yummma on BAD BLOOD: “At Least in My Songs, It’s Okay Not to Hide Anything, Right?” [HIPHOPCs Interview]
English translation of the Japanese interview published on October 6, 2026. Interview and writing: Rei Kamiya. References to time follow the original interview.
In July 2026, newcomer yummma (pronounced “Yuma”) released her debut EP, BAD BLOOD. Five tracks, around 16 minutes. Her official YouTube description introduces her as a rapper who “grew up in an environment where neglect and family violence were the norm.” Toxic parents, money, violence, illness. The EP puts into words problems that have been part of her life since childhood.
On September 4, she released her first music video, “100億円.” It was directed by YUTARO, who has worked on videos for RADWIMPS and SUPER BEAVER. The project reportedly came about after the director was moved by her music.
It was also announced that her short-form videos had surpassed 10 million views in total within about a month of her social media accounts launching (ABEMA TIMES). We also documented that announcement as a development in the Japanese scene in our September 2026 monthly roundup (Japanese).
Judging by the numbers alone, she might seem like just another newcomer to emerge through short-form videos. Yet what comes up repeatedly in her responses is a lack of confidence. She says she can’t rhyme, takes a long time to make music, and is “worse than an amateur” at rap. Even so, she says she had no hesitation about writing openly about herself.
We asked her about why she started rapping, the boundaries she draws in her writing, and FEMALE UP, the first live event she is organizing, set for October 16.
“I Had to Let It Out Here” — Why She Started Rapping
Rei Kamiya: What was the biggest thing that prompted you to make your debut EP, BAD BLOOD?
yummma: I really love listening to rap music, but because of the kind of person I am, I’d always hesitated to do it myself. I guess you could say I simply find it hard to feel confident.
But after taking my time and getting to a point where I felt ready to try rapping myself, I started thinking about lyrics and realized I was still trapped by my past.
I felt like I had no choice but to let it out here, and once it was in writing, I could feel myself starting to process it.
That process built up into an EP, really.
Rei Kamiya: I understand that the title BAD BLOOD is about facing your own blood and your past. What thoughts led you to that title?
yummma: The title came to me around the time I started writing the lyrics for the lead track, blood.
My blood probably isn’t a pretty color, I thought.
Rather than trying to give the title some profound meaning, I just felt like I wanted to accept that too, in both a negative and a positive sense, so it was an easy decision.
Rei Kamiya: “100億円” strikes me as a song about deeply personal experiences. Did you feel any fear or hesitation about putting it out into the world as a song?
yummma: There’s actually also a theme to this project of trying to be honest with myself, so I didn’t hesitate much about putting things into words.
I’ve spent my whole life worrying about how other people might react, so I thought, at least in my songs, it’s okay not to hide anything, right? That’s why I don’t sugarcoat things.
“My First Experience of Self-Expression” — Being Herself Through Music
Rei Kamiya: Your words, “I feel like putting it into words makes the pain disappear,” really stayed with me. What do rap and music mean to you?
yummma: I think it’s my first experience of self-expression.
I love cute things, and I like collecting them and wearing them, but somewhere inside, I’ve always also had this feeling that I wanted to hide my own ugliness.
In that sense, I feel like I’m now putting myself out there just as I am for the first time, and I really think I can do that because it’s through music.
Music gives the words deeper meaning, and it lets me get even negative things across in a catchy way. Music is amazing.
Rei Kamiya: You put your own experiences into your lyrics very candidly. Do you draw a line between what you will and won’t write about?
yummma: Not really!
I think I can write about all of it going forward—not just my family, but the ugly parts of myself too.
The only thing, I guess, is that I’d like to make sure I don’t disrupt my younger sister’s life. (laughs)
Rei Kamiya: Your concept is “rapping about myself as I am, someone who falls short of others.” What does “falling short” mean to you now?
yummma: Simply put, I’m really not very capable as a person. (laughs)
I struggle to pick up on people’s feelings, say things nobody asked for, and take several times longer than other people to think things through. Basically, I’m not very smart. (laughs)
I think I’m also much slower than other people at making music.
“I’m Not Alone” — What Surprised Her More Than 10 Million Views
Rei Kamiya: Your short-form videos have been spreading widely since right after your debut. How do you feel about the figure of 10 million views? Has anything changed for you personally?
yummma: I’m just surprised.
More than the number, I was surprised by how many people could relate to the environment I grew up in.
One thing that may have changed is that it made me feel like I’m not alone.
Rei Kamiya: We’re also in an era when songs are judged in a very short time on social media. Is there anything you consciously do to get people to listen to a song all the way through?
yummma: I think that’s something you can only really talk about in hindsight.
I can’t even rhyme, and I’m worse than an amateur when it comes to rap, so the one thing I’ve decided is not to pack my lyrics with anything unnecessary.
Ideally, that would mean any part you clip out could be a punchline, but I really can’t say whether people will listen all the way through. (laughs)
In any case, I want to have songs ready that don’t have any wasted parts, whenever someone decides to listen to the full thing.
“Something Beyond My Own Abilities” — The People She Trusted with the Beats and Visuals
Rei Kamiya: How did your own rapping or expression change while working with S-NA, Maria Segawa, and others?
yummma: This time, I simply received the beats, so there was hardly any interaction during the production process, but it did make me more focused.
They’d provided beats for some very well-known artists, and more than anything, it was my first time.
On the other hand, I’m looking forward to seeing how things change as I get to know beatmakers from here on.
Rei Kamiya: For your first music video, “100億円,” was there anything you told director YUTARO you absolutely wanted to convey?
yummma: No, there wasn’t anything.
I trusted YUTARO completely, so I didn’t feel there was anything for me to say, and I had nothing to add when I saw the finished work either.
YUTARO created something beyond what I’d imagined and beyond my own abilities, so I’m hoping I can find some way to repay that kindness going forward.
Being Able to Say “I’m a Rapper” with Pride
Rei Kamiya: Your profile also mentions your experience as an underground idol. How does that connect to what you’re doing now as a rapper?
yummma: In the end, wanting to be onstage in any form also pushed me toward this new project, so learning how much fun live performance can be, and how wonderful it is to have a community with the people who come to see you, might be the most important thing I took from my past activities.
Rei Kamiya: How do you feel about being introduced under the category of “female rapper”?
yummma: I really want to be a rapper, so it makes me happy.
I mean, my rap skills are clearly lacking. (laughs)
I don’t know what makes something hip-hop, so I’ll leave that to the people listening, but I do want to be able to say “I’m a rapper” with pride.
Rei Kamiya: On October 16, you’ll hold your first self-organized live event, FEMALE UP. What made you start the event, and what kind of space do you want it to become?
yummma: Honestly, I just wanted to invite female artists I liked or had been interested in. (laughs)
But I think the reactions and performances are probably different when the lineup at a club is a mix of men and women versus when it’s an all-female show.
I quietly hope it can become a place where female artists, including me, can be themselves onstage.
“Don’t Shut Out the Urge to Move Forward”
Rei Kamiya: Ultimately, how far do you hope to go as a rapper and artist?
yummma: I’d never thought about it at all, but YUTARO said, “You can definitely make it to the Budokan,” so I’m going to try believing that. (laughs)
I have two musical goals.
The smaller one is to tell my whole story and get to the point where I’m like, I’ve got nothing left to say.
The bigger one—and I know this sounds really presumptuous—is to have some kind of positive impact on people who can relate to circumstances like mine.
The second one is something I came to want after I started doing this and saw listeners’ reactions.
Rei Kamiya: If you could say one thing to listeners who are facing problems similar to yours right now, whether with their home lives, money, or relationships, what would you tell them?
yummma: “Not everything can be fixed, and all these problems will follow you for life, but I don’t want you to shut out the urge to move forward.”
She puts both her lack of confidence and her weaknesses into words without dressing them up. That candor, along with her insistence on keeping anything unnecessary out of her lyrics, offers a clearer sense of who yummma is. Rap began as a way for her to let out what she had been carrying from her past; through listeners’ reactions, it has also led to a desire to have a positive impact on people in similar circumstances. Her final words reflect where she stands now: valuing the desire to keep moving forward.
Release Information
yummma — BAD BLOOD
Released July 29, 2026 / 5 tracks, approximately 16 minutes
Label: yummma
| # | Track title | Lyrics | Music |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blood | yummma | S-NA |
| 2 | 100億円 | yummma | S-NA |
| 3 | お金がない | yummma | Maria Segawa |
| 4 | チャラ | yummma | Maria Segawa |
| 5 | あたたかな家 | yummma | Maria Segawa |
Credits are based on the track information on Qobuz. S-NA is known for producing for GADORO and 般若, and Maria Segawa for SKRYU and 輪入道. “100億円” and “あたたかな家” have also been released as singles (Apple Music).
▶ Streaming platforms: ultravybe.lnk.to/badblood
“100億円” Music Video
Released September 4, 2026 / Director: YUTARO
yummma’s first music video.
Live Event Information
FEMALE UP ～yummma presents～
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, October 16, 2026 |
| Venue | EBISU BATICA, Tokyo |
| Time | Doors 18:30 / Show 19:00 |
| Admission | Advance ¥3,000 / Door ¥3,500 (plus a separate drink charge) |
| Lineup | amiri, Hanemii, Яu-a, yummma, and more |
| Tickets | TIGET |
| Inquiries | EBISU BATICA 03-5734-1995 |
yummma
Rapper. Her name is pronounced “Yuma.” Her profile describes her as having grown up in an environment where neglect and family violence were the norm. She started a rap project around the concept of “rapping about myself as I am, someone who falls short of others.”
A harsh home environment, life as an underground idol, jirai-kei style, extreme poverty. These experiences and tastes form the background to lyrics about places in the shadows. She delivers heavy subject matter through hooks that stay with you and a flow that carries her emotions as they are.
She debuted in July 2026 with her first EP, BAD BLOOD. She released her first music video, “100億円,” in September, and will hold her first self-organized live event, FEMALE UP, on October 16.
Instagram: instagram.com/yummma_jp
X: x.com/yummma_jp
YouTube: youtube.com/@yummma_jp
TikTok: tiktok.com/@yummma_jp
This article is an interview conducted by HIPHOPCs.
Interview and writing: Rei Kamiya / Interview support: ULTRA-VYBE
Continue reading: HIPHOPCs interviews in English.