THE RAMPAGE talks about their thoughts on the succession of the "24karats" series! "If anyone is going to succeed it, it has to be us"

■ “The ’24karats’ series is a symbolic song of LDH and has been passed down for a long time, so I felt like I received the expectations from HIRO.” (Hokuto Yoshino)

THE RAMPAGE will release the single “24karats GOLD GENESIS” on July 24th.

The 16 members shared their thoughts about this work, which is part of the “24karats” series that has been passed down from generation to generation from EXILE.

──Your new single “24karats GOLD GENESIS” will be released on July 24th. The “24karats” series has been passed down from generation to generation by EXILE, but what are your impressions of the works so far?
Kawamura Kazuma (hereinafter, Kawamura):“Flesh” and “Fire”…Encore.
Everyone:ah!
Rui Yonamine (hereinafter referred to as Yonamine):I was also a “flame.” Like the energy of fire. There is a source of fire called “24karats,” and because it is burning, power and spirit spread, and it feels like a core of energy.
Takuma Goto (hereinafter, Goto):And jerseys. As an apparel brand, 24karats is like a textbook for us. Elementary school students don’t know about hip-hop culture, do they? They taught us cool jewelry, how to wear jerseys and caps, and things like that. It’s like a bible for us.
──What were your honest thoughts when you heard that you would be taking over 24karats?
Kamiya Kenta (hereinafter, Kamiya):I didn’t feel any special meaning. The reason is that both music and dance change with the times. It may be presumptuous, but I feel like we are creating a new work with the spirit of overtaking what our predecessors have created. So I didn’t really think that there was anything special about “24karats”.
Hokuto Yoshino (hereinafter, Yoshino):I was honestly happy. The “24karats” series is a symbolic song of LDH, and has been passed down for a long time, so I felt that I received the expectation from HIRO. At the same time, I felt a strong desire to rise again as dancers and vocalists, as there are many artists who sing and dance. I want to rise with this song.
Takahide Suzuki (hereinafter, Suzuki):First of all, I was happy that we could create an original song with “24karats” by ourselves. This time, I also participated in the rap part as MA55IVE (MA55IVE THE RAMPAGE), so I’m happy about that too.
Shogo Iwaya (hereinafter, Iwaya):This is the first time that we have released a song in the “24karats” series other than EXILE, but I thought that we would be the ones to release “24karats” at some point. I was confident that “if we were to take over the series, it would have to be us,” so I thought it was good that we came across the song “24karats GOLD GENESIS” at a good time.
──What was your impression when you first heard the track?
Dragon:Up until now, “24karats” has had a powerful impression, but this song has a modern, speedy and hyper feel to it. I think it’s a new form of “24”. I want to show what LDH is like now with this song, while still feeling the history.
Yonamine:Certainly, it was a modern sound, so I felt like we were given the task of “expressing it in THE RAMPAGE’s own way” in order to inherit it. We could cook it up in our own way. So, in the choreography, we included both parts that were EXILE-like and parts that were THE RAMPAGE-like.
–Please tell us what you kept in mind when recording and if there were any new challenges that you faced.
RIKU:I thought that being the first group other than EXILE to write a song for “24karats” on our own would be the perfect opportunity to prove that we were the only group with three vocals in LDH, so I felt a sense of responsibility to prove it. Furthermore, I knew that the performers would be dancing to their heart’s content, so I wanted to sing a song that would give the performers energy. If I could do that, I thought the people who listened to it would feel the same energy.
──What lyrics or phrases do you particularly like?
Kawamura:“Redefining brilliance”. Depending on how you interpret it, it may sound very aggressive, but I feel that this is the time for THE RAMPAGE to redefine the brilliance of “24karats” that our predecessors have built up. I took it to mean that we are here to prove what EXILE has done.
Team:I like Yamamoto Shogo’s “Darlin’ Douki Nuketeyo Omikaze As You Wish”. I feel that Yamamoto Shogo’s singing style and the relaxed atmosphere match the song. “In the end, THE RAMPAGE is the coolest on the entertainment stage.” I feel that feeling is packed into this one phrase.
Iwatani:I simply like the opening song “24karats’ back With THE RAMPAGE” by Ichima. This one needs no explanation. Just like the lyrics say. The intro gets you pumped up.
Kawamura:I sing that part with the feeling of a kamikaze pilot. Like, “Here I come!”
–In terms of performance, what are the key points?
Team:The choreography for the outro follows the one that has been passed down since long ago. The rest of the choreography is basically our own original, but the final part is a strong homage, so that’s the highlight. It’s very meaningful for the performers to be able to dance this together. It’s a point that gets you fired up, where you can show so much passion that you can’t stand up after it’s over.
— I understand that the choreography was created by several people, so please tell us about the part that you created.
Yonamine:I made the first half of the interlude. It’s a part with a lot of sounds, so I made it detailed and stylish. It’s a difficult part, so I didn’t like it when I was first assigned to it (laughs). But I wanted to show it in a way that had never been done before, so I thought about it a lot. The interlude has a choreography where you make “24” with your hands, and with that as the starting point, I made the part before that and Mako-chan made the part after that.
Hasegawa Shin:The choreography for the original “24karats” was done by KRUMPER. That’s why it’s full of KRUMP elements (a dance genre). This time, I also made the interlude part stronger with KRUMP. It’s also the part that leads into MA55IVE, so I made the choreography hard, with the intention of going wild with KRUMP and then connecting it to MA55IVE.
──What did the MV look like?
Shogo Yamamoto (hereinafter, Yamamoto):“The 24karats” is a simple music video with a gorgeous set that highlights the singing voice and performance.
──Please tell us about an impressive episode that occurred while filming the music video.
Goto:In the MV, basically no one is wearing underwear. It’s a MV that shows off the body. So everyone was pumped up before filming…
Shohei Urakawa (hereinafter, Urakawa):It was a strange sight.
Goto:Yes. That alone was a strange sight, but there was one person who was really amazing. His name was LIKIYA. He brought dumbbells from home (laughs).
──What kind of position do you think “24karats GOLD GENESIS” will have as a song for THE RAMPAGE?
LIKIYA:I guess it’s our strongest weapon. The “24karats” series is a song that symbolizes LDH. The fact that we are carrying it on will be our strongest point. I’m looking forward to seeing it grow even deeper as we continue to develop it.
–Now that the song is finished, how do you want it to reach listeners?
Team:The previous “24karats” was released in 2015 (“24karats GOLD SOUL”), and this is the first time in about 10 years. All of the previous “24karats” were born at a time when LDH had momentum. The fact that THE RAMPAGE is releasing it in 2024, which is said to be the Warring States period for dance and vocal groups after the COVID-19 pandemic… I want many people to know that. If you think this song is good, please recommend THE RAMPAGE or LDH to people around you. If you don’t think it’s good, it’s totally fine. Rather than “I want everyone to listen to it,” if you think “this song is cool” or “THE RAMPAGE is cool,” I would be happy if you could share that feeling.
–Please tell us about the B-side song “BALMY BALMY.” What kind of song is “BALMY BALMY”?
Team:Since it’s a commercial song for “VAAM,” it combines the image of “VAAM” with the bursting sweat of THE RAMPAGE to create a refreshing, summery song.
Yoshino:The sound and lyrics are fun, like a party with everyone. It’s the complete opposite of “24karats GOLD GENESIS.” I hope to play this song at a live show or event at a good time so that everyone can dance and have fun together.
Dragon:The breadth of genres is one of THE RAMPAGE’s strengths. It’s interesting to see so many contrasts in one single. These kinds of songs get the crowd excited at live shows, so I hope you enjoy them as one aspect of THE RAMPAGE.
──Do you have a favorite phrase?
RIKU:The beginning of the chorus. It’s the part where they say the title of the song, “BALMY BALMY.” The melody line is also cute, so I think it’s a song that’s easy for small children to relate to.
──The live version of the single will include footage from THE RAMPAGE LIVE TOUR 2023 “16” NEXT ROUND at Saitama Super Arena. What are the highlights of the footage?
Yonamine:The performance of “ROLL UP” is something that THE RAMPAGE hasn’t done much in their previous live performances, so I hope you’ll pay attention to it. Also, there are three stages and the 16 members are running wild in all directions, so I think it will be worth watching. As the title “16” suggests, the theme is 16. Each member has their own moment to shine, and no matter which section you take, the members shine, so it’s a highlight from the opening to the end.
Kawamura:Anyway, it was a really exciting live show.
Yonamine:Yes. Not only on stage, but we were also moving a lot underneath the stage. Since there were three stages, we had to move a lot.
— It would be interesting to watch it and think, “It must be moving below at an incredible speed right now.”
Yonamine:Yes, that’s also worth seeing (laughs).
Goto:Personally, I really like Shogo and Shohei’s highlight parts. It feels like they’re taking it from the toughest part to the next level. It’s really moving to watch as a member of the group.
Urakawa:One day, both of them started taking off their clothes, but it wasn’t because they wanted to, it was because it was too extreme.
Iwatani:If it gets too extreme, I have no choice but to take it off. A single tank top feels too heavy.Urakawa:Moreover, the other members were encouraging me from behind, so I was carrying that with me. I felt like, “Here we go!”
–What side of THE RAMPAGE do you feel you can show with this single?
Yamamoto:People of the current generation can listen to it as a new song by THE RAMPAGE, and if they dig deeper, they can learn about the history of EXILE. I think that by releasing it, it is meaningful for people to know not only THE RAMPAGE, but also the history of LDH as a whole. I think that it is not just that “THE RAMPAGE released a good song,” but that people will also know that “this is the center after all” because we are now after going through various styles.
–Then in September you have your dome concert “THE RAMPAGE LIMITED LIVE 2024 *p(R)ojectR(R) at TOKYO DOME”. How do you feel about taking on this challenge?
Team:It goes without saying, but the Tokyo Dome is not a place where anyone can stand. That’s why I think it’s also a moment to face myself in order to become an artist who should be able to stand there. Of course, it’s the same this time, but I feel like last time, it was a big part of us being able to stand because we belong to LDH. But this time, I want to say, and I want people to say, “We were able to stand because we’re THE RAMPAGE.” To that end, I want to make it a live show that we’re building ourselves, so the other day, the staff, Ichima, and I discussed the stage. I want to make it a performance that people will think, “We were able to achieve this because we’re THE RAMPAGE.”
Kawamura:Last time, we were only able to accommodate half the capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so first of all, I want a full house of fans to come, but more than anything, I want to show the people who come that they can be proud to support these people. Of course, I’ll do my best to get 50,000 people in, but I don’t want to do anything superficial to get them in. If we don’t get 50,000 people in, that’s fine. I think it’s a live performance worth that much.
──2024 is already halfway over, but what activities from the first half of the year have left the biggest impression on you?
Fujiwara Itsuki:It went by so quickly. As a group, the biggest activity was the tour. Every year we do an arena tour, and we get to travel around the country and meet a lot of fans, and we’ve also decided to hold a dome concert. The circle of THE RAMPAGE is expanding more and more, and I feel like we’re getting closer to our dream little by little.
You’ve also had some activities overseas.
Kamiya:In Thailand, I was able to see a live performance by local hip-hop artists, which was very inspiring. At the same time, it became clear to me how far we could go in this place, so when we venture overseas in the future, I want to set my sights on that. Of course, I also learned what I need to do in Japan to achieve that. It was a great learning experience.
Kaisei Takechi:Personally, I also remember my debut in pro wrestling with Sports Man (I won the “Strongest Athletes Summit Battle 2024” for the second consecutive year). My weight went up and down by about 10kg (laughs). But I’m very grateful to have an environment where I can try new things. I’m only able to do this because I have fans who support me and encouraging members, so I was very happy to be able to do what I want to do in that environment during the first half of the year.
──RIKU, Fujiwara, and Urakawa appeared in the stage play “HiGH&LOW THE Sengoku.”
RIKU:We performed 38 shows in about a month. We started rehearsals in December, and I had other jobs in between, so I was really nervous during the New Year holidays, but having Itsuki and Shohei with me was a big help. There was a lot to take home as the vocalist of THE RAMPAGE, so honestly, it was really tough during the performance period, but I’m glad I did it.
──Suzuki Takahide’s first starring movie, “I Just Want to Understand You,” was also released.Suzuki:Yes. The theme song was by MA55IVE, and I also did the music production for that song, which is something I wanted to do. It was a moment when one of my dreams came true, and I was very happy.
–What dreams do you want to achieve as a group in the future?
Yamamoto:First of all, I want to realize the Dome Tour that I have been aiming for. If we don’t get there, we won’t see the vision beyond that. However, we ourselves are aware of the possibility of going overseas, so we want to do a Dome Tour in Japan soon, and then tour overseas. Anyway, I think we need to become a group that can steer the ship by ourselves to some extent.
──Finally, please give a message to those who are looking forward to your future activities.
LIKIYA:We have a strong desire to be active in various fields both at home and abroad, so we look forward to your continued support, and we hope to provide entertainment that lives up to that. We look forward to your continued support!
INTERVIEW & TEXT BY Chie Kobayashi

release information

2024.07.24 ON SALE
SINGLE“24karats GOLD GENESIS”

Live Information

“THE RAMPAGE LIMITED LIVE 2024 *p(R)ojectR(R) at TOKYO DOME”
September 11th (Wednesday) Tokyo Dome, Tokyo
September 12th (Thursday) Tokyo Dome, Tokyo

THE RAMPAGE OFFICIAL SITE
https://therampage-ldh.jp