Dragon Ash

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Dragon Ash (ドラゴンアッシュ, Doragon Ashu^?) are a Japanese rock group led by rap mogul Kenji Furuya. They are an icon in Japan and were one of the first groups to popularize hip hop in Japan. They brought a western flavor to Japanese music and helped to turn rap music mainstream, with a mixture of reggae, rap, rap-rock, punk, Spanish, and R&B influences. Some of their best known songs include "Grateful Days", "Life Goes On", and "I Love Hip Hop". The group uses various samples, most notably from the famous American alternative rock group, The Smashing Pumpkins. These songs include "Cherub Rock", in which they sample the bass line from The Smashing Pumpkins song by the same name, and "Grateful Days" in which they sample the opening of "Today"; they also named the song "Siva" after the Pumpkins song.

Dragon Ash has gained some popularity outside Japan when the song Shizuka na Hibi no Kaidan Wo was used as the ending theme for the popular Japanese movie, Battle Royale. Kenji Furuya has also worked on several side projects in recent years, including being the frontman of Steady & Co., a Japanese hip hop and music production group consisting of himself, Bots, Ilmari of Rip Slyme, and Shigeo of SBK (Skebo King). In addition to Steady & Co., Furuya has also collaborated with other Japanese hip hop artists on the Mob Squad album and subsequent label.

Dragon Ash is also popular in lots of places around the globe. Not only did they have a huge influence on Japan, but they also are known mostly around Asia.

Kenji has stated in several interviews that the reason Dragon Ash started out as a pseudo-punk band was because, at the time, punk was popular in Japan, and his handlers felt that the hip hop image wouldn't sell. He has also noted that hip hop has always been first in his book, but he did what was necessary to become successful in the industry. Dragon Ash is a member of Mob Squad, which is an affiliation with the bands Source and Endive.

Members

• Kenji "Kj" Furuya – vocals, guitar
• Ikuzo "Iküzöne" Baba – bass
• Makoto Sakurai – drums
• Bots – DJ, samples, joined in 1999
• Hiroki – electric guitar, joined in 2003
• Atsushi – dance, joined in 2003
• Dri-V – dance, joined in 2003

Awards & Nominations

2002

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Rock Artist (Winner)
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Group
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Live Performance
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Website

2003

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Rock Video - Fantasista

2004

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Rock Video - Morrow
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Group Video - Morrow

2007

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best buzzASIA Japan - Ivory

Discography

Albums

• 1997: Mustang!
• 1998: Buzz Songs
• 1999: Viva La Revolution
• 2001: Lily Of Da Valley
• 2003: Harvest
• 2004: Harvest Remixes
• 2005: Río de Emoción
• 2007: Independiente
• 2009: Freedom

EPs

• 1997: The Day Dragged On
• 1997: Public Garden

Singles/maxi singles

• 1997: "Rainy Day And Day"
• 1998: "Hi Wa Mata Noborikuri Kaesu"
• 1998: "Under Age's Song"
• 1999: "Let Yourself Go, Let Myself Go"
• 1999: "Grateful Days"
• 1999: "I Love Hip Hop"
• 2000: "Deep Impact"
• 2000: "Summer Tribe"
• 2000: "Lily's E.P."
• 2002: "Life Goes On"
• 2002: "Fantasista"
• 2003: "Morrow"
• 2004: "Shade"
• 2005: "Crush The Window"
• 2005: "Yuunagi Union"
• 2006: "Ivory"
• 2006: "Few Lights Till Night"
• 2006: "Yume de Aetara"
• 2008: "Velvet Touch"
• 2008: "Tsunagari Sunset"
• 2009: "Unmei Kyoudoutai"

LPs

• 1998: Free Your Mind #33
• 2000: Deep Impact
• 2000: Summer Tribe
• 2000: Episode 2
• 2000: Amploud
• 2000: Shizuka na Hibi no Kaidan Wo
• 2004: Harvest Remixes

Compilation albums

• 2007: The Best Of Dragon Ash With Changes Vol.1
• 2007: The Best Of Dragon Ash With Changes Vol.2

Split albums

• 2003: Mob Squad

VHS

• 1998: Buzz Clips
• 2001: Lily Da Video
• 2003: Posse In Video

DVD

• 2001: Buzz Clips
• 2001: Lily Da Video
• 2003: Posse In Video
• 2005: Video de Emoción
• 2007: The Best Of Dragon Ash With Changes

Music Videos

From The Day Dragged On

• "天使ノロック (Tenshi no Rokku)" (1997)

From Public Garden

• "Ability → Normal" (1997)

From Mustang!

• "Rainy Day And Day" (1997)

From Buzz Songs

• "陽はまたのぼりくりかえす (Hi Wa Mata Noborikuri Kaesu)" (1998)
• "Under Age's Song" (1998)

From I Love Hip Hop

• "I Love Hip Hop" (1999)

From Viva La Revolution

• "Let Yourself Go, Let Myself Go" (1999)
• "Grateful Days" ft. Zeebra, ACO (1999)
• "Rock The Beat" (1999)

From Summer Tribe

• "Summer Tribe" (2000)

From Lily Of Da Valley

• "Deep Impact" ft. Rappagariya (2000)
• "Amploud" (2000)
• "静かな日々の階段を (Shizuka na Hibi no Kaidan Wo)" (2000)
• "Bring It" (2001)
• "Revolater" (2001)
• "Sunset Beach" (2001)

From Life Goes On

• "Life Goes On" (2002)

From Harvest

• "Fantasista" (2002)
• "Revive" (2003)
• "Morrow" (2003)
• "Episode 4" ft. SHUN, SHIGEO (2003)

From Shade

• "Shade" (2004)

From Río de Emoción

• "Crush The Window" (2005)
• "夕凪Union (Yuunagi Union)" (2005)
• "Los Lobos" (2005)
• "Palmas Rock" ft. UZI-ONE (2005)
• "Scarlet Needle" (2005)

From Independiente

• "Ivory" (2006)
• "Few Lights Till Night" (2006)
• "夢で逢えたら (Yume de Aetara)" (2006)
• "Fly" (2007)

From The Best Of Dragon Ash With Changes Vol.2

• "Wipe Your Eyes" ft. Kaori Mochida from ELT (Every Little Thing) (2007)

From Freedom

• "Velvet Touch" (2008)
• "La Bamba" (2008)
• "Tsunagari Sunset" (2008)
• "Unmei Kyoudoutai" (2009)

External links

• Official website
• Mob Squad
• AOG Market