Sakurai joined Johnny's Entertainment in October 1995 and made his debut with Arashi in Hawaii. While juggling his work as an idol, he attended Keio University and graduated with a degree in Economics in 2004 and has inspired many other juniors from the same agency to also pursue a higher education after high school. Sakurai is the designated rapper of the group, and has written the raps in the band's songs from the single ハダシの未来/言葉より大切なもの onwards. Fans affectionately call it "Sakurap". Sakurai's breakthrough in rapping made it easier for his juniors to rap as well despite being idols, and became an idol for them to look up to. According to TOKIO's 国分太一 (Kokubun Taichi) and KAT-TUN's member, 田中聖 (Tanaka Koki), they starting rapping because of Sakurai.
In 2006, he became a newscaster for News ZERO, with a segment every Monday. In 2007, he was chosen to help host NTV's ZEROxSenkyo 2007, a special program, regarding the upcoming House of Councillors elections. Sakurai became the first pop idol to host such a program. He was chosen as the main caster for Fuji TV's broadcast of the 2007 Volleyball World Cup. This marked the first time ARASHI, who were special supporters for the 1999 competition, has been involved with the Volleyball World Cup after eight years.
In 2008, Sakurai was appointed as the main caster for NTV's coverage of the Olympic Games in Beijing and in 2010, was appointed as a special caster for NTV's coverage of the Vancouver Games.
Hip Pop Boogie
櫻井翔 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey! Hey! 俺ら山 風の登場
高嶺の方向 向けてまた攻防
結果残しつ未だまだ放蕩
息子奏でる "あなた方" 孝行
Jazz band, hip hop 取り込んで行く
"音と言葉つむぎ描く芸術"
いままでこれからもこのメンツです
このメンツで (yeah) 届けるぜ (yeah)
歴史のページをいまめくれ
(World is mine)
時代 is mine 未来 is mine
アマテラス照らす sunshine, yeah
大卒のアイドルがタイトルを奪い取る
マイク持ちペン持ちタイトルを奪い取る
Hip-Pop beat yo
ステージ上終身雇用 yeah yeah
道なき道を歩いてく
迎合せずただマイペース
いま言える いまならば言える
蒔いてた種たち咲いてく
Somebody (yeah) everybody (yeah)
いま時代が手の中に (yeah yeah)
Pass da mic, pass da pen
この この mic and pen で rock-rock the world
こんなゆっくりで いいんだって
こんな俺らだってでもいいんだって
こんな景色まで見られるなんて
こんな こんなとこ来てたなんて
この大草原の先には何が
待っているのだろう
道がないなら創ればいい
その先例え果てていたとしても
これが最初のタイトなパイオニア
きっと笑うぜ最後には
これが最初で最後のパイオニア
きっと笑うぜ最後には
飾りでなく 外野黙り込む
Lyrical idol 辺りを巻き込む
そう hip pop, hippy, the hibby to the hip な pop star, yeah yeah
道なき道を歩いてく
迎合せずただマイペース
いま言える いまならば言える
蒔いてた種たち咲いてく
Somebody (yeah) everybody (yeah)
いま時代が手の中に (yeah yeah)
Pass da mic, pass da pen
この この mic and pen で rock-rock the world
きっとずっと一方通行
悪いが俺 先急ぐぞ
(集合) 津々浦々 八百万の長
万物に宿りし 神々の子
人の上 下に人作らぬなら
俺がその天の頂きいただく
「しばらく」とかでなく uh
いままず何が出来るかでしかもう変わらん
What's going on?
何か違うと思わないかい?
What's going on?
あんな大の大人が
What's going on?
罵り合い大会
なんて僕らは見たくないんだい
こうなりゃもう そう咲き乱れる
本業の方々顔しかめる
温室の雑草がマイク持つ rap song
"My life is my message" yeah yeah
道なき道を歩いてく
迎合せずただマイペース
いま言える いまならば言える
蒔いてた種たち咲いてく
Somebody (yeah) everybody (yeah)
いま時代が手の中に (yeah yeah)
Pass da mic, pass da pen
この この mic and pen で rock-rock the world
道なき道を歩いてく
迎合せずただマイペース
いま言える いまならば言える
蒔いてた種たち咲いてく
Somebody (yeah) everybody (yeah)
いま時代が手の中に (yeah yeah)
Pass da mic, pass da pen
この この mic and pen で rock-rock the world
The lyrics of 櫻井翔's song "Hip Pop Boogie" is about being true to oneself, walking one's own path, and staying true to one's craft. The song starts with an introduction that highlights the arrival of a group of individuals who are ready to take on any challenge that comes their way. They are focused, determined and are not deterred by the distractions around them. The song goes on to emphasize the importance of staying true to one's style, regardless of criticism from others. It reminds us that it's better to walk alone than to follow the crowd and to always stay true to the roots of one's passion.
The song title "Hip Pop Boogie" is derived from its fusion of jazz, hip-hop, and pop elements. The lyrics are a manifesto of sorts for the artist as they make their way into the music industry with their unique sound. The lyrics "Pass da mic, pass da pen, this mic and pen makes us rock the world" highlight the importance of the artist's lyrics and the power they possess. In the end, the lyrics, "My life is my message," remind us of the importance of a message in an artist's work and the need to use it for the betterment of society.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, one two, one two
Let's get started, shall we?
Hey! Hey! 俺ら山 風の登場
We have arrived forcefully like a strong gust of mountain wind
高嶺の方向 向けてまた攻防
Facing the heights again, in a constant battle
結果残しつ未だまだ放蕩
We are still carrying along our rebellious ways
息子奏でる 'あなた方' 孝行
Playing a tune for you all, my way of repaying what you have given us
Jazz band, hip hop 取り込んで行く
Incorporating both jazz and hip hop to create a new sound
是こそご存知の hip な pop (that's right)
This is the well-known hip pop (that's right)
'音と言葉つむぎ描く芸術'
We create art with sound and words
いままでこれからもこのメンツです
We have been and always will be this group of individuals
このメンツで (yeah) 届けるぜ (yeah)
We will deliver with this exact group of people (yeah)
歴史のページをいまめくれ
Let us turn the page of history to a new chapter
(World is mine)
The world is ours
時代 is mine 未来 is mine
This era and the future belong to us
アマテラス照らす sunshine, yeah
Shining like the sun goddess, Amaterasu (yeah)
大卒のアイドルがタイトルを奪い取る
A college-educated idol capturing titles
マイク持ちペン持ちタイトルを奪い取る
Using the mic and pen to take hold of titles
Hip-Pop beat yo
The beat of hip pop, let's go
ステージ上終身雇用 yeah yeah
An endless career on stage, yeah yeah
道なき道を歩いてく
Walking a path that no one has gone through before
迎合せずただマイペース
Without following anyone, just being ourselves
いま言える いまならば言える
We can say it now, we can finally say it
蒔いてた種たち咲いてく
The seeds we have sown are now blossoming
Somebody (yeah) everybody (yeah)
Everybody (yeah) and somebody (yeah)
いま時代が手の中に (yeah yeah)
We hold this moment in our hands (yeah yeah)
Pass da mic, pass da pen
Pass the mic and pen
この この mic and pen で rock-rock the world
We will rock the world with this mic and pen
こんなゆっくりで いいんだって
It's okay to take our time
こんな俺らだってでもいいんだって
Even if we are the way we are
こんな景色まで見られるなんて
We get to see such a beautiful view
こんな こんなとこ来てたなんて
I can't believe we made it to this point
この大草原の先には何が
What lies beyond this vast prairie?
待っているのだろう
What is waiting for us?
道がないなら創ればいい
If there is no path, let's create one
その先例え果てていたとしても
Even if it ends there
これが最初のタイトなパイオニア
We are the first pioneering group to be this tight
きっと笑うぜ最後には
We will surely laugh in the end
これが最初で最後のパイオニア
We are the first and last pioneers of our kind
飾りでなく 外野黙り込む
We have silenced the skeptics with more than just looks
Lyrical idol 辺りを巻き込む
Our lyrical idol has included everyone around us
そう hip pop, hippy, the hibby to the hip な pop star, yeah yeah
That's right, we are the hibby to the hip pop, hippy pop stars (yeah yeah)
きっとずっと一方通行
We will keep advancing unilaterally
悪いが俺 先急ぐぞ
Sorry, but I am in a hurry to move on
(集合) 津々浦々 八百万の長
(Gather up) from all over Japan, millions of people
万物に宿りし 神々の子
We are the children of the gods that dwell in everything
人の上 下に人作らぬなら
If we believe no one is above or below another person
俺がその天の頂きいただく
I will climb to the top of that world
「しばらく」とかでなく uh
Not just for a while, uh
いままず何が出来るかでしかもう変わらん
It's time to act, our situation won't change without it
What's going on?
What is happening?
何か違うと思わないかい?
Don't you feel like something is wrong?
あんな大の大人が
Seeing grown adults
罵り合い大会
Fighting and cursing each other
なんて僕らは見たくないんだい
We don't want to see that kind of world
こうなりゃもう そう咲き乱れる
We will now bloom to our fullest potential
本業の方々顔しかめる
Our critics will look down on us
温室の雑草がマイク持つ rap song
A rap song by a nobody is like a weed in a greenhouse
'My life is my message' yeah yeah
'My life is my message' (yeah yeah)
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Shou Sakurai, Count Force
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind