Case 02
PROFILE
Born in Tokyo in 1994. He has been devoted to black music and basketball since his childhood and started his career as a rapper in his teens. He quickly rose to prominence and is currently a member of the Tokyo-based hip-hop crew "YENTOWN." His first album "DIMENSION" was released in 2018 to great acclaim both within and outside the industry, and has earned him an unshakable position in the domestic hip-hop scene. On April 22, he is scheduled to release his long-awaited second album "DISTORTION".@kzm9393
kZm is not only a rapper, but also a fashion icon because of his unique way of dressing. What is your obsession with fashion?
In the past, I used to find it interesting to interpret fashion in my own way and make it into something that would generally be considered a bad thing, but recently my interest in fashion itself has waned. As I become more deeply devoted to music, my interest in fashion seems to decline in inverse proportion. It's not that I'm not interested at all, though.
I see. So what kind of clothes are you wearing these days?
I tend to wear clothes basically branded by my friends. The stadium jacket I'm wearing today was bought a while ago at a thrift store, and I've been wearing it a lot lately during live performances and photo shoots. It is apparently a WTAPS item from about 20 years ago. Of course, I am not the type of person who followed the backstage culture in real time, but cool things are always cool, and I want to wear them without worrying if I didn't know about them back then.
I can't help but think of sneakers as footwear.
I actually like leather shoes. Of course, sneakers are essential for me because I play basketball and am active in the hip-hop scene, but recently I've been into a style that dares to wear mature leather shoes with a tie. In my private life, I love wearing Gucci bit loafers.... My loafer fever is accelerating.
gravis "ODJICK STUDS (Black)" ¥10,000+TAX（Japanese onlyONLINE STORE)
In that sense, "Ojek" is perfect for the current kZm.
I think they are. Of course they look good for everyday use, but personally I would like to wear them at live performances. I basically style my own outfits for live performances, but there are not many leather shoes that are easy to move around in, so I think this model, which is designed like a loafer but can also be worn as a sneaker, is just right for me.
In terms of your usual activities as an artist, have there been any changes in your own lifestyle since the release of your first album?
In terms of music, I used to avoid house music, but I started listening to it a lot after I met Good Party, a house band, a while ago. I think you can see that trend in my second album. As for my off-days, there was a time when I used to stay up until morning playing in Harlem, but recently I walk my dog, grow plants at home, and read. I don't think I'm consciously changing things, but I guess I'm getting to an age where I feel tired (laughs).
You are still very young (laughs). By the way, I get the sense from your lifestyle and sound sources that you do not fit into any one category, and that you move freely between various fields.
I may be unconscious about it, but I am conscious of it naturally. I always want to change the stereotypes that everyone has about music and fashion, and it fits my way of life to embody what I want to do at that time. I think that Gravis's Ojek shoes embody a sense of hybridism that fits the current times, and I feel that there is a link with the vector I am currently walking.
