ISSUGI "GEMZ" CD

ISSUGI is a member of MONJU/SICK TEAM and a rapper who has a wide range of activities as a solo artist and has demonstrated his rare talent as a beatmaker/DJ under the name 16FLIP. He has an overwhelming presence both inside and outside the scene, and his new album is "GEMZ"!

The new album under the name of ISSUGI, which is the first in a long time, features BUDAMUNK (SICK TEAM), HIKARU ARATA (WONK), KAN INOUE (WONK), TAKUMI KANEKO (CRO-MAGNON), MELRAW, and DJ K-FLASH as band members. In addition to new songs produced with these members, songs under his own name, SICK TEAM, and MONJU are reconstructed and remade. 5lack, Senninsho, Mr.PUG, OYG, KOJOE, DEVIN MORRISON, and 16FLIP are participating.

◆ ISSUGI is a rapper who is a member of MONJU/SICK TEAM and, in recent years, has been active as a solo artist, releasing albums in collaboration with artists such as SCRATCH NICE, GRADIS NICE and BES, as part of the project "7INC TREE" which releases 7 EPs every month, planning a program that follows the production of these EPs through video, appearing as guest performers on works by his friends Senninsho, KID FRESINO, PUNPEE and KOJOE, and performing live all over the country.He has also demonstrated his rare talent as a beatmaker/DJ, releasing songs under the name 16FLIP featuring Georgia Anne Muldrow, who is known for her releases on Stones Throw and Brainfeeder.He continues to have an overwhelming presence both inside and outside the scene.

◆ This is ISSUGI's first original album under his own name since 2013's ``EARR'', and it incorporates live sounds from sessions with various musicians that have been performed live several times to date, garnering much attention. ISSUGI's band members include BUDAMUNK (pads), WONK's HIKARU ARATA (drums), KAN INOUE (bass), CRO-MAGNON's TAKUMI KANEKO (keys), MELRAW (sax, flute, trumpet, guitar) and DJ K-FLASH (turntable).

◆ The album was made through repeated sessions with these artists, and was produced at Red Bull Studio with the support of Red Bull. The sound was constructed using a variety of approaches, with some tracks being entirely live, others reconstructed by BUDAMUNK based on studio sessions, and others being replays of tracks by 16FLIP, making this an album produced using a process different from his previous albums. It once again pushes the maturity and strength of his sound as a hip-hop artist, showing new horizons. 5lack, Senninsho, Mr.PUG, OYG, KOJOE, Devin Morrison, and 16FLIP are featured.

Members are…
RAP: ISSUGI / DRUMS: HIKARU ARATA (WONK) / BASS: KAN INOUE (WONK) / PADS: BUDAMUNK / TURNTABLE: DJ K-FLASH / KEYS: TAKUMI KANEKO (CRO-MAGNON) / SAX, FLUTE, TRUMPET, GUITAR: MELRAW

■Track list