“These men are so close, they transcend genres, Atty! Atty! ” ©KOPERU
MacJack & Kopetetsu from Umeda Cipher
Kobe x Osaka, Reggae x Hip Hop
A new unit called Ati! Ati! is born, consisting of six members of the same generation from the Kansai region!!
■MacJack Profile
They are known as the Kobe Vibes Idiots. All of them are former baseball players.
He was shocked by the reggae music he heard on the mini-component stereo in the baseball club dormitory, and formed the band after graduation. He then traveled to Jamaica. He swapped the bat he had swung to death in high school for a microphone, and set his sights on performing at Koshien Stadium, a dream he had once shattered!
(Photo L → R)
・ALI: Left-handed unconventional southpaw. POW! POW!
・MCL (Mitchell): The bearded leader, aka Vibes Gorilla: “Uh-oh!”
・CHAI: Mr. Atiaty, his speciality is video editing
・JAGA-C (Jagashi): It’s crazy! It’s crazy! It’s real! aka Tetsuro Jagawa
■ Umeda Cipher Profile
This group was formed from participants of a cipher (an impromptu rap session in a circle) held on the footbridge at Umeda Station in Osaka. Many of the members have had outstanding results in rap battles, and have produced rappers who are well known nationwide, including R-Shitei. There is no hierarchical relationship, and there has never been any talk of forming a group, let alone a leader. It is characterized by being a gathering of individuals, not a group. Umeda Cipher can be described as the “free relationship born from the connection between rappers.” Some members are also filmmakers, designers, track makers, and so on, and their activities are diverse.
■KOPERU Profile
Rapper, born in Osaka. In 2009, he participated in the B-BOY PARK UNDER20 MC battle held at Daiyogi Park Outdoor Music Hall and won at the age of 17. At the same time, he formed the group Koppepan with fellow Osaka rappers R-Shitei and DJ Doiken. In 2013, he released the single “Dream On” produced by tofubeats, and in 2014, his first album “Osaka Kid”. He is currently active in various forms, including as a member of the rap group “Umeda Cipher” in Umeda, Osaka, as well as in the unit “HYPER TAMADE” (ex: KOPERU & ISSEI) with video artist ISSEI, and as a rapper in the five-member band “THE POR”.
■Teppei Profile
An artist who works as a rapper, beatmaker, and video director all by himself, and a member of Umeda Cipher. He is a second generation religious figure.
He started rapping after being struck by the powerful message of hip-hop and rap, which is to “communicate with the listeners.” He creates music every day with the hope of giving more people positive vibes by expressing the negative aspects of his upbringing and past through the art form of rap.
At the end of December 2019, he collapsed from heart failure during a solo concert by Umeda Cipher and was rushed to the hospital. He was on the verge of death for a time, but survived. In 2021, he released his first album, “Arrhythmia,” which realistically depicts this experience and his own background.
From May 2022, he will be a regular Thursday on “Audee Connect,” which is broadcast on 34 JFN stations nationwide. He will appear as a personality alongside KOPERU. In 2023, he will make his major debut as a member of Umeda Cipher with “RAPNAVIO” on SME Records. With the same momentum, he will release his second album as a solo artist, “Religion II,” in 2024.
Both MacJack and Umeda Cipher will be appearing at the event “FADE2RED V3” to be held at CLUB Asia in Shibuya, Tokyo on Friday, July 5th.
『FADE2RED V3』
(1F: main floor) Umeda Cipher/CHICO CARLITO/T-STONE/Mack Jack/Ole
(2F: 2nd floor) LOM & Kidney Fuji/Sober/Kenshiro Sekiya/Pilaf Alien/CHITAA
Food: GOOD OLD PEEPS
Venue: Shibuya Club Asia
Date and time: Friday, July 5, 2024 Doors open: 17:30, performance begins: 18:00 (2nd floor 17:45)
Ticket price: Advance ticket: 3,500 yen (tax included/drinks not included/serial number included)
Same-day ticket: 4,500 yen (tax included/drinks not included/serial number included)
Tickets (General sale from 10:00 on Saturday, May 25, 2024)
e+ (paper ticket/electronic ticket):https://eplus.jp/FADE2RED-V3/
L-Ticket (paper ticket/electronic ticket):https://l-tike.com/fade2red-v3/
Pia (paper ticket/electronic ticket):https://w.pia.jp/a/fade2red-v3/
■McJack & Kopetets Story
・McJack ALI and KOPERU were classmates in junior high school (Toyonaka Municipal 9th Junior High School). They were in different classes so they didn’t have any direct contact, but ALI’s battery partner in the baseball team was one of KOPERU’s favorites, so he knew that KOPERU was a rapper.
After graduating from junior high school, MacJack CHAI left his hometown of Kobe to enter Kochi Chuo High School with the aim of going to Koshien. He was shocked to learn about the world of black music for the first time in his life when he borrowed an iPod from his roommate, Nishimura, from Osaka, who had a hip hop playlist on it. However, it turned out that the playlist was made by KOPERU for Nishimura, who had left his hometown to live in the dormitory! It was KOPERU who created the origins of CHAI’s musicality.
・ALI and KOPERU meet again at the hotel for the after party of the Coming of Age ceremony. KOPERU performs an impromptu rap. After that, MacJack performs live at the wedding reception of KOPERU’s best friend and ALI’s battery partner.
・In March 2023, Mac Jack and Umeda Cipher appeared at the event “FADE2RED” held at Shibuya Club Asia. The atmosphere was very lively in the dressing room. In July, Umeda Cipher appeared as the final act and Mac Jack appeared before the final act on the main stage of the “Kobe Minato Festival” held in Kobe, Mac Jack’s hometown.
・In January 2024, four Mac Jacks appeared live as guests on the late-night FM Osaka program “Umeda Cipher Audee Connect,” hosted by KOPERU and teppei. Several matches were held between Mac Jack and Kopetetsu. In the loudest voice contest, MCL (Mitchell), the bearded leader of Mac Jack, beat Teppei by producing 90 decibels. In the Umaibo speed-eating contest, J Mac Jack JAGA-C beat KOPERU. At this time, CHAI shouted “This show is awesome! Atty!”, which was picked up by KOPERU and became a buzzword on the program’s official website X.
・This recording project will start at 4am after the program ends.
Mac Jack
・Official websitehttps://lit.link/MACKJACK
・YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvj4TQpmOvpiCUHtPNUUVHg
・TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@mackjack_official?lang=ja-JP
・Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/mackjack_official/
●Umeda Cipher
・Official websitehttps://www.umeda-cypher.com/
・YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRJL3BrWVc-ypwXSBprk-1g