Issa Hentona
| Da Pump | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Japan |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Labels | Avex Tune |
| Associated acts | |
| Website |
http://www.avexnet.or.jp/dapump http://www.dapump.jp/ |
| Members |
Issa (1996–present) Daichi (2008–present) Kenzo (2008–present) Tomo (2008–present) Kimi (2008–present) Yori (2008–present) U-Yeah (2008–present) |
| Past members |
Shinobu (1996–2006) Yukinari (1996–2008) Ken (1996–2009) Kazuma (2008–2013) |
Da Pump (ダパンプ Da Panpu?) is a Japanese male idol group comprising lead vocalist, Issa Hentona and MCs Ken Okumoto, Yukinari Tamaki, and Shinobu Miyara. The group formed as students at Okinawa Actors School in 1996. They made their debut on Avex Trax subsidiary, avex tune, under the guidance of producer Akio Togashi on June 11, 1997 with "Feelin' Good -It's Paradise". As one of the few male groups unassociated with Johnny's Entertainment, they were the first to gain major popularity reaching their peak in 2001 with the release of Da Best of Da Pump. On April 7, 2006, Shinobu formally left the group following a hiatus due to a drunk driving incident in 2005. The group went on an unofficial hiatus at the end of 2006.
On December 18, 2008, it was announced that Yukinari was leaving the group and that Ken and Issa were actively looking for his replacement. Within hours, their management company announced a brand new Da Pump with seven new members and a new concept as a multimedia entertainment group. The group will start their official comeback on July 15, 2009 with the new single, "Summer Rider" and a tour in the fall. It was announced on December 5, 2009 that Ken Okumoto has left Da Pump to pursue a solo career, leaving Issa the only original member left.
Famed for their ability in both dancing and singing, Da Pump's debut came in 1997, with the song "Feelin Good - It's Paradise" and breaking through with "Rhapsody in Blue" (and using the song as their entry on the "white" team during the 1998 Kōhaku Uta Gassen). The group originally came from Okinawa Actors School but are now part of the Avex Network and are produced by Akio Togashi. Their songs tend to have a quick tempo and often include elements of rap. Da Pump often appears in TV shows, movies, and magazines throughout Japan.
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