most Ramuda-style song ever. When I recorded the very first drama track, I did the highest voice I could to show Ramuda’s cuteness, so at the song recording I was worried like, “do I have to rap in that tone all the way…!?” (laughs) However, once I found out that the song only had rapping at important parts [and the rest was singing], I remember feeling a bit more relieved (laughs). It’s a stylish and cool song, I like it.”

——While rapping with a cute impression is good, I think the faint, sexy undertone of a 24-year-old man in there was brilliant.

“I'm glad you say so! At the beginning of Ramuda's rap, the feeling of him acting all cute and charged up really was intense, and the pyon pyon part really hit the limit. I sang it like I'd exhausted all my brain cells (laughs). I tried to sing it at karaoke once, but my heart broke in the middle of it (laughs). I had wondered if I would be able to sing this live. Ah, but when this interview gets published, the live will have already taken place! I think it'd be nice if I can sing it well (laughs). However, my feelings of wanting to sing it in front of everyone are strong, so I think it'd be nice if I could sing it happily. Also, Gentaro’s VA, Saito Soma told me that he thinks the lyrics at the chorus -  "if you want to pick it up, do it" are superb! I was like, "ehh, is that so~" (laughs). Other people also told me the same thing, so I thought, "I guess it is~!”

——How about your division song, Shibuya Marble Texture - PCCS- then?

“This song is stylish, isn’t it! When I listened to it for the first time, I was surprised that this type of style can exist in the project, too. So far, all the songs have had either a fast tempo or they have loud and offensive moods to them. A rap with a relaxing tune was really refreshing. Although, Ramuda's voice was high as always (laughs). I think the song suits the evenings, so I listened to it on the way home from work. Because this song is the most recently recorded, I noticed some improvements in my skill after singing a lot of songs before it. At first I was really struggling, but it became more and more enjoyable as I went. Comparing it to the first time and the stage live... It's a bit embarrassing to say (laughs). Anyway, in contrast to the peaceful feeling of this song, the plot twist in the drama track is so...! There is this lyrics verse, "Shouldn't the world be more interesting?" rapped by Ramuda which makes you wonder which the true one is; the Ramuda of those lyrics or the one from the drama part. I think everyone ponders about that.

Since you can feel the bonds of those three in the lyrics "Side by side we watch the sunset", it would be nice if their bond pictured here [in the lyrics] is not a lie. It leaves a lot to the imagination.”

——On Ramuda and Gentaro's part, Dice who shouted their names was impressive, but on the contrary, when Dice got his, Ramuda was all-out with his, "Di~ce!", it was really cute.

“I put my everything in that ‘Dice’ (laughs). That part was originally not included in the song demo, but since Dice's VA, Nozuyama, shouted Ramuda and Gentaro's names, Ramuda decided to do it too when recording, because it’s not in character for Gentaro to do it. Speaking of which, Doppo's VA, Itou Kento, said he always listened to this song during the morning commute and that made me happy. It does get you in the mood if you listen to it when you are traveling!”

——Well then, how about Shibuya and Shinjuku's battle song, BATTLE BATTLE BATTLE?

“I'd say it was a real battle, like up until now, they never attacked each other, I think. In the song, there was a line, “Quit draggin’ someone’s past up to the surface over and over”. In that you could see a glimpse of the “Dark Ramuda”. Since the song was distributed before the CD release, if you listened to the song before the drama track, I think you would have been surprised like, "who was that just now?!" (laughs)

Still, I recorded that part separately, so I wondered how everyone would react when they have heard it. That too made me grin a bit while recording (laughs). Then during the verse which said, “without a promise, I won’t forgive that scenario”, he was already back to the usual Ramuda. But there was still a bit of the manly charm and his dark side left in there while I sang it; so when you listen to it, by all means please pay attention to that part.”

ーーHow was it when you heard the finished song together with rest of two members?

“I like how this song gave off the feeling of passing on a baton to each other while battling, but Gentaro's part was too tricky! I mean, it's difficult even if you were told that you can sing it, it’s just impossible (laughs). I really like that, while dodging Hifumi's diss, he provoked the other side with his last line, "A howling imbecile wouldn’t understand that, though, would he?"; I have been looping it in my head all this time. Also, with Dice going against Doppo, the salaryman, I like the feeling of how he struck a great blow with his last one phrase "I ain’t some collared pet.”

——Ramuda's taunting phrase "I’m disa~ppointed" was also good.

“If you were told something like that, you'd certainly get irritated (laughs). I can see Jakurai’s annoyed expression in my head (laughs).”

——Then, please tell us if you have a favorite character and a character you are interested in.

“It's (Iruma) Juto from Yokohama. Even if he is a policeman, he has this shady feeling, and I think how his manner in speaking holds hidden meanings is also nice. In the drama track, it is said that he even questioned Doppo in the past, but I feel like he changed a lot from his old days. Hifumi's duality is also interesting and how even if he is afraid of women, he works as host.”

——Do you have any favorite song aside from Ramuda's?

“Of course it's Ore Ga Ichiro from Kimura Subaru who plays as Ichiro. How he wrote the lyrics by himself is amazing, and the tune is just right. I thought that this guy is totally a rapper and that it was shown clearly.”

——It will be fun if a The Dirty Dawg song were to be made someday, with Ichiro and the legendary team The Dirty Dawg together.”

“Certainly, that possibility is also there! If the songs increase, there could be various combinations even outside the divisions, and perhaps there would be a rap for Dark Ramuda, too.”

——Hypnosis Mic held a Champagne Tower with everyone (the collab drink with karaoke shop), everyone in the cast gave off the impression that they were enjoying their work.

“That champagne tower party was totally private, and yet everyone gathered to that extent, I think that was amazing. Contents of Hypnosis Mic had been exciting so far and I think that it's really pleasing for a lot of people to accept it because we are having a lot of fun too. After all we got to listen to Hayami Show-san’s rap, right?”

——Right. How did listening to Hayami's rap feel like?

“Really cool! Because Hayami is Jakurai, I thought that as Ramuda I should do my best not to lose.”

——Thank you. Lastly, please give a message to your fans.

“By the time this interview gets published, I think we will have already finished the 2nd Live successfully and that the 3rd Live will be decided in November, too. It's unusual to conduct a live in such a short time span, but I think next time we can have fun with more people, so I'd be happy if you could come and play. I don't know how the story will progress according to the battle results, but I am also looking forward to see how Ramuda will get involved. I also want to work hard to improve my rapping skills, so I'd be happy if you can keep supporting Hypnosis Mic in the future.”