Home Made Kazoku


Home Made Kazoku is a Japanese hip hop trio from Nagoya, formed in 1996. They are signed to Ki/oon Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music. The group has been on hiatus since 2016.
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History

Home Made Kazoku is a trio consisting of members Micro, Kuro, and DJ U-Ichi. The band was originally formed in 1996 the name Hoze Kuro Sambo as part of the hip-hop group Funhouse. Micro joined the group in 1999 and Hoze left in 2001 to form the duo HB, with the remaining members renaming the band to Home Made Kazoku.
Vocalists Micro and Kuro are Japanese-Americans originally from Louisville, Kentucky and Chicago, Illinois respectively.
From 2001 to 2003, the band performed in various Nagoya nightclubs. Shortly after being signed on through local radio station Zip-FM, the trio released the album Home Sweet Home, from which its similarly titled song became one of the most requested songs on Japanese radio stations for the rest of the year.
In early 2004, the band was chosen to be part of a country-wide tour known as the Japan Club Tour. During the tour, the trio gained a large portion of their Japanese fanbase, and were also signed on by the recording company, Ki/oon Records. The trio made their major debut with the release of their mini-album Oooh! Yeah!. In July 2004, Home Made Kazoku released their first single, Summer Time Magic, which ranked 15th on the Oricon record charts for nearly 10 weeks.
After a series of singles, including Thank You!!, which was used as the second ending theme for the anime Bleach, and Shōnen Heart, as well as the second opening theme for the anime Eureka Seven, the band's first full-length album was released "Rock the World". "Rock the World" entered the Oricon charts. The record was in fifth place on the Oricon chart for its first week, and would stay in top 20 for the next eight weeks. Rock the World sold 191,744 copies and became the 78th best selling album of 2005.
After their first album, the group went on several tours and concomitantly released several singles. They also released their second and third albums, "Musication" and "Familia".
Of special note, tickets to their second tour were sold out within the span of one hour, a record in Japanese music. In January 2007, it was announced that they would perform the first ending theme to the anime Naruto Shippūden entitled Nagareboshi Shooting Star which entered the Oricon charts at 10th place. One of the member, Micro, was featured on the Abingdon Boys School song "Lost Reason" as it appeared on their self-titled album.
Home Made Kazoku has performed for a promotional commercial for a product called "Walky Walky" with their song "Easy Walk". In addition, Home Made Kazoku's single, No Rain No Rainbow, is the movie theme for the second Naruto Shippūden movie.
In 2011, Home Made Kazoku returned to Naruto Shippūden for the third time with the song "FREEDOM", which was the 17th ending theme.
The band played their first show in the US at Otakon 2010 in Baltimore, MD, and returned for Otakon 2013 alongside T.M. Revolution.
Their official blog stated in August 2016 that the trio will go on indefinite hiatus by the end of the year. According to the comment by group member Micro, the group is taking a hiatus to "grow individually and take on new challenges." The group's members have since been pursuing solo careers, including DJ U-Ichi's work on his YouTube channel and Kuro working with former member Hoze on the soul group Enband.

Style

Home Made Kazoku usually displays a very up-beat mood in their music, sometimes described by fans as "feel-good music". The pace of the songs may vary from moderately slow and calm to moderately fast and energetic. Like many Japanese pop bands, the group makes use of English phrases within the music. This use is rather extensive, as nearly every song contains some amount of English. Most songs utilize the language in the refrain as well as in isolated instances throughout a song.
The subject matter of the music usually concerns love, family, peace, harmonious communication with others, fun, and summer festivities. Additionally, most of the music videos seem to take place in the spring or summer, hearkening back to their up-beat mood and liveliness.
When asked what they want listeners to take away from hearing their music, they responded saying that no matter where you come from or the color of your skin, we are all one big family. When asked which American artist they would most like to collaborate with, the group showed interest primarily in hip-hop and pop artists. Micro would most like to work with The Black Eyed Peas, Kuro with Stevie Wonder and U-ICHI with Jay-Z.

Discography

Albums

  1. H.M.K.U
  2. Mainichi ga Eiga no you na Hitokoma ～Life Is Beautiful～
  3. Home Sweet Home
  4. Rock the World
  5. musication
  6. Familia
  7. Home
  8. Circle
  9. AKATSUKI
  10. 3RISE
  11. ''Laughin' Road''

Compilations

  1. Heartful Best Songs
  2. # Thank You!!
  3. # Oboeteru
  4. # Hero
  5. # Koi no Decibel
  6. # Salvia no Tsubomi
  7. # Kimi ga Kureta Mono
  8. # Itsumo Itsudemo
  9. # Futari ga Ii ne
  10. # Yonaita ni Kaita Rabu Retā
  11. # Manabi no Ma do
  12. # Merry-go-Round
  13. # Nagareboshi: Shooting Star
  14. # Life goes on & on
  15. # Home Sweet Home
  16. # Homesick
  17. # Encore Symphony
  18. Family Tree~Side Works Collection Vol. 1~
  19. #Wait For Me
  20. # I Say Yeah
  21. # abingdon boys school – Lost Reason
  22. # FLOW – Night Parade
  23. # Sowelu – Let's Go Faraway
  24. # SOFFet – Minus To Plus
  25. # HB – Haru No Hakuchuumu
  26. # Noriyuki Makihara – Honno Sukoshi Dake
  27. # TUT-1026 – yume tabi
  28. # LITTLE-Gradation
  29. # FUN HOUSE
  30. # Shimoneta & DJ Taki-Shit – Funky Technician
  31. # KAME &L.N.K. - Shi GO TO Jin
  32. # Aikotoba Wa Abracadabra

Singles

  1. Summer Time Magic
  2. # Summer Time Magic
  3. # Mr. Tough Guy
  4. # Oooh! Yeah!
  5. Aikotoba
  6. # Aikotoba
  7. # Hero
  8. # Home Party
  9. Thank You!!
  10. # Thank You!!
  11. # Home Sweet Home
  12. On the Run
  13. # On the Run
  14. # Live On Direct pt.2
  15. # Adrenaline
  16. Shōnen Heart
  17. # Shōnen Heart
  18. # Sora to Umi no Deau Tokoro
  19. # Shōnen Heart
  20. Joyride
  21. # Joyride
  22. # Manabi no Ma do
  23. # Life Work!
  24. # Joyride
  25. Salvia Bud/You'll Be Alright With Noriyuki Makihara
  26. # Salvia no Tsubomi
  27. # You'll Be Alright with Noriyuki Makihara
  28. # Nani ga ta desu ka?
  29. # Salvia no Tsubomi
  30. # You'll Be Alright with Noriyuki Makihara
  31. Aikotoba wa Abra Cadabra/Manatsu no Dance Call
  32. # Aikotoba wa Abra Cadabra Home Made Kazoku vs. Komekome Club
  33. # Manatsu no Dance Call
  34. # Precious Season
  35. # Aikotoba wa Abra Cadabra Home Made Kazoku vs. Komekome Club
  36. # Manatsu no Dance Call
  37. I Say Yeah!
  38. # I Say Yeah!
  39. # I Say Yeah!
  40. # I Say Yeah!
  41. # I Say Yeah!
  42. Everybody Needs Music
  43. # Everybody Needs Music
  44. # Silver Town
  45. # Tera Incognita Shirarezarutochi
  46. # What's Going On
  47. Kimi ga Kureta Mono
  48. # Kimi ga Kureta Mono
  49. # Never Enough
  50. # Salvia no Tsubomi Liga Oriente Remix
  51. Nagareboshi Shooting Star 1st Naruto Shippūden Ending Theme
  52. # Nagareboshi Shooting Star~
  53. # Yonaka ni Kaita Love Letter
  54. # Nagareboshi Shooting Star
  55. Oboeteru
  56. # Oboeteru
  57. # Rise & Shine
  58. # Everybody Needs Music
  59. Easy Walk
  60. # Easy Walk
  61. # Iron Soul
  62. # Viva Jibun
  63. No Rain No Rainbow
  64. # No Rain No Rainbow
  65. # Frontier
  66. # I Wish
  67. Come Back Home
  68. # Come Back Home
  69. #
  70. # Easy Walk
  71. YOU 〜あなたがそばにいる幸せ〜
  72. # YOU 〜あなたがそばにいる幸せ〜
  73. # Fun House ft. Kame, Tut-1026, & Hoze
  74. # Clap! Clap!
  75. Tomorrow featuring Kusuo
  76. # Tomorrow featuring Kusuo
  77. # Mukaikaze
  78. # Looking for You
  79. # Silver Town
  80. L.O.V.E.
  81. # L.O.V.E.
  82. # Step by Step
  83. # Shōnen Heart
  84. Nukumori
  85. # Nukumori
  86. # Mirai Ōrai
  87. # Nukumori
  88. FREEDOM
  89. # FREEDOM
  90. # No Rain No Rainbow
  91. # FREEDOM
  92. # FREEDOM
  93. Kohaku Iro ni Somaru Kono Machi wa
  94. # Kohaku Iro ni Somaru Kono Machi wa
  95. # Across the Universe
  96. Kibun wa Marude Jackpot!
  97. # Kibun wa Marude Jackpot!
  98. # Oiegei feat. Min'na-san
  99. Love is... feat. Ms.OOJA
  100. # Love is... feat. Ms.OOJA
  101. # メモリーレーン
  102. Kimi Ga Ita Kara
  103. # Kimi Ga Ita Kara
  104. # SUMMER BORN!!!!
  105. # Sun Shade Love
  106. # N.A.M.A
  107. # Kimi Ga Ita Kara
  108. # N.A.M.A.
  109. Hashiri Tsuzukeru
  110. # Hashiri Tsuzukeru
  111. # Syncopation
  112. # Hajimari No Kane
  113. # N.A.M.A. Remix
  114. # Hashiri Tsuzukeru-Instrumental-
  115. # N.A.M.A. Remix-Instrumental-
  116. Yokorenbo
  117. # Yokorenbo
  118. # You Choose
  119. # Kodona
  120. # N.A.M.A.

DVDs

  • Live 2005 "Rock the World" ～はじめての家族旅行～ in 名古屋
  • Home Made Films Vol.1
  • Home Made Films Vol.2
  • Home Made Films Vol.3
  • I Say Yeah! NeOSITE 10th Anniversary Party@Shibuya AX 2006/10/27
  • Tour 2006 "Musication" ～平成十八年度・新学期家族大歓迎会～ in Zepp Tokyo
  • TOUR 2007 "FAMILIA" ～Heisei 19 Nendo Shiawase Kazokuka Keikaku～ in SHIBUYA AX