M-Flo

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m-flo (エムフロウ, Emu Furō^?) is a Japanese hip hop group consisting of producer and DJ Taku Takahashi and emcee Verbal. Former member Lisa left the group in 2002 to pursue a solo career.

As of 2008, the group have released five studio albums, all of which have been top-ten hits in Japan.

History

Before m-flo

Verbal (born Ryu Yong Gi [Korean: 류영기/유영기, Hanja: 柳榮起]) and Taku Takahashi (高橋 拓, Takahashi Taku^?) first met as students at St. Mary's International School in Tokyo.^[1] The pair collaborated together in the group N.M.D., in which Takahashi was drummer and Verbal emceed, as well as throwing dance parties where they often performed together freestyle. Following highschool graduation, Verbal took up studying at Boston College and the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary^[1] in Boston while Taku relocated to study in Los Angeles. As a result they are both fluent in English and use it frequently in their songs. Following their return to Japan, the duo began performing in clubs and on television^[1] hoping to attract the attention of record companies. In 1998, Taku met Asakawa Masaji, the director of management company Artimage and DJ of the group GTS. Masaji invited Taku to produce a reworking of Barbra Streisand's The Way We Were with a rap by Verbal, originally intended as a GTS release. The song was released on vinyl in 1998 on Avex Trax's Rhythm Republic indie imprint and later on the compilation album The Intergalactic Collection ~ギャラコレ~, and sold about 1000 units.^[1]

Forming m-flo

Following the release of "The Way We Were", Verbal and Taku invited Lisa Elizabeth Sakura Narita (成田 エリザベス 桜, Narita Erizabesu Sakura^?), a friend while at St. Mary's who at the time was performing under the pseudonym "Unika" solo and in several underground projects trying to gain credit as a musician,^[1] to collaborate with them on a second single, Been so long, released under the m-flo name. The name, originally "Meteorite Flow^[2]", was considered too long, and was shortened by the group's label to "m-flo". Verbal has commented that "There's no deep meaning to it. I guess we want to have an impact (in music) like a meteorite."^[1] The song was released on a limited-run vinyl with Rhythm Republic in 1998, attracting the attention of the major Avex Trax sublabel Rhythm Zone.

1999–2000: Planet Shining

The group's first release with Rhythm Zone, The Tripod E.P., was a double a-side single which included a re-release of "Been So Long" alongside new track "Flo Jack" and was released on July 7, 1999. The EP gained the group a #7 position on the Oricon charts, and "been so long" was licensed by Konami for inclusion in Beatmania IIDX 3rd Style alongside the group's third single, "L.O.T. (Love or Truth)". A further four singles were released prior to the release of the group's first full-length album, Planet Shining, on February 23, 2000. The album reached #6 in the Oricon charts.

2000–2002: Expo Expo, Lisa's departure

Following the release of the Planet Shining remix album The Replacement Percussionists in August 2000, the group released the first single from their second album, "How You Like Me Now?", on September 1, 2000. In January of the following year they released "Come Again", which achieved a #4 position in the Oricon charts and was their highest-selling single to date, selling 389,760 units^[3] and landing in the top 50 highest-selling singles in Japan for 2001. The group's second album, Expo Expo, was released on March 28, 2001, and reached #3 on the Oricon charts.

The group followed Expo Expo with a tour of Japan, released on CD and DVD in September 2001, and an album of remixes from Expo Expo, Expo Bouei Robot Gran Sonik, in November.

Following the release of Gran Sonik, Lisa announced her departure from the group to pursue a solo career in early 2002.

2003–2008: m-flo Loves…

After a period of inactivity, during which Verbal and Taku engaged themselves in a series of side-projects and released a collection of collaborations entitled Sotoshigoto: m-flo Turns It Out!, m-flo released on March 5, 2003 a fan-selected best of album, The Intergalactic Collection ~ギャラコレ~. The last track on the album hinted at the arrival of a new vocalist to replace Lisa, although the vocalist's identity was not revealed.

On June 6, 2003, the group released a pair of collaborations with Zainichi R&B singer Crystal Kay, Reeewind! and I Like It. The singles were released under the names "m-flo Loves Crystal Kay" and "Crystal Kay Loves m-flo" respectively and both charted in the top 10, providing Crystal Kay with her highest-selling single to date. "Reeewind!" began a string of collaborations that spanned four years and three albums.

2004's Astromantic featured collaborations with top names in Japanese pop, jazz, R&B and electronica including Chemistry, Double and Ryuichi Sakamoto and achieved a #2 position in the Oricon charts and a #17 position in the World Charts. The album was supported by a live DVD and remix album Astromantic Charm School, and also provided the group with their highest selling single since Come Again, collaboration with Korean singer BoA The Love Bug, which reached #8 on the Oricon charts.

The group released their follow-up album Beat Space Nine in 2005. The record featured a heavier electronic sound than the jazz-oriented Astromantic and included collaborations with Kahimi Karie and Akiko Wada. The album's final track, "Tripod Baby", included a cameo by former m-flo vocalist Lisa. Beat Space Nine provided the group with their highest-selling album to date and their first Oricon #1. The album was supported by a live DVD and the remix album Dope Space Nine.

The third album in the m-flo Loves… series, Cosmicolor, was released on March 28, 2007. The final album in the series, it included collaborations with Kumi Koda, Snacky Chan, Amuro Namie and Bonnie Pink, as well as a second collaboration with Crystal Kay, intended as a symbolic close to the m-flo Loves… project. The album achieved a #2 Oricon position and was supported by a live DVD. A two-disc remix album, spanning remixes both from Cosmicolor and songs from m-flo's previous four albums, ElectriColor (Complete Remix), was released on September 26, 2007.

On February 13, 2008 the group released a collection of greatest hits from the m-flo Loves… series, Award Supernova: Loves Best. The album debuted at #1 on the Oricon charts. It also featured a final new collaboration for the series, Love Comes and Goes, with Emi Hinouchi, Ryohei Yamamoto, Emyli, Yoshika, and Lisa.

Future

Both Taku and Verbal have denied that m-flo will disband following the discontinuation of the m-flo Loves… series. Verbal has stated that the band intend to focus on individual side-projects, with a rumoured third Mic Banditz album in production. Additionally, there is speculation among fans that Lisa may re-join the band as a full-time member following her extensive participation in the m-flo Tour 2007 Cosmicolor tour & DVD.

Outside m-flo

Both Verbal and Taku have headed up several side projects outside m-flo. Verbal heads Rhythm Zone imprint espionage records,^[4] where he produces all-girl Hip hop outfit Heartsdales and collaborates with group Mic Banditz. He is also a member of Japanese Hip hop supergroup Teriyaki Boyz on A Bathing Ape founder Nigo's (B)Ape Sounds imprint, and in 2002 contributed as emcee and producer to two tracks on Suite Chic's When Pop Hits the Fan album.

Taku also heads his own Rhythm Zone imprint, Tachytelic Records,^[5] where he produces singer-songwriter Emi Hinouchi. He also released an album of remixes by other artists, Tachytelic Night: Welcomes You to the Far East, in 2003. Additionally, he is currently involved in Ravex, a collaboration with fellow Avex DJs Tomoyuki Tanaka and Shinichi Osawa established to mark 20 years of Avex. Their debut album Trax will be released on April 24, 2009, and follows the release of the singles I Rave U and Believe in LOVE - feat BoA.

Additionally, Verbal and Taku have both acted as sometime producers and collaborators for artists who came to prominence largely because of their participation in the m-flo Loves… series, including Emi Hinouchi, Yoshika, Emyli, Ryohei Yamamoto and Lisa. Since Astromantic, these artists have been collectively referred to as the Global Astro Alliance. In addition to the earlier Sotoshigoto: m-flo Turns It Out!, Verbal and Taku have released three compilations of collaborations between m-flo, the Global Astro Alliance, and other artists. The first, m-flo Inside, was released in 2004 shortly before the first album in the m-flo Loves… series. The second, m-flo Inside: Works Best II, was released on July 26, 2006. The third, m-flo Inside: Works Best III, was released on March 19, 2009 ^[6]

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

1. February 23, 2000 – Planet Shining
2. March 28, 2001 – Expo Expo
3. May 26, 2004 – Astromantic
4. August 24, 2005 – Beat Space Nine
5. March 28, 2007 – Cosmicolor

Remix albums

1. August 9, 2000 – The Replacement Percussionists
2. November 28, 2001 – Expo Bouei Robot Gran Sonik
3. September 15, 2004 – Astromantic Charm School
4. November 5, 2005 – Dope Space Nine
5. September 26, 2007 – ElectriColor

Best albums

1. March 5, 2003 – The Intergalactic Collection ~ギャラコレ~
2. February 13, 2008 – Award Supernova: Loves Best
3. October 7, 2009 - MF10 -10th ANNIVERSARY BEST-

Compilations(Loves Album)

1. February 27, 2002 – m-flo Turns It Out!
2. March 17, 2004 – m-flo Inside
3. July 26, 2006 – m-flo Inside: Works Best II
4. March 18, 2009 – m-flo Inside: Works Best III
5. September 16, 2009 – Tribute: Maison de m-flo

Singles

¹ Digital release only.

DVDs

Vinyls

Other appearances

In 2005 m-flo produced the second solo single Usotsuki-Boy (ウソツキBoy^?) for Korean singer Sunday, who is a part of the group Chun Sang Ji Hee (Hangul: 천상지희; Hanja: 天上智喜).

Video games

m-flo has contributed to the video games industry by both providing songs for games, and by advertising for these games. For the first versions of the video game Beatmania IIDX, m-flo has contributed short versions of the songs "L.O.T. (Love Or Truth)", "Mirrorball Satellite 2012", "The Theme from Flo Jack", "Been so Long", and "The Rhyme Brokers". Another music related video game, Dance Dance Revolution, featured the songs "The Theme from Flo Jack", "Been so Long", and "The Rhyme Brokers".

A version of the track "Tripod Baby" (from the album Beat Space Nine) was re-released for the Shadow the Hedgehog video game that came out in November 2005. A commercial for the game, featuring Taku and Verbal, was also aired. Taku and Verbal are big fans of the character Shadow.

References

External links

• m-flo.com – The official website
• m-flo Nippop Profile
• m-flo.NET : Discography/Works
• Verbal interview
• m-flo Verbal Official Blog