PROFILE
The group consists of members born in 1997 and hailing from Shinagawa, Tokyo, including leader Sart, who is also an MC and beat maker, DJ and MC Daz, MC Big FAF, Weird the art, SoloBright, who is currently on hiatus, as well as Ryo Ishikawa and In 2019, they made a strong debut with their first EP, "AUTHENTIC", and released their second EP, "Take Roots", the following year in 2020. THROW BACK LP" in January 2023. Inviting a group of luxury producers who represent the beat scene in Japan as guest artists, the band has made its presence in the scene unshakable. . Currently, they are working on their third EP, which will be their next album.
His original experience was with HIP HOP in the 2000s .
From right to left, Big Faf (MC), Daz (MC/DJ), and Haru (backing DJ).
. However, I feel that the term "boom-bap" has a broad definition, as it differs slightly in style and ideology from one era to the next. However, I feel that the term "boom-bap" is broadly defined, with slightly different styles in terms of time period and ideology.
FLC:The HIP HOP we liked to listen to was the HIP HOP of the 2000s, although not in real time. We used to listen to DIPSET (The Diplomats) a lot, and when we talk about this kind of thing, we say that it was after TRIBE (A TRIBE CALLED QUEST) and before DIPSET (laughs). (Laughs.) People around us must have been listening to more up-to-date hit tunes, but for us, the common language or taste was the HIP HOP of that generation. I think we are often described as "boom-bap" because we are influenced by such music to no small extent.
- then was "Flat Line Classics" formed through such a common language in music?
However, we liked not only freestyling, but also sound recordings, of course, so we naturally started producing and recording beats to create our own works of art. When we had completed a few sound files, we got an offer from an event in which my uncle from BIG FAF was participating, and we decided to perform live for the first time. At that time, we needed a crew name, so we named ourselves "Flat Line Classics".
Left:Signature Varsity Jacket (BROWN) ¥69,300, right:Varsity Jacket (BLACK) ¥91,300
-Have you been a member of the crew since then, as well as your back-up DJs, Haru and Ryo Ishikawa?
FLC:HARU went to high school with Sart and Daz. She was DJing separately from us, and we met again around the time we formed Flat Line Classics. At the time, Daz was DJing and rapping at the same time, but I thought it would be better to have a full-time DJ, so I asked her to DJ our live shows.
However, HARU was busy assisting as a stylist in addition to DJing, and I thought it would be a relief to have another backup DJ in anticipation of the proliferation of solo activities for each of us. When I was looking for a DJ, I happened to meet Ryo Ishikawa. We usually hang out at the same places, had the same taste in music, and had a good vibe, so we decided to work together.
-You are a relatively large crew in the scene, with 4 MCs and 2 DJs, but do you often face difficulties in exchanging opinions when creating your works?
FLC:Yes, that's right. As a crew, we started out as a group of like-minded people, so there is no particular stress, but since we each have our own policies and preferences, it is difficult to coordinate everyone's opinions in terms of production. In our case, sound source production starts from the conceptualization, reference to the image of the song, selection of the beat, and placement of the appropriate players, which leads to the overall composition, so it takes a certain amount of time. Sart plays a central role in the creation of the piece, while also balancing the ideas of each player.
