Formed in Yokohama, Japan in 1989, Rhymester is a hip-hop group founded by MC Utamaru (real name: Shiro Sadaki) and MC / beatmaker / producer Mummy-D (real name: Daisuke Sakama). Third member, DJ / producer DJ Jin (Jin Yamamoto) became the group’s long-standing third member and has been with the group since the early 1990s. Rhymester formed while the members attended college and spent several years perfecting their sound and gaining a local following before releasing their independent debut EP, Ore ni Iwaserya, in 1993. Although the EP was not a success, the group continued working on their music and issued their first full-length album, Egotopia, in 1995. After several more independent releases, they issued their first major label single, “Royal Straight Flush,” in 2001. The single was a success and reached number 27 on the singles chart. Their album Truth of Rumors (2001), was also a success, hitting number 17 on the albums chart. Other Top 20 albums include Ruwasa no Accompaniment – And the Band Played On (number 11 / 2002), Gray Zone (number 15 / 2004), Manifest (number 5 / 2010), Pop Life (number 10 / 2011), Flashback, Summer (number 16 / 2011), Dirty Science (number 10 / 2013), Bitter, Sweet & Beautiful (2015), and Danceable (number 12 / 2017). Over the course of their career, Rhymester has released several compilation albums and live DVDs. They’ve also collaborated with many artists including Soul Scream, Naked Artz, Ram Jam World, DJ Beat, DJ Yutaka, Boy-Ken, and many others. In 2023, Rhymester released Open the Window, their first album in six years.
