BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE release new single and video ‘Ding Ding Dong’!

Dance and vocal group BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE have released their new single ‘Ding Ding Dong’. The lead song on this three-track single, ‘Ding Ding Dong’, portrays the struggle between “temptation” and “belief”, and depicts the moment when the final bell rings, time is up, and a decision must be made. This powerful song tests the very idea of “faith”.

In the music video, the concepts of “temptation” and “belief” are represented by contrasting black and white costumes and lighting, echoing the themes of the song. As the members of BALLISTIK BOYZ leave a deserted club to emerge into the outside world and dance on a rooftop, the video shows how the boys are taking new leaps into a wide-open future.

The single also includes two more songs. ‘All About U’ is a mid-tempo ballad that expresses the feeling of being reunited with someone you once loved, and all the emotions that come flooding back. ‘Lonely’ is a heartrending song that features a hip-hop track produced by member Miku Fukahori, with original lyrics by Rikiya Okuda and Riki Matsui. 

The single is available now on download and streaming platforms, so don’t miss it! Be sure to check out the music video below along with the streaming link here!

BALLISTIK BOYZ profile

BALLISTIK BOYZ are the first EXILE TRIBE unit where all of the talented performers dance, sing and rap with mics in hand. All seven of the members have highly trained physiques that allow them to achieve incredible acrobatic moves. Each of the boys has a global background, including members who can speak English, Portuguese and Chinese as well as Japanese. Through their authentic music and live performances, this world-class boys’ group have found fans not only in Japan but overseas too, as they set their sights on leading the next generation and breaking into the global music scene!

In December 2019, they embarked on a promotional tour that took them to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Taipei, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh. During this tour, they performed live around East Asia and explored unfamiliar lands, and were featured in a variety of media. In February 2023, they held a concert in Thailand titled THE SURVIVAL 2023 THAILAND. They are currently partway through their first solo tour of Japan in around two years, titled BALLISTIK BOYZ LIVE TOUR 2023 “N.E.X.T.”

BALLISTIK BOYZ Aims for World Domination with Latest Music Video!

PASS THE MIC Jacket Cover

Ever since they formed in April 2018, Japanese boyband BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE have had their sights set on global stardom. Each of the group’s seven talented members perform flawlessly with mic in hand, with the physical ability of an acrobat. So far, they have been mostly focused on activity within Japan, but as a world-class group with several bilingual members, they have also conducted successful promotional tours across Southeast Asia.

Released on November 22 across all digital music streaming platforms, BALLISTIK BOYZ’s new single “All Around The World” carries a message infused with their ambition to reach a truly global audience. The release is accompanied by a music video.

“All Around The World” is the lead track from BALLISTIK BOYZ’s second album, PASS THE MIC, which will be released on November 24. The song tells of their commitment to their fans, known as BBZ Family, with whom they search for a new stage that transgresses national borders. It’s a song that pledges BALLISTIK BOYZ’s determination to give it their all, while keeping their eyes on international success.

The song was written by Xansei – who has worked with top-grade rappers from Japan and overseas such as NLE Choppa and JP THE WAVY – along with Marcus Munroe. As the lead track from the album, it expresses the attitude of the seven members, brimming with their enthusiasm for music and entertainment, and their hunger for the next phase of BALLISTIK BOYZ. Check it out on your favorite download or streaming service, or on YouTube.

Lead track “All Around The World” is one of three brand-new songs on the album, along with “Day Dreaming”, which offers a glimpse into how the boys spend their free time; and “In My Eyes”, an emotional mid-tempo love song with an unmissable vocal performance from four of the BALLISTIK BOYZ members. The Blu-ray and DVD sets include six music videos as well as footage from their recent tour, titled BALLISTIK BOYZ PROLOGUE LIVE TOUR 2021 “PASS THE MIC” ~WAY TO THE GLORY~, available in full for the first time.

Be sure to check out the music video for “All Around The World” below along with the streaming link for the track here!

Jr.EXILE Honors Their Big Brother Group With Upcoming Cover Singles!

To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of popular boy group EXILE, their junior sub-groups Jr.EXILE announced that they will be releasing tribute singles, calling the project the EXILE TRIBUTE project. All four sub-groups, THE RAMPAGE, BALLISTIK BOYZ, FANTASTICS, and GENERATIONS, will be covering four EXILE songs which will be released December 1. These cover works will drop across four consecutive weeks. All four singles will come with two editions: a CD-only standard edition, along with a limited edition which will release with a bonus DVD. 

As we look forward to the upcoming releases be sure to check out the track list and the pre-order links for the singles below!

THE RAMPAGE

Standard edition/ DVD

BALLISTIK BOYZ

Standard edition/ DVD

FANTASTICS

Standard edition/ DVD

GENERATIONS

Standard edition/ DVD

THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE「THE RAMPAGE FROM EXILE」

CD

・No Limit
・あなたへ
・BOW & ARROWS
・STEP UP

DVD

・No Limit（Music Video）

BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE「BALLISTIK BOYZ FROM EXILE」

CD

・Touch The Sky
・FIREWORKS
・THE NEXT DOOR
・Heads or Tails

DVD

・Touch The Sky（Music Video）

FANTASTICS from EXILE TRIBE「FANTASTICS FROM EXILE」

CD

・Each Other's Way ～旅の途中～
・Someday
・VICTORY
・Flower Song

DVD

・Each Other's Way ～旅の途中～（Music Video）

GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE「GENERATIONS FROM EXILE」

CD

・SUPER SHINE
・Together
・時の描片～トキノカケラ～
・Angel

DVD

・SUPER SHINE（Music Video）

Gray's Ongaku Go For August 2021

Picking up after Ken and Luna with another month down in 2021, we at Ongaku to You would like our readers to know what was filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms with Apple Music being featured on this site.

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“Bubble Love” by Da-iCE

I’ll be honest, I didn’t realize this track was out and I heard they were doing the opening to the next Kamen Rider series, so to get hyped I looked to see if Da-iCE had dropped anything and sure enough they had dropped three tracks. The songs I put out are my favorite. The release has their signature cool style that I just love so much and it’s really catchy to boot. 

Check out “Bubble Love” here and the music video below!

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“SUM BABY” by BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE

Let it be said that BALLISTIK BOYZ knows how to drop a great summer track, with “SUMMER HYPE” last year and “SUM BABY” this year. This is just a fun track to listen to and now I’m going to look forward to their summer release next year. The rapping in this song is done so well, your missing out if you haven’t listened to this one yet.

Check out “SUMMER HYPE” here and the music video below!

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“Amagoi” by Jang Keun Suk

Jang Keun Suk is two for two now. I don’t think “Amagoi” hit the hi that emotion did but this track is still really good and I’ve been playing it on repeat since it dropped. I just love Suk’s style and this track oozes style. I’m officially a fan and look forward to diving into his discography sometime in the near future.

Check out “Amagoi” here and the music video below!

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“Shinu Hodo Suki” by WHITE JAM

WHITE JAM came to my attention last year just browsing through Apple Music and I recently went and really dove in which I’m so glad I did. Now I’m a huge fan of this trio and this is their latest release. It’s really good with amazing rap and great vocals. Shirose’s singing voice is what I wish my singing sounded like. 

Check out “Shinu Hodo Suki” here and the music video below!

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“So What” by SPiCYSOL

This is a pretty recent discovery for me and I’ve really enjoyed their music from everything that I’ve heard. The composition for this song is really catchy and easy to listen to. That has really turned into a must-listen track.

Check out “So What” here and the music video below!

Interview: BALLISTIK BOYZ

BALLISTIK BOYZ is a seven-member dance and vocal group who is a part of the popular sub-group EXILE TRIBE. These seven extremely talented members perform physically demanding acrobatic dance routines while singing emotional and thought provoking lyrics. Thanks to their performance skills and unique charm, one could say they rival any top-tier global artist.

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Yoshiyuki Kano

Ryuta Hidaka

Ryusei Kainuma

Miku Fukahori

Rikiya Okuda

Riki Matsui

Masahiro Sunada

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Ken: First of all, thank you so much for letting us do this interview. We are big fans and love what you bring to the Japanese music industry.

BALLISTIK BOYZ: Thank you so much for having us.

“Riding firmly on that constant flow from the previous two releases, we wanted to make a song that surpassed last year's summer tune.”

Ken: Compared to your previous summer release, “SUMMER HYPE”, what was your thought process when coming up with “SUM BABY”?

Ryuta Hidaka: The release last year, “SUMMER HYPE”, was well-received, along with the following release, "Animal," which was also loved by many non-fans.

So while riding firmly on that constant flow from the previous two releases, we wanted to make a song that would surpass last year's summer tune. So, this time we came up with “SUM BABY”.

Yoshiyuki Kano: From the previously released “SUMMER HYPE” we wanted to show our more adult side along with a hint of playfulness and wanted to instill an image of a summer song that everyone could enjoy!

Ken: How difficult is the choreography for ” SUM BABY”?

Miku Fukahori: The choreography that we built around this release is so easy that anyone can dance along with us!

Rikiya Okuda: It’s not difficult at all! it's actually very simple!

Ken: What is your personal favorite track off of "SUM BABY"?

Riki Matsui: “SUM BABY”, of course!

Masahiro Sunada: “SUM BABY”! It's a song that grips that summer feel with a very catchy melody!

Ken: Do you have a favorite story in creating your newest single?

Ryuta Hidaka: While shooting the music video of “SUM BABY” we were able to take pictures while enjoying the summer feeling, such as going into the pool and having a BBQ together.

Ryusei Kainuma: "SUM BABY" has been recorded more often with the goal of surpassing the work of "SUMMER HYPE" which was released last year. We have been focusing on part division so that each member can stand out without having a fixed concept, so to speak. So, for example, during the first run of the song, each member sings all the designated parts (rap, vocals, etc.) by themselves first and then we divide those parts.”

Also, since it is a song that is mainly sung toward women, we made it while pursuing a bit of realism, such as being more conscious of the voice component and singing with a tone that makes it feel as if a woman is in front of us.

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Ken: Before you were members of BALLISTIK BOYZ, what was the audition and prep work like being in PROJECT TARO and Vocal Battle Audition 5? Was the prep work more difficult before you were a member of BALLISTIK BOYZ?

Rikiya Okuda: I studied abroad in NEW YORK due to PROJECT TARO! In that process I developed new dreams and goals, including not only dance but also vocals/rap!

I am very proud of the experience of studying abroad because no one could ever replicate it!

Ryuta Hidaka: It was very difficult to become a member. In the past I've auditioned many times, and every year I would dream that this year would be the year I was chosen.

After many years of singing and dancing training and part-time work on a daily basis, even then I was of course anxious.

Ken: Your debut release was an album; was there any added pressure or relief when that was decided?

Miku Fukahori: It was a new type of debut, so it was more fun than anything else!

Yoshiyuki Kano: During the time we didn’t debut yet, even if we put out various songs, I was a little scared of how they would be received by those who listened to them!

Ken: Are you in competition with any of the other groups in Jr. EXILE?

Yoshiyuki Kanou: There are many things that I can study, very much both from my seniors and as a group;

we want to be able to catch up and overtake them even a little with our individuality and efforts.

Ryusei Kainuma: In the huge project "BATTLE OF TOKYO", which the Jr.EXILE generation is doing, "fighting/competing" is the main theme of the project, but on the contrary, in private, the four groups have very good camaraderie! Lol.

Of course, there are things like "This person and this person are on good terms!", but even with everyone together, above all, the senior members care about their junior members, so I think that a very good relationship from the beginning of the project was there.

“I always think it's absolute to write song without lying to my dreams, goals or feelings.”

Ken: Do you have a process or certain mindset when creating your songs? If so, would you like to share that process?

Rikiya Okuda: I always think it's absolute to write songs without lying to my dreams, goals, or feelings. I don't think people will want to hear anything that they haven't thought of or experienced, so I always try to be honest with myself when dealing with music!

Miku Fukahori: I always try to record while imagining the content of the lyrics of the song!

Ken: While working on the BATTLE OF TOKYO album, what was the most fun to work on?

Masahiro Sunada: I enjoyed interviewing various magazines with the senior members, which is really rare to do!

Ryusei Kainuma: First of all, I've loved anime since I was little and just thinking that I'd be an anime character really got me excited!

However, the animation seems to have various settings and is quite detailed, so I sang while imagining the completed character design from the production stage and challenged to shoot the music video from there. There were many difficult things but I was most happy to actually see the process until it was completed!

Ken: Before you were a member of the BALLISTIK BOYZ, were any of you guys fans of EXILE?

Ryuta Hidaka: Yes, I was a fan of EXILE. I longed to be in EXILE and got my dream of becoming an artist from that.

Riki Matsui: Yes, I was a fan of HIRO-san.

Ken: How long does the choreography process of a song take to master and was it difficult to do during the ongoing pandemic?

Riki Matsui: This upcoming release, “SUM BABY”, was choreographed so that anyone could imitate it so it wasn't that difficult to plan, but the shooting was postponed due to the pandemic and it was harder in other respects as well.

Masahiro Sunada: We thought about all the choreography by ourselves but this time we created this work with the image of a simple choreography that everyone can imitate!

Ken: Most of your music is upbeat. Do each of you prefer the dance style of music that you perform or do you have a different style you prefer?

Miku Fukahori: I often listen to ballads and covers of various songs.

Ryuta Hidaka: My favorite dance style is HIPHOP.

I love 90s era music and heavy HIPHOP especially.

Ken: What song(s) had an impact on you growing as a group?

Riki Matsui: I think we changed a lot as a group with “Animal”. It's a song that all the members love and their individuality mixes well. It was also the moment when we released “Animal”: we saw a brand new path.

Yoshiyuki Kano: It would have to “Animal”!

Unlike the songs I've played so far, I thought that the R&B style was stronger and it suits us. When we released “Animal” it was very popular and gave us confidence for our future work!

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Ken: What are some challenges you have faced as an artist? How have you overcome them? 

Masahiro Sunada: I struggled with how to liven up the performance and talk when performing live abroad.

However, I felt that I was able to overcome it by trying various challenges.

Riki Matsui: Rap skill.

When BALLISTIK BOYZ was formed, I liked rap and listened to it all the time.

I didn't have much experience and I was definitely behind the others so it was always my number one challenge. When I felt like it, I immediately bought all the recording equipment and practiced it almost everyday. I noticed that I used to do it until 6 o'clock in the morning. It's still my number one task, so I've been training at home as long as it doesn't interfere with my work.

“I wrote lyrics with a ballad taste and expanded the genre of music to a new form in a good way.”

Ken: How did the pandemic affect the way you approach your beats and composition for your music?

Masahiro Sunada: The way we deal with music has changed in a good way so I think it's a better work than ever!

Rikiya Okuda: Originally I wrote and composed vocals and rap mostly for a HIP HOP taste of music, but after the pandemic continued, I wrote lyrics with a ballad taste and expanded the genre of music to a new form in a good way. It was an interesting challenge that I took on!

Ken: Which artist would you say is your biggest inspiration? Also are there any international artists who inspire you guys as well?

Miku Fukahori: I want to be an artist who can sing and dance like Chris Brown.

Rikiya Okuda: There are many but I would have to choose Travis Scott!

His unique worldview and live performances are overwhelming, and as a strong point with his rap, he can also be a fashion icon and collaborate with brands.

Ken: How many languages can you each speak? Have you ever thought about incorporating that into some of your songs? 

Masahiro Sunada: Three can speak English, one can speak Portuguese, and the other can speak Chinese!

Ryusei Kainuma: There are three English speakers, one Portuguese speaker, and one Chinese speaker!

Most of the songs have English lyrics because I can speak English! I do it based on overseas standards, such as making songs and flows like overseas style, and since there are members who can speak English, Portuguese, and Chinese, each of the rap songs is composed through various songwriting. We are also trying to mix the languages as much as possible!

Ken: What did you think about seeing yourself animated for your video “VIVA LA EVOLUCION” for the BATTLE OF TOKYO EP? 

Ryuta Hidaka: It’s a strange feeling to see myself animated but it made me happy.

I’ve personally liked anime and manga since I was little so it was a blast!

Yoshiyuki Kanou: There hasn’t been this style of music video beforehand so it’s very refreshing.

Ken: “44RAIDERS” leans a bit into gaming culture; what are some of your favorite video games to play?

Ryuta Hidaka: I really like Kingdom Hearts!

Ryusei Kainuma: I, Ryusei Kainuma, am a very big video game fan... Recently I’ve been addicted to the game Apex Legends!

Ken: For international fans, how they usually discover J-pop is through anime. First, do you guys watch anime, and if so, which would you say is your favorite?

Yoshiyuki Kanou: I watch a lot, actually! I usually watch Weekly Shonen Jump and other Shonen styles of anime, but I was really surprised by the finale of Attack on Titan!

Ken: How far in advance do each of you prepare for your live performances? Do you prepare more as a team, individually, or a mixture of both?

Miku Fukahori: I often start rehearsals about a month beforehand.

Ryusei Kainuma: If it's a live concert I'll prepare a month or two before!

It depends on the members, as in how they do the individual practices, but we do group practices as the main practice. The reason is that everyone sings and dances, so it's important to align and unify our intentions!

Ken: Is there a venue you performed at that you’ll never forget? Also, is there a dream venue that you would like to perform at?

Masahiro Sunada: I want to perform at Madison Square Garden someday!

It's been a dream place since I lived in New York!

Rikiya Okuda: What I will never forget is the Apollo Theater in NEW YORK!

Unfortunately we weren’t able to keep winning throughout the year, but until then we were able to keep winning so I'm still happy, and I don't think there are any Japanese people who have reached that level, so as a group I was happy that judges accepted our dance power that much.  

I also want to do a live concert at Madison Square Garden in the future!

Ken: What tracks are your favorite to perform live and why?

Ryuta Hidaka: It would have to be "Animal".

Many of our songs are cool, upbeat songs, so the intro of “Animal” has that style in it.

I like the feeling that the atmosphere of LIVE concerts bring, along with the stage changes. It brings my energy up and levels up my singing and dancing ability.

Riki Matsui: “Life Is Party”.

This is one of the songs through which we can feel united with the fans.

When I performed this song live for the first time, a new sense of fun and unity at the venue permeated my heart, giving me an experience that I can never forget.

Ken: What would you say is your group's most difficult song to perform?

Yoshiyuki Kano: It’s “Animal”! There are so many places in the song that use falsetto and mixed vocals. It's difficult to put out without voluntarily being in vocal pedagogy!

Rikiya Okuda: For me it would also have to be “Animal”! The choreography is precise and delicate so I think it's difficult to remember!

Ken: Who is the one artist you would love to work with in the future?

Masahiro Sunada: It would have to be Post Malone and Ty Dolla Sign!

Because they are my favorite hip hop artists!

Rikiya Okuda: Mine would be Post Malone as well!

His style of music and worldview are really cool and I've always been inspired by his music!

Ken: What song have you created that you wish had a music video?  What type of music video would you film?

Miku Fukahori: “Strangers” has a completely different atmosphere from our usual songs so I would like to shoot a slightly mature music video.

Riki Matsui: “HIGHWAY” and “Chasin’”.

This would be done by Me, Rikiya, and Ryusei.

It’s mainly a rap song, so I'd like to have the video with me lip singing while riding in a car. LOL.

Ken: Do you have a message for your international fans?

Ryusei Kainuma: I haven't been able to meet because of the ongoing pandemic but, talking on behalf of the group, we want to see everyone in the BBZ Family soon, so please look forward to it!

Yoshiyuki Kano: Thank you for your support!

I'm very sad that we can't see you, our fans, after all this time, but we'll do our best to meet you as soon as possible!

Ken: Once again, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule and we look forward to your upcoming releases!

BALLISTIK BOYZ: Thank you it was our pleasure!

Be sure to check out their official website, along with their Twitter, and Instagram!