is a Japanese rapper known for performing in MC battles and televised competitions. He has also worked as a cultural critic, actor, and voice actor.
Early life Ryoff Karma was born in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, in 1983 and spent much of his childhood in Higashiyodogawa-ku, Osaka. His family moved to Nagoya during his junior high school years. After graduating, he worked various jobs, including positions at a karaoke chain, a pest control company, and later as a pharmaceutical delivery worker and cram school manager.
Rap career
Rap production Ryoff Karma began performing in clubs and gradually focused on live rap performances. He lamented the state of the hip-hop scene at the time, feeling that both the underground artists around him and the established artists before him had fallen out of touch. After receiving hip-hop tracks from online, Ryoff Karma was able to publish his first album 13shit in 2009 through the hip-hop group BB9's indie label Meikou Recordings. After this, Ryoff Karma and fellow college attendee Takanome (鷹の目) formed the label Jet City People to support other artists in the area.
He has composed and performed music for commercial campaigns for brands such as Yanmar and Central Japan Railway Company, as well as public campaigns by Ad Council Japan. He has also worked on projects for local governments and awareness campaigns.
He has collaborated with Japanese rappers DJ Krush, Hannya (般若), , Gaki Ranger (餓鬼RANGER), , and .
Ryoff Karma has also collaborated with artists outside of hip-hop, including the rock band ANABANTFULLS in 2023. In 2024, he collaborated with idol group LINKL PLANET.
Battle rap Ryoff Karma is best known in Japan for his work in battle rap, which he has won many championships in.
Television Ryoff Karma became a television personality in 2023, appearing 156 times and ranking 8th in the "Breakout Talents of 2023" list. He has appeared in televised debates and hosted radio shows discussing cultural topics.
Reception Japanese rappers such as R-Shitei, Shinpeita, and FORK have praised Ryoff Karma's rhyming and style.
Controversies As a result of his frequent brutal honesty and his affinity for softcore pornography (referred to as "gravure" in Japanese), Ryoff Karma has become the subject of controversy many times in Japanese media.
In 2013, the unmanned Koi-Yamagata Station was painted pink in following the theme of its name. After stopping at this station in September of 2024, Ryoff Karma made a post on X (formerly Twitter) criticizing the station. This post quickly made headlines across Japan, with many criticizing his wanton judgement of a small Japanese community. Ryoff Karma's judgement was largely derived from the moe styled anime character on the station, echoing his frequent judgement of lolicon and Otaku cultures in Japan.
Musical style Ryoff Karma's early work aligned with Japanese hip-hop conventions; later, he focused on social commentary, satire, and philosophical themes.
Personal life Ryoff Karma graduated from Nagoya University of the Arts in 2005. He is married with two children.
Discography
Albums +TitleRelease dateRecord labelNotes13shit7 January 2009Meikou Recordings (DQC-187)Catalog number via Boundee distributionYojigen Hip-hop18 August 2010Jet City People (JCP-1001)Strong17 August 2011Jet City People (JCP-1101)The Cool Core9 May 2014Jet City People (JCP-1402)A New Misunderstanding23 November 2016Jet City People (JCP-1605)With producer p1 a.k.a. 2gSupersalt9 May 2018Jet City People (JCP-1801)Be kenja23 June 2021Jet City People (JCP-2101)bokeh10 November 2021Jet City People (JCP-2102)As part of the group nue
Filmography
Television Year Title Role Notes Reference2017–2019 Freestyle Dungeon Monster 2021 Red Eyes: Surveillance Investigation Team Shigeo Minatogawa Episode 3 2022–present Wide Show Himself 2022–present Sidewalk/Driveway Variety: Encounter with the Road Himself Segment: "Want to Fall for Ryoff Karma on the Night Streets of Nagoya" 2022–present GogoSuma – GO GO! Smile! Himself
Film Year Title Role Notes Reference2022 The Alien Painter – – 2023 Wolf of the Blood 2 – –
Radio Year Title Station Role Reference2019-presentFlying BedZip-FMNavigator2021–present Ryoff Karma's Rap Hour FM Nagoya Host 2022–present Scholar Meals Audible Japan Host
References
Further reading Ryoff Karma『The Man who doesn't waver(ブレん人)』2023.Cosmic Publishing 『Ryoff Karma 1st Photobook』2023.One Publishing
External links
Japanese Wikipedia