Shakkazombie

The group was formed in 1993 when DJ & producer Tsutchie joined with emcees Osumi and Hide-Bowie, who were already making hip-hop music at the time. Hide-Bowie played jazz music before becoming a hip-hop artist and both he and Osumi were influenced by the hip-hop lifestyle.[1] In his first year of high school, Tsutchie was inspired by hip-hop acts such as Run DMC and the Beastie Boys which lead to him becoming a beatmaker.[2]

In 1995, Shakkazombie released their debut single Shakkattack. They later formed the Ookami Crew collective with Japanese hip-hop group Buddha Brand, releasing the single "大怪我 (Ookega, Serious Injury)" in 1996.[3] On July 7, 1996, the group along with Buddha Brand, Rhymester, Muro, YOU THE ROCK★, King Giddra, Soul Scream, and several Japanese hip-hop artists took part in the hip-hop concert & festival Thumpin Camp at the Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall in Tokyo, Japan.[4] Organized by Japanese rapper ECD, the event was later made into a hip-hop documentary similar to the 1995 American hip-hop documentary The Show and a soundtrack was released with Shakkazombie, ECD, Buddha Brand, YOU THE ROCK★, K DUB SHINE of King Giddra, DJ/production duo FORCE OF NATURE, and other artists.[5]

In July 1997, the group released their first full-length album Hero The S.Z.[6] The album included guest artists Nitro Microphone Underground and DJ Hazime. The song "空を取り戻した日 (Sora wo torimodoshita hi, Recover The Sky Of Day)" was featured during the end credits of "Session XX: Yose Atsume Blues" of the anime series Cowboy Bebop. The episode was only aired once in Japan, so the song was never featured in any of the Cowboy Bebop soundtracks.

In December 1998, Osumi would release his first solo album Control (The Spiritual Matters).[7] Along with his Shakkazombie bandmates, the album featured production by DJ Watarai, Go Go King Recorders, and Dev Large of Buddha Brand with guest appearances by DJ Ohkubo, MACKA-CHIN of Nitro Microphone Underground, hip-hop group Cro-Ovi and R&B singer Tina. Hide-Bowie, under his new moniker of Ignition Man, was featured on the song "Unsigned Hype" while Tsutchie produced "No Limit (Tsutchie Remix)".

In July 1999, the group released the EP Big Blue and their second album Journey Of Foresight. Released on July 23, Journey Of Foresight included guest appearances by Suiken, XBS, and Dabo of Nitro Microphone Underground, Lori Fine of the band COLDFEET, DJ/producer Illicit Tsuboi, and pianist Saiko Tsukamoto. The song "白いヤミの中 (Shiroi yami no naka, The White Darkness (Kimidori Break Version))" off the Big Blue EP, a remake of Japanese hip-hop group Kimidori's 1993 song of the same name, was known in the West after the track was used in a fan anime music video of Cowboy Bebop and Trigun for the 2001 Anime Expo entitled "Tainted Donuts".[8][9]

On February 23, 2000, the group released the compilation album S-Sence 2000 featuring several remixes by artists such as DJ Spinna, Master Low, Ropes, D.O.I., Japanese punk band Brahman, DJ Hazime, DJ Watarai, 4Hero, and FORCE OF NATURE.[10]

On June 27, 2001, the group released the EP Get On Da Track. The mini album featured guest appearances by S-Word of Nitro Microphone Underground, emcee Nipps of Buddha Brand, and violinist/cellist Chieko Kinbara. The album also featured remixes of "カモフラ (Kamofura, Camouflage)" by American hip-hop producer Jay Dee a.k.a. J. Dilla of the hip-hop group Slum Village, "Right Here" by DJ Watarai, "First Tour" by DJ Takeshi Kubota of Kimidori, and "Get Yourself Arrested (W.E. In The U.S. Are In Trouble Mix)" by Tim Kinsella in a collaboration with Japanese rock band Northern Bright.[11]

On March 27, 2002, the group released their third album The Goodfellaz. Along with appearances from members Suiken, Deli, and Dabo of Nitro Microphone Underground and DJ Hazime, the album featured appearances by P.H. Fron, Kashi Da Handsome, hip-hop duo Lunch Time Speax, hip-hop group Gasboys, and singer Michico.[12] This would be the group's last studio album. Ignition Man would step away from music while Osumi and Tsutchie pursued solo careers. Tsutchie released the solo albums Thanks For Listening in 2002 and This Is A Recording in 2003[13][14]. Osumi released his second album Straight To Next Door with DJ Watarai before taking a hiatus in 2007.[15]

On June 25, 2015, Shakkazombie reformed and the group performed "大怪我 (Ookega, Serious Injury)" at "D.L Presents HUSTLERS CONVENTION NIGHT", a memorial event for late Buddha Brand member Dev Large. In 2018, DJ and producer Shinichi Osawa a.k.a. Mondo Grosso would collaborate with Osumi for the song "One Temperature", Osumi's first work as an emcee in over ten years.[16]

In 1999, Osumi and Hide-Bowie started a men's clothing line named SWAGGER, collaborating with brands such as Timberland and North Face. Osumi would later start another line of men's apparel named PHENOMENON in 2004.[17] After filing for bankruptcy in 2013, Osumi ended his PHENOMEMON line in 2015.[18] Osumi and design partner Yuichi Yoshii founded the men's clothing line MISTERGENTLEMAN in 2012 and are directors of the record store WAVE at Roppongi Hills in Tokyo.[19][20]

Along with his work with Shakkazombie, Tsutchie has done production work and remixes for other artists such as YOU THE ROCK★, ECD, Tomoe Shinohara, Dabo, Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her, Kahimi Karie, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Da Pump, Cymbals, Heartsdales, and Miliyah Kato. He has also worked on anime productions such as being part of the team behind the music of Samurai Champloo and creating the musical score & soundtrack for GANGSTA.[21][22][23] Tsutchie has also been involved in a number of collaborative efforts with other artists as well as starting his own label SYNC TWICE. A notable collaboration is the duo Ravolta (ラヴォルタ), consisting of Tsutchie handling the production and Aiha Higurashi of Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her on vocals. The group's self-titled EP and their full-length album Sky, featuring a cover of the song "Faith" by George Michael, were both released only in Japan by Skylarkin Records in 1998.[24][25]

• Official Shakkazombie website (in Japanese)
• Official SYNC TWICE website (in Japanese)
• MISTERGENTLEMAN website (in Japanese)