■ “I hope you can listen to it, so I hope that anyone who listened to it would help you to help that person.”
THE RAMPAGE’s Ichima Kawamura released the 1st single “DELETE / ENTER” on January 29 as the artist “Zero” (Ray).
The artist’s name “Zero” has the idea that Kawamura “Ichi” horses will restart from “zero” as artists, so try to challenge a new field while respecting past experiences. It is a name worthy of determination and the potential for the future, as well as the mysterious beauty of Ima Kawamura/Zero.
Kawamura Ichima Zero, Zero Kawamura’s impression of solo debut, the secret story of creating the 1st single, and an interview about the future.
■ Interview
Q. Please tell us your impressions when you hear that it will debut in solo.
Not when I heard it. Because the original start that I decided to do solo is myself. I have been consulting with HIRO for a long time, including ideas. It was in the fall of 2023 that it started to realize. There was a time when I was tired of running and stopped working for a moment. After that, I went to Thailand for The Rampage’s activity, and at that time I had a meal with HIRO and had a meal. I would like to talk about nature and solo, and say that I think that I feel angry in my alive, and that I think that I am a rap in to express my thoughts. I did it. Isn’t rap conveying your thoughts in strong words? I wanted to change the world in that way. Let HIRO talk about that again. HIRO seemed to have been thinking, and there was a gutting hook, and it started to move concretely.Q. When did you want to do solo?
Before debut.Q. From that time, if you do solo, it’s a rapper?
I liked rap, but at that time I could only imagine that I was just standing in solo. I wanted to find the artist image as a solo in the group’s activities.Q. When actually working as The Rampage, what kind of timing did you feel that your rap was right for you or want to convey your thoughts as a rapper?
I was wrapped in the debut song “Lightning”, but I felt it from that time. After that, Akira Yamamoto (Shogo Yamamoto) is familiar with hip -hop and is taught about various hip -hop. Until then, I only knew rap only, but I watched a movie to know the hip -hop culture, and then dig a rapper in Japan and overseas, and I looked into it in various ways. I noticed “Ewa”. Rapper is very real because it is not decorated. I want to be such an artist. Of course, as an expression, I sometimes dress up and make it fantastic, but I wanted to be everything I was saying and how to live, including the lyrics. After that, I started trying various laps in the Rampage recording. In this way, I deepened my understanding and skills of laps and hip -hop.
Q. The debut single “Delete / Enter” as a solo artist Zero has been completed. “DELETE” is written by yourself.
yes. In The Rampage, I came to write a lap part lyric, but this time it was quite difficult because it was one song. The deadline was extended considerably, and we had to wait until the limit. That’s the first solo work and I didn’t want to compromise. I think it’s important to say what to say first because there are so many things I want to convey.Q. If you have a lot of things you want to convey, you don’t think you want to improve the future where you live? Why did you make the song with the message “?
It took a long time to decide the theme … Because of the first shot, I wanted to prove what kind of thing I wanted to convey as zero and what kind of activity philosophy I wanted to do. At that time, what I wanted to convey the most was the thought of the world.Q. So, after the theme is decided?
no…. It took time from there.Q. I think you wrote the rap in The Rampage, but why was it so hard?
I had a song base first, but the song was so cool. Will it be cool when my rap there? The pressure was great. It was completed at that point.Q. The truck that became too cool was co -produced by Zero and Jugem. How did you make a truck?
First of all, JUGEM -kun told the world view and made a bass for the song, and the two melodies to put there. However, the first world view I conveyed varies. From gorgeous hip -hop to mysterious ballads, I threw dozens of references that match what I wanted to do and what I wanted to convey, and Jugem -kun made some demonstrations. This song was particularly good. The song is short.Q. Did you be aware of how to listen to music in this era?
that’s right. But I thought it would be easier to convey it rather than because it was popular. Also, I think the long song is “long and lazy.” A melody, B melody, rust, and once down with D melody … I think the composition of the J-POP royal road like that is already good. Rather, I want to make it a western -style song that seems to have a much flat rust and rust.Q. After making a song that was hard, the song called “Delete” was completed, but what kind of feeling is it now?
I was relieved. Seriously, I was relieved …
Q. Another title song “ENTER” is the TV anime “I left the A rank party, and I aim for the deep labyrinth with former students. ]Is the opening theme song. Please tell me your feelings when you hear that you are in charge.
I was so happy. Anime is my favorite, and I thought the anime theme song was right for me. I don’t think ordinary rappers sing so much anime theme, but I have anime as roots. I wonder if I can do it. I don’t intend to sing fake even with the theme song of anime, and I want to be involved in anime or to be able to help me with my favorite things. I thought it was the best time to present it.Q. I have always been proclaimed that I like anime and games, so I was convinced that Rei -san was in charge of the theme song for the anime. On the other hand, was there any pressure on working on anime theme songs because you like anime?
There may have been pressure. The theme of anime is not stabbed when you don’t stab, but it remains in your heart. I think it’s just like that. I personally think that the theme song of the anime should be listened to the song later and remember the time of the time. With a respect for the work and snuggle up to the work. I wonder if there is anything else I want. “I left the A rank party, and I aim for the deep labyrinth with the former students. ]Is because the work itself is so interesting that the songs just need to snuggle up.Q. “ENTER” is a newly written, but “I left the A rank party, and aim for the labyrinth deep with the former students. How did you start making it from what?
First of all, I repeatedly read the animated part of the original. And I wanted to make the main character Euk, the members of his party, “Clover”, and draw the relevant value.Q. Why did you want to be positive?
I guess there were not many negative elements in the work itself. At least when I actually read it, I didn’t feel much negative, so I felt good. I think that the impression I touched on the work was reflected.Q. How was the lyrics?
I thought that there would be some divisible parts for tie -up, but when I actually wrote it, it hardly came off because I felt it. However, I wanted to be close to the work, so for example, the word “dancing” was used in the original work, it was taken from the lines, and the word “four -leaf” was used because it was a clover. Put it in. Also, in the beginning of the English lyrics, they sing, “It’s better to walk together in the dark than walking alone in the light”, but it’s just Euk and Claw Members. The phrase itself does not appear in the original, but when I was thinking about them, it came out naturally. That kind of thing is in key points.Q. I think it was completely different from “DELETE” because it was written down, but was it interesting to make a newly written song?
It was interesting. I was able to enjoy works that I didn’t usually do. In addition, the staff on the side of the work said, “Because the only one is used on TV, please like it after No. 2.”Q. Is it because you made the first with the feelings of the work?
yes. So I can’t really think of it as a different thing. The second approach was a rap, but Lyrics wanted to show the respect for the work, so they decided to stay close to the work. Nevertheless, for example, “a hierarchy that turns even the negative to a plus” expresses that Euc and others are ranked, but I thought it would apply to myself, so I adopted it. I think I could make it while applying my feelings.Q.
That’s right. This is also an interesting story. At first, I didn’t intend to contrast.Q. Was that so!?
yes. The title of “ENTER” is decided earlier. “Delete” was a song and when I was talking about what to do with the title, JUGEM -kun told me that it would be nice to say “Delete”. That was a god. “Delete something” and is just before reconstructing. Like discarding, something comes in because you throw away something. I wrote this song with the feeling of rebuilding this world, so it was just right. Moreover, the other song is “ENTER”, so I thought it was interesting and made this title.
Q. The single with such a zero -like song has been completed, but what kind of piece has this work is for you?
I want you to release it tomorrow (laughs). I’m so satisfied. There are many other things I want to convey, but as the first one, I am relieved that I was able to do what I wanted to do in myself. The way of listening to music is different for each person, and some people pay attention to the lyric, while others listen to the sound listening comfort. I hope you can help me, even if you listen to it, you can help me. Of course I don’t think it will reach everyone. But I hope the person who has received it will give me a new value and a new idea by receiving it.Q. As for Zero, do you want to deliver music that will create new thoughts and values to the listeners in the future?
That’s right. I don’t want to sing my suffering and buy sympathy, but if I would help someone who had the same troubles as my past, I wonder if that kind of try would be good. … The best is to make music more and more music about the world today. I also want to drop my affection in my lyrics. Anyway, the base is to sing realistic things that can reach the hearts of people. In solo, I only sing what I want to sing in the future.
Text by Chie Kobayashi
Photo by Toru Shiozaki * Interview photo
Release information
2025.01.29 on Sale
Single“Delete / ENTER”
TV anime “I left the A rank party, and I aim for the labyrinth with the former students. ]Program site
https://arank-party-ridatsu-official.com
Ima Kawamura / Zero Official X (former Twitter)
https://x.com/sncrmpg_kk
Ima Kawamura / Zero Official Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/rmpg_kazuma_kawamura
The Rampage Official Site
https://therampage-ldh.jp
