Teriyaki Boyz get "serious" with U.S. major label release

[Tokyograph News]

Hip-hop group TERIYAKI BOYZ will be entering the U.S. market with a major label release next year. Their album, titled "Serious Japanese," is scheduled to be put out by Pharrell's Star Trak Entertainment label in March. The album will also be simultaneously released in Europe and Asia, though Japan will get it first on January 28.

The TERIYAKI BOYZ unit consists of five members. It is led by fashion producer NIGO (A Bathing Ape) and includes RYO-Z, ILMARI, VERBAL, and WISE. The group debuted in 2005, and their first album was sold in 21 countries. They have already done collaborations with popular American hip-hop artists Kanye West and Pharrell, including two songs on the soundtrack for "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift." They also performed at the New York-Tokyo Music Festival in 2007.

With "Serious Japanese," TERIYAKI BOYZ will be the first Japanese hip-hop act to get a major label American release. They will be only the third artist across all genres, after Kyu Sakamoto and Puffy.

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