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FEATURELACOSTE Portraits of the creator vol.4 Rapper ZORN

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LACOSTE Portraits of the creator vol.4 Rapper ZORN

Everyone knows the iconic crocodile logo brand LACOSTE. The collection, including its signature polo shirts, combines elements of both elegance and casual wear, and has a wide range of styles for any occasion. At the same time, all items carry the elegance of "premium casual" that is common to the French character. We asked a group of people who are active in various fields to wear such a collection. Through their portraits and interviews, we reveal the appeal of Lacoste.

  • Photo_Jumpei Ishikawa
  • Text_Yuho Nomura
  • Edit_Shinri Kobayashi

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ZORN
Rapper, born in Tokyo in 1989, started his career as a rapper in earnest, mainly in freestyle battles under the name ZONE THE DARKNESS when he was 15 years old. He changed his name to ZORN when he released his fourth album "Third Children" from "Showa Records" led by Hannya, and became a hip-hop MC delivering lyrical messages about his hometown Katsushika Ward, his family, and his universal daily life. In September, they released their 7th album, "Shibamata Nikki (Shibamata Diary)," and will be performing solo in Osaka on December 16 and in Tokyo on December 27.

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Jacket ¥23,000+tax, Polo shirt ¥14,000+tax, Sneakers ¥14,000+tax, Other personal effects

Breaking away from freestyle battles.

Freestyle battles have been on a hot streak these days, and ZORN has been active in freestyle for more than 10 years under the name ZONE THE DARKNESS when he first debuted. But you have retired from that scene now, haven't you?

ZORNI originally thought that freestyle battles were a way to spread my name. I was able to win my first freestyle battle competition, and after that, I continued to do well in several other competitions, and when I was about 20 years old, I felt that I had already made a name for myself, so I decided to leave the scene.

Does that mean you were satisfied?

ZORNRather than losing interest, I was worried that I would be entangled in the image of only freestyle battles in which I compete with my opponents for skill. I wanted to create a work of rap from a different perspective than that of winning or losing.

You have chosen not to dare to go with the flow. Does this have something to do with the fact that you still have a job (in architecture) separate from rapping?

ZORNEveryone has their own way of doing things, but in my case, doing what I do because I genuinely want to rap is better suited than doing what I like to do as a job. I deliver words born from a consumer's perspective while doing my usual work, which is different from being an artist. I think this is a realistic form of hip-hop.

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I bought one of those Lacoste polo shirts this summer. When you have a family, sometimes you need a shirt with a collar, not just a T-shirt. Polo shirts are just right to wear on those occasions. I feel like I stand a little taller when I put my sleeves on."

Hip-hop that sings about life.

I also got the impression that getting married and having a family has strengthened your commitment to everyday life. How has marriage affected your work?

ZORNThat is, after all, because life itself changes. In my case, I married a man with children, so I became both husband and father at once. From that point on, family comes first in my life. I used to be a bit of a rascal, but now I think it's cool to live life with your feet firmly planted on the ground.

What is ZORN's most memorable work?

ZORNI guess it's "My life" about my normal work, family, and life. Before I came to the conclusion that it was OK not to have to earn a living by rapping, I still had a strange sense of pride or resistance to singing about my other work when I released this song. But when I finally released this song, I realized that I could be honest about my feelings and be more natural than ever before.

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You have received many sympathetic comments for its life-size lyricism.

ZORNWe believe that the message conveyed through hip-hop is universal. I believe that the message conveyed through hip-hop is universal. I am happy to see that our message has been spreading little by little, and recently we have been seeing people with families and businessmen in suits coming to our live shows, which makes me happy.

Finally, can you tell us what ZORN envisions for the future?

ZORNI would like to take on challenges that transcend generations and genres. Since I have been doing music for so long, I would like to challenge myself to transcend generations and genres. I would like to pursue HIPHOP music that is cool while delivering songs that are rooted in life in my own way.

LACOSTE Customer Center
Phone: 0120-37-0202
www.lacoste.jp

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