Dragon Ash This four member band (Kenji Furuya, Ikuzo Baba, Makoto Sakurai, and DJ Botz) ) is the perfect example of how being adaptable in the music world can lead to success and help you stay there. Widely known for helping to kickstart the Hip-Hop boom in Japan. Dragon Ash first appeared on the J-Pop scene in 1997. They debuted with an alternative rock and almost melancholy sound. The vocals were strong and the music hard, but their first album "Mustang" just could not seem to find a place in the mainstream market of J-Pop. As fast as it came "Mustang" disappeared off the charts. In 1998 Dragon Ash returned with a new focus toward a younger crowd and a more positive sound. It was at this time that the hip-hop style became more apparent in their music It was early 1999 when Dragon Ash had their major breakout hit "Grateful Days". Featuring a smooth low-key melody, the silky vocals of ACO, and underground rap star ZEEBRA, the single became a big hit among the younger generation of Japan. The song was a big breakout for J hip-hop as well. By helping to bring it into the commercial spotlight. Dragon Ash released the album "Viva la Revolution" in the same year. The album featured a variety of sounds including Hip-Hop, Alternative Rock, and Punk. Becoming a big seller in Japan and overseas. By the year 2000 Dragon Ash had become a major name in the J-Pop biz. They began doing production work for other musicians like Sugar Soul and Miho. They released the single "Deep Impact" in the same year. This release was a more hardcore hip-hop song but it charted in at No. 1 in the singles rankings. Proving how much D.A. had managed to bring change to the industry. In 2002 D.A. added two more hit sinlges to their record. The alternative-hip hop styled "Life Goes On" and rock-hop "Fantatista" (which became a theme for the soccer World Cup in Japan), showing how the music of Dragon Ash continues to evolve. |