Artist Profile
- Full Name: Yokoi Rima
- Native Name: 横井りま
- Nicknames: Rimarin, 中林里茉, Nakabayashi Rima
- Birthday: Mar 26, 2004 (21 years old)
- Blood type: O
- Height/Weight: 163 cm (5'4") / 46 kg (101.41 lbs)
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Aries
- Debut: Dec 2, 2020
- MBTI: INFP
- Birthplace: Osaka, Japan
- Nationality: Japanese
- Profession: Singer, Rapper, Dancer
- Languages: Japanese, English, Korean
- Group: NiziU
- Current Agency: JYP Entertainment
- Years Active: 2020–present (6 years)
Rima, full name Nakabayashi Rima (中林里茉), was born on March 26, 2004. She is the main rapper, sub-vocalist, and visual of the J-pop girl group NiziU, managed by JYP Entertainment Japan in partnership with Sony Music. Rima officially debuted with NiziU on December 2, 2020, and quickly gained attention for her distinct rap tone, calm image, and natural stage presence.
Early life
Rima was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, into a family with an artistic background. She is the daughter of rapper Zeebra and model Miwa Nakabayashi. During her early period as a trainee at JYP Entertainment, Rima often received attention due to her family background, leading to significant public scrutiny regarding her training process and individual talent evaluations.
Career
Rima participated in the survival reality show Nizi Project, organized by JYP Entertainment and Sony Music, in July 2019 after completing seven months of training at JYP Entertainment. During the Nizi Project auditions, Rima demonstrated her ability to rap and sing in three languages, ranking 7th in both the dance and vocal evaluations at the Tokyo boot camp.
In June 2020, Rima finished in 3rd place in the Nizi Project and officially joined the group NiziU. In the same year, she debuted as the main rapper through the pre-debut mini album Make You Happy, released on June 30, and appeared in the music video for “Back Door” by Stray Kids alongside other NiziU members.
On December 2, 2020, Rima made her official debut in Japan with the single “Step and a Step,” which reached number 7 on Billboard Japan.
In 2021, she continued her activities with the single “Take a Picture / Poppin’ Shakin’” in April, the digital single “Super Summer” in July, and the first studio album U in November.
Throughout 2022, Rima participated in the release of the digital single “ASOBO” in April, the EP CLAP CLAP in July, and the single “Blue Moon” in December.
In 2023, she was featured in the album COCONUT, released on July 19, which received a Platinum certification from the RIAJ, and participated in the EP Press Play released for the Korean market. During the same year, she engaged in commercial activities as a brand ambassador for GU Japan, LOTTE Fit’s Gum, and KOSÉ Cosmetics, while appearing on the covers of magazines such as ViVi, Nylon Japan, and Harper’s Bazaar Japan.
In 2024, Rima continued her activities with NiziU through the EP RISE UP and participated in the “AWAKE” tour in Japan, which sold out all shows.
In 2025, the concerts from the AWAKE tour were released on Blu-ray on August 20. In the same year, she also released the EP LOVE LINE (Japanese ver.) and Shining Day on May 26, the single What If (Japanese ver.) on September 6, and her third studio album New Emotion on November 19, which was certified Gold by the RIAJ.
That same year, Rima participated in the Live with U 2025 tour, consisting of 32 performances across 21 cities, held from September to November.
Fun facts
- Rima loves spicy curry and has a high tolerance for spicy food, which often surprises the staff.
- She gave herself the nickname “Gangster Princess” to describe the contrast between her elegant appearance and her straightforward personality.
- Rima enjoys drawing manga characters with humorously exaggerated facial expressions.
- She is passionate about old-school hip-hop and frequently listens to artists like Nas, Tupac, and Zeebra.
- Rima jokingly stated on VLive that she would block anyone who calls her a “princess.”
- She taught herself Korean by writing in a diary every day.
- Rima likes to sit alone in cafes, drinking sugar-free lattes while writing rap lyrics.
- She uses TikTok frequently but dislikes being filmed without her consent.
- Rima once took piano lessons but quit because she found the discipline too rigid and felt it lacked creative freedom.
- She has a talent for rhyming and can freestyle rap on various topics, including instant noodles.
- Rima follows a minimalist lifestyle and enjoys caring for mini bonsai trees.
- She owns a Shiba Inu named Koma.
- Rima often cooks pasta carbonara as a way to relieve stress.
Photo Gallery
