The hip-hop band
Rip Slyme returned from a series of side projects and extracurricular activities in 2006 for their fifth album,
Epoch. The album marks the return of
DJ Fumiya, on hiatus since his marriage the year before. It also marks the return of
Ilmari and
Ryo-Z from their side project
the Teriyaki Boyz. Major hits on the album include "Hot Chocolate" and "Party People" (with
m-flo's
Verbal, also in
the Teriyaki Boyz), and put the album into the Oricon Top Ten.