Ballistik Boyz from Exile Tribe

Lore & Background

The group was formed in a collaboration of Hiro and Doberman Infinity during Vocal Battle Audition 5. In April 2018, four finalists from the audition—Ryusei Kainuma and Riki Matsui from the rap division, and Ryuta Hidaka and Yoshiyuki Kanou from the vocal division—were chosen, along with three members of Project TARO (winners of 2014's Global Japan Challenge): Miku Fukahori, Rikiya Okuda, and Masahiro Sunada. Their formation was announced on May 1, 2018, on the TBS TV show 'Weekly Exile'. Starting May 12, they participated as the opening act of Fantastics' nation-wide small-scale tour, and later performed at Dance Earth Party's festival in July 2018.

Ballistik Boyz made their major-label debut on May 22, 2019, with a self-titled album. In June 2019, they joined LDH's multimedia project 'Battle of Tokyo', which included all Jr.Exile groups, releasing collaboration singles and a full album. Their first single '44Raiders' was released on October 23, 2019. In 2020, they released the single 'Anti-Hero's' and planned a national tour that was partially cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a series of livestreamed concerts. In 2021, they released the single 'Animal', the single 'Sum Baby', and their second album 'Pass the Mic'.

Reader's Guide

Ballistik Boyz from Exile Tribe holds significance as the first group within Exile Tribe where all members simultaneously sing and rap while dancing, marking a stylistic shift in the collective's performance approach. Formed through a collaboration between Hiro and Doberman Infinity, the group integrated winners from Vocal Battle Audition 5 and Project TARO, representing a blend of audition-based and competition-based talent. Their debut in 2019 with a self-titled album and subsequent participation in the 'Battle of Tokyo' project helped establish them within the broader Exile Tribe ecosystem. The group's early international performances in Malaysia, Taiwan, and planned shows in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam indicate an outward-looking strategy. Their adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic through livestreamed concerts on AbemaTV demonstrated flexibility in reaching audiences. The release of multiple singles and a second album 'Pass the Mic' in 2021, along with their contribution to Exile's 20th anniversary tribute project, solidified their role as a continuing presence in Japanese pop music. Their legacy lies in their innovative performance style and their integration into the larger Exile Tribe narrative.

Did You Know?

• Ballistik Boyz is the first group in Exile Tribe where all members hold microphones to sing and rap while dancing.
• The group was formed from a collaboration of Hiro and Doberman Infinity during Vocal Battle Audition 5.
• Their debut album 'Ballistik Boyz' was released on May 22, 2019.
• In 2020, their first national tour was partially cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to livestreamed concerts.

Formation & Unique Identity

Ballistik Boyz from Exile Tribe came into existence through a deliberate creative partnership between Exile's Hiro and the group Doberman Infinity. In April 2018, these two forces selected four finalists from the Vocal Battle Audition 5 competition—Ryusei Kainuma and Riki Matsui from the rap division, alongside Ryuta Hidaka and Yoshiyuki Kanou from the vocal division. To complete the seven-member lineup, they added Miku Fukahori, Rikiya Okuda, and Masahiro Sunada, all of whom had previously triumphed in the 2014 Global Japan Challenge as members of Project TARO. The group's official announcement came on May 1, 2018, during the TBS television program Weekly Exile. What sets Ballistik Boyz apart within the broader Exile Tribe collective is a distinctive performance philosophy: they are the first unit in the family where every single member grips a microphone, simultaneously singing, rapping, and dancing. Managed by LDH and signed to Rhythm Zone under the Avex Group umbrella, the group spent their pre-debut months building stage experience as opening acts for Fantastics' small-scale tour and the Dance Earth Festival 2018.

Major Debut & Battle of Tokyo

The year 2019 marked Ballistik Boyz' transition from pre-debut openers to a full-fledged major-label act. After launching their own nationwide small-scale tour in March, the group announced on March 31 that they would make their official debut on May 22 with a self-titled album. That same day, their first official music video for "Tenhane 1000%" dropped, filmed in Los Angeles. June brought them into LDH's ambitious multimedia project Battle of Tokyo, a collaborative effort uniting all Jr.Exile groups. Throughout the month, the participating groups released collaboration singles on a weekly cadence, culminating in the full album Battle of Tokyo: Enter the Jr. Exile on July 3, followed by a four-night live run. By late August, Ballistik Boyz had announced their first standalone single, "44Raiders," scheduled for October 23. September saw the group expand their reach internationally with performances in Malaysia and Taiwan, with additional shows in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam on the horizon. On October 1, they simultaneously released the title-track music video and launched their own YouTube channel, signaling a new era of direct fan engagement.

Adapting Through the Pandemic

The early months of 2020 saw Ballistik Boyz push forward with their second single "Anti-Hero's," released February 12, which carried a message about believing in yourself and fighting without fear to truly shine. The single's tracks were delivered to digital streaming platforms on a weekly schedule beginning in late January, building anticipation for their first national tour, "BBZ," which kicked off February 14. However, the global pandemic struck a decisive blow: on June 10, it was confirmed that all remaining tour dates were cancelled, cutting the run short at February 22. Rather than retreat, the group pivoted creatively. They released the digital single "Summer Hype" in August and then committed to a series of livestreamed concerts on the Japanese platform AbemaTV from September through December. These included their headlined shows LIVE×ONLINE IMAGINATION and LIVE×ONLINE BEYOND THE BORDER, a joint Halloween-themed concert with fellow LDH artists, and the year-end LDH countdown event on December 31. Through this period, Ballistik Boyz demonstrated resilience, finding new ways to connect with audiences when physical venues fell silent.

Pass the Mic & Expanding Horizons

2021 brought Ballistik Boyz into a phase of accelerated growth. Their single "Animal," released on February 3, preceded their second national tour, "Pass the Mic: Way to the Glory," which ran through March and April. The group also re-entered the Battle of Tokyo universe with the announcement of Battle of Tokyo Time 4 Jr.Exile, an album set for June 23 that featured hybrid live-action and animated music videos incorporating the four groups' avatars. In August, they dropped their fourth single "Sum Baby," and on November 24, they delivered their second studio album, Pass the Mic, an eighteen-track collection spanning all their singles since debut plus the promotional track "All Around the World." The year closed with a meaningful tribute: on December 8, as part of Exile's 20th anniversary celebration project, Ballistik Boyz released "Ballistik Boyz from Exile," the second of four consecutive tribute singles by Jr.Exile groups honoring the parent act that shaped their collective identity.

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