Umeda Cypher (梅田サイファー)

Overview

Umeda Cypher (梅田サイファー) is a Japanese hip-hop group that grew out of a cypher held around Osaka Station and Umeda Station, and out of the people who took part in it. Unlike a typical group or crew, it has no fixed membership or hierarchy and describes itself as a "collective" and a "gathering of individuals," keeping to its cypher roots. The group made its major debut with the album RAPNAVIO (SME Records) on March 29, 2023, and has announced an indefinite hiatus after a live show around summer 2027.

Career

Formation and early years

On May 19, 2007, three peers who had been together at ENTER — 萬 (H.YOROZU), Akiramen and Funk — worried that the hip-hop scene of the time was hard for newcomers to enter. Hoping that more players would appear, they began holding a cypher every Saturday at 8 p.m. on the pedestrian bridge linking the Hanshin and Hankyu department stores in Umeda, using a battery-powered speaker, an iPod and a microphone. Through social networks such as mixi and Mobage, participation grew, and many members, beginning with R-指定 (R-Shitei), won or placed highly in MC battle tournaments and drew attention. Because the group was neither delinquent nor familiar with street or club culture, it was initially shunned by the Osaka scene as a byword for "a group that isn't hip-hop."

The bridge cypher is no longer held, but core members actively release music and perform live as Umeda Cypher. The group has previously distributed a mini-album and a mixtape by DJ HAMAYA containing only Umeda Cypher-related songs for free.

2020s

• April 17, 2021: Broadcast of Umeda Cypher's All Night Nippon 0 (ZERO) on Nippon Broadcasting.
• December 1, 2021: Funk's departure announced.
• May–December 2022: ABEMA program Umeda Cypher's Wednesday The NIGHT.
• August 6, 2022: Departures of tella and Taurin announced.
• October 8, 2022: Performed the opening song for TBS's King of Conte 2022. They went on to handle the opening five years in a row, and it became customary to release a rearranged version after each song's debut.
• January 21, 2023: OSCA announced his departure.
• March 9, 2023: Released "PUNCH LINE UP," a commercial song for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 software.
• March 29, 2023: Major debut album RAPNAVIO.
• October 18, 2024: Released "Rodeo13 - From THE FIRST TAKE" and "Switch / BE THE MONSTERR - From THE FIRST TAKE."
• December 16, 2024: Single "REVENGE."
• January–February 2025: "OOKAMI."
• February 13, 2025: Unveiled "Cerezo!," the official theme song of Cerezo Osaka, on YouTube (single released March 28).
• April 2025: "Urusairen."
• May 14, 2025: "Mada Ikeru ka?" featuring peko, TEPPEI, Cola, KBD, Take M, KZ, ILL SWAG GAGA, KennyDoes, KOPERU and Cosaqu.
• July 11, 2025: "Kinban."
• September 2025: "HAPPY RETENTION," released as a single (September 10) and an album (September 24).
• October 12, 2025: EP King or Clown, compiling the rearranged King of Conte opening songs up to the fourth year.
• December 2025: "FLOOR KILLER" (December 1) and "JUMP" (December 16).
• July 5, 2026: Announced an indefinite hiatus following a live show around summer 2027. King of Conte 2026 (aired October 17) was their final opening, and the group's official account posted a message thanking the show for entrusting them with the opening for five years.

Guest appearances

The group has appeared on ALI's "FEELIN'GOOD feat. Umeda Cypher" (2021), Gakiranger's "Agenagen" (2021), TiU's "NBDK" (2023), LITTLE's "Kojima Cypher" (2023) and Akasaka Cypher's "Love it Wednesday" (2023), among others.

Members

Main members include KBD a.k.a. Kobudo, peko, KZ, KennyDoes a.k.a. Doiken, R-指定 (Creepy Nuts), KOPERU, Take M, teppei, HATCH, Cosaqu, ILL SWAG GAGA, DJ SPI-K and YugaSoda (formerly Cola). Former members include OSCA, tella, Taurin and Funk, among others.

Musical style

Rooted in J-rap, the group is known for the multi-MC mic relays and distinctive individual styles that come from its cypher origins. Engineer dio j handled the recording of its early songs. Humor is also part of its identity: from the early days, KBD and Taurin took part as the unit "Dream Finish," performing raunchy comedic raps.