RIP SLYME reunite with full lineup for first time since 2017

Hip-hop outfit RIP SLYME have announced they are resuming activities with their full original lineup—RYO-Z, ILMARI, PES, SU, and FUMIYA—for the first time in eight years. The five-member reunion will run for approximately one year, leading up to March 22nd 2026, the 25th anniversary of the group’s major debut. Following this period, the group is expected to go on hiatus once again.

Originally formed in 1994, RIP SLYME made their major debut in 2001 with the single ‘STEPPER’S DELIGHT’ and rose to prominence with their second album ‘TOKYO CLASSIC’, the first Japanese hip-hop record to sell over one million copies. The group’s success helped bring hip-hop into the mainstream in Japan, and in 2002 they became the first domestic hip-hop act to headline Nippon Budokan.

It’s the first time since 2017 that RIP SLYME will perform as a five-member group. SU stepped away from the group that April, followed by PES’s departure in September. The group went on hiatus the following year, eventually returning as a trio—RYO-Z, ILMARI, and FUMIYA—in 2022. During that period, the absence of the other two members remained largely unaddressed, leading to speculation and uncertainty among fans.

In comments published on the RIP SLYME official website, the group acknowledged past miscommunication and said they had spent time reconnecting, discussing their history, and recognising individual and collective mistakes. ILMARI thanked WISE and Emi Okamoto, who supported the group during their time as a trio, and described the reunion as an opportunity to make the year ahead meaningful for everyone involved. SU, returning after several years away, referred to himself wryly as a “mid-career hire at age 52” and expressed gratitude to the other members for bringing him back in.

RIP SLYME Comments:

ILMARI

“Over the past few years, we’ve caused a lot of commotion and concern. Now, we’ve come back together as five to resume our activities. I truly hope this becomes the best possible time for the fans, everyone involved, and the five of us as members! I’m also genuinely grateful to WISE and Emi Okamoto, who supported us during our time as a trio. I’d be delighted if we can all enjoy this coming year together!”

RYO-Z

“To everyone I haven’t seen in a while, and to those I’m meeting for the first time, to the staff and people behind the scenes who support RIP, and to these five guys—It’s only for a year, but I hope we can all share in the full joy of the music and live shows together. Thanks in advance for your support.”

FUMIYA

“Above all, I just want everyone to have fun. I want you to dance.
That, to me, is the reason for the five of us being together.
We’re making something really good, so please look forward to the new songs and the live shows.”

PES

“I’ll be rejoining RIP SLYME once again. As one of the five, I hope to approach things with a strong sense of priority toward the fans, the members, and our staff, as we aim for the “summit” of something. So many “interesting things” are already overflowing from the five of us. I’m really looking forward to the day we can share each and every one of them with you—and to fully enjoying RIP SLYME together again.”

SU

“After discussions with the members and those involved, I will be rejoining RIP SLYME as a “mid-career hire at age 52″. Once again, I sincerely apologize for the great trouble I have caused. I’m grateful to my friends—Ryouji, Keisuke, Fumiya, and Pes—and to all the staff. I’ll do my best to be of help. Please, take good care of me.”

The year-long return will include new music and a series of live appearances, starting with festival dates in May. RIP SLYME are set to appear at JAPAN JAM 2025 on May 5th, followed by TOKYO METROPOLITAN ROCK FESTIVAL 2025 (METROCK) on May 10th, where they’ll play the RED SUNSHINE stage. The day’s line-up also features sets from THE ORAL CIGARETTES, ATARASHII GAKKO!, and go!go!vanillas.

Their festival appearances will be the first of several opportunities for fans to see the original line-up back on stage—something not seen in nearly a decade.

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About RIP SLYME

RIP SLYME formed in the mid-90s and became a key part of the FUNKY GRAMMAR UNIT, a collective influential in shaping Japanese hip-hop. Active across both major label and independent circles, the group developed a style that balanced accessible hooks with technical lyricism and offbeat humour.

Their work reached beyond music, with tracks featured in major advertising campaigns for brands including Coca-Cola, Nike, and McDonald’s. They also contributed to film, anime, and television, providing the ending theme and voiceover work for the Japanese dub of SpongeBob SquarePants from 2009 to 2019, and the track ‘Super Shooter’ for the anime Gantz. In 2013, their single ‘SLY’ was used as the theme for Fuji TV’s drama Legal High. Collaborations over the years have included artists such as Quruli, Tomoyasu Hotei, and SMAP.

In 2003, RIP SLYME drew over 50,000 fans to their outdoor event SUMMER MADNESS ’03, and became the first Japanese hip-hop act to headline Nippon Budokan. The group entered a prolonged hiatus after 2018, returning in 2022 as a trio. Their 2025 reunion marks the first appearance of all five original members in eight years.

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