DA PUMP

Overview

DA PUMP (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese male dance and vocal group whose original members came from Okinawa and the Okinawa Actors School. They are signed to Rising Production on the SONIC GROOVE label. They debuted on June 11, 1997 with "Feelin' Good -It's PARADISE-" as the first artist on the new avex tune label. "DA" is slang for "THE" and "PUMP" derives from "JUMP", meaning companions who leap along to the music. After a major comeback with "U.S.A." in 2018, the group earned its first-ever No. 1 on the Oricon weekly singles chart with "Dream on the street" in 2021.

Career

Formation and debut (1996-1998)

In 1996, Yukinari Tamaki and Ken Okumoto formed the duo KEN&YUKINARI, working as backup dancers for Rina Chinen. Shinobu Miyara and Issa Hentona joined to make a quartet, which became Billy The Kids and spent eight months in lessons and street performances before moving to Tokyo. In June 1997 they became DA PUMP and debuted under producer Akio Togashi (m.c.A·T). Their August debut live in Yokohama drew 5,000 people, and an October show drew 18,000. They founded the official fan club PUMP IT UP in February 1998, held their first concert tour DA PUMP 1st STAGE EXPRESSION in August (Osaka-jo Hall and three other venues), and made their first NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen appearance in December 1998, appearing for five straight years through 2002. They broke through with "Rhapsody in Blue" and peaked in popularity in 2001 with Da Best of Da Pump, as one of the first male groups outside Johnny's Entertainment to achieve major success.

Self-production and lineup changes (2003-2013)

From 2003, beginning with their 18th single "Night Walk", the group moved to self-production. In April 2006 Shinobu, who had suspended activities after a drunk driving incident, formally left and the group went on hiatus. In September 2006, with Daisuke Imai as producer, they resumed as a trio with their 24th single "ALRIGHT!", renaming the fan club Kurry Soul. A 10th anniversary tour was cancelled when Issa broke his right foot during rehearsals, and the group discussed restructuring as a performance-focused act. On December 18, 2008, Yukinari's departure and seven new members (Daichi, Kenzo, Tomo, Kimi, Yori, U-Yeah and Kazuma) were announced, creating a nine-member lineup. Their comeback single "Summer Rider" (July 15, 2009, produced by SASA) reached No. 22 on the Oricon weekly chart. Ken left in December 2009 citing differences in direction. In February 2011 they released their first double A-side, "Can't get your love/if... arekarabokura", which re-recorded their old hit "if..." with the current lineup. The official fan club ended in 2013.

Resurgence (2014-2021)

Kazuma left in 2014, leaving seven members, and the group released "New Position" in October. They marked their 20th anniversary in June 2017 with the live show LIVE DA PUMP 2016-2017 "REDlive 20th" at Maihama Amphitheater, attended by former member Shinobu, with congratulations sent by Yukinari. On June 6, 2018 they released their 29th single, "U.S.A.", after about three and a half years away. Its music video passed 500,000 views in three days and 100 million by October, and it shared the 100-million-view milestone among 2018 J-POP songs with Kenshi Yonezu's "Lemon". The group appeared at the Kohaku Uta Gassen for the first time in 16 years (their sixth), and the song won a Special Award and an Excellence Award at the 60th Japan Record Awards. In 2019 they launched the fan club DPC and held their first solo Nippon Budokan concerts in about 16 years in June. Yori took a break for a thoracic osteoid osteoma in September and returned on November 27; the group made its seventh Kohaku appearance that year. In November 2020 they held their first solo online live, LIVE DA PUMP 2020 DA NEW GAME. "Dream on the street" (34th single, March 17, 2021) topped the Oricon weekly singles chart dated March 29. Daichi left on April 30, 2021 due to worsening hernia, leaving the current six members, and "Oh! My Precious!" was released digitally on May 26 as the first song by the six-piece lineup.

Recent activity (2022-2025)

The group released their first original album in about 17 years, DA POP COLORS, on March 23, 2022, followed by their first nationwide tour in two years from April to June and a 25th anniversary live at Makuhari Messe on June 11. That show was released as a live recording in September 2023. They received a Special Award at the 64th Japan Record Awards in 2022. Later releases include "Sunrise Moon Let's Go to Space" (May 2023), "E-NERGY BOYS" and "Use Your Body / E-NERGY BOYS" (February 2024), "Pump It Up! feat. TAKUMA THE GREAT" (June 2024) and "Manatsu no Jumon" (July 2024), plus the album DA PUMP DJ MIX SUNRISE&SUNSET (October 2024). In June 2025 they released the pre-release singles "BACK 2 DA UNITY (Pre-01)" and "(Pre-02)", followed on July 9 by the album BACK 2 DA UNITY and the single "Osomatsu-san no Bombashe!". Kimi has also released solo singles, "Chazawa-dori no Lullaby" (2023) and "Dreamer+" (2024).

Musical style

The group is known for catchy, hip-hop-based vocal melodies mixed with rap, often at a fast tempo. Early on, Issa handled vocals while the other three performed idol-style rap; from the 12th single "if..." Ken mostly handled rap, and since the seven-member lineup Kimi has done so. Initially strongly idol-oriented, the group grew into a more artist-driven act as members became involved in songwriting. "U.S.A." is a Japanese-language version of a song by Eurobeat artist Joe Yellow. Issa is a fan of the Kamen Rider franchise and sang themes including "Justiφ's", while the group performed "Bright! our Future" for the film Kamen Rider: The First. Arashi was reportedly formed under DA PUMP's influence, and w-inds. debuted as their "younger brothers".

Awards

• 12th Japan Gold Disc Award, Best New Artist of the Year (1998)
• 16th Japan Gold Disc Award, Pop Album of the Year for Da Best of Da Pump (2002)
• Japan Record Awards Gold Prize: "Steppin' and Shakin'" (2001), "Night Walk" (2003), "Mune Kogasu..." (2004)
• Japan Record Awards Special Award and Excellence Award: "U.S.A." (2018)
• Excellence Award: "P.A.R.T.Y. Universe Festival" (2019), "Fantasista" (2020), "Dream on the street" (2021)