Korean hip hop

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In Seoul, the Korean hip hop scene has expanded into a form of cultural phenomenon. Notable performers include Jo PD, Drunken Tiger, PSY, Dynamic Duo, and Epik High. Some suggest that Korean hip hop music firmly stands as the respectable and socially-conscious antithesis to an often superficial and confused pop genre that pervades the Korean music industry.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Origins

Hip hop music started gaining popularity in South Korea in the mid-1990s. Hip hop originally emerged in South Korea as a response to several social factors including intense academic pressure to succeed, political corruption, and censorship by the government. Over the past two decades, a new generation of South Koreans called the shinsaedae have emerged. This new generation has a different set of values than their older counterparts and have begun to consume Korean Hip hop music [1].

[edit] Working Against The System

Korean Hip hop music represents the antithesis to traditional Korean society in many respects. Many Korean artists, including Seo Taiji and the Boys de-emphasize the importance of traditional school learning, which is highly valued in Korea. In addition, such groups aim to combat the work of the Korean Censorship Board and have been largely successful in minimizing the government's censorship with regard to music [2]. Many Hip hop artists including Drunken Tiger and Seo Taiji and the Boys also work to expose political corruption within the government.

[edit] Holding to Traditional Stereotypes

Despite the radical message Korean Hip hop sends, it still adheres to traditional gender stereotypes. Despite a large presence of female Hip hop fans in Korea, a popular female Korean Hip hop artist has yet to make it into Korea's musical scene [3]. The next several years will dictate what path Hip hop in Korea will follow with regard to gender. One successful female artist though has been T (aka: Tasha Reid or Yoon Mi Rae)

[edit] Successful Artists

Famous mainstream Korean hip hop artists often resemble R&B or pop music with artists using similar vocal styles as their US counterparts. Early artists included 3534, SeoTaiji and Boys, Deux, and DJ DOC. The Korean language was used almost exclusively. SeoTaiji, coming from a heavy metal music background, often featured heavy metal guitars in his mixes, and other artists also incorporated techno influences. A few artists, such as Seotaiji and Yuk Kak Soo (육각수), also incorporated influences from traditional Korean music such as pansori or nongak (farmers' music). One that was distinctive was Seo Taiji's "Come Back Home", with its vocal/production style resembling Cypress Hill. The first korea hip-hop album that featured hip-hop of South Korea was 3534's first album in 1993. The first "rap" album that featured rap in every track was Kim Jin Pyo's first album in 1997. First Hip-Hop song in South Korea was Gim-sat-gat(김삿갓) by Hong-sun-bun(홍선법). According to Epik High's rapper Tablo, "The form [of Korean Hip Hop], at least, has definitely been mastered now — the beats, the rhymes, the performances, the look — it’s indistinguishable from the United States scene. The social relevance, however, has a long way to go. The message is slowly catching up to the medium."

Many rap artists have been successful in the mainstream of Korean music. These include rappers such as Jinusean, 1TYM, MC Sniper, Cho PD, Dynamic Duo, and Epik High.

[edit] Small Undergroud

Rap/Hip-Hop is a really hard subject for adults and kids. For example, the female fans don't really feel the songs. Not all of them, but some of them are the crazy fans (We call them, Ppa-Soon-Ee). Because of this situation, true, real underground rappers don't show their faces on the national channels. Soul Company, Master Plan, Soul Connection, Big Deal, etc, many of them are really quiet, but loud in music skills. True rappers are truly against the media. Underground Korea Hip-Hop built their own small building on the country. MC Sniper, The Quiett, and Kebee are the famous rappers of the underground hip-hop.

[edit] Underground Rappers

Also, Many underground rappers and groups, like The Quiett, Palowalto, P-type, Dok2, Bizzy, Kebee, Addsp2ch, JJK, UMC, Maslo, CSP, E-Sens, Mr.Tak, Dissel, A.S, MC Meta, Mad Clown, Nasty Company, Jerry.K, Writing Down Poet(시를 쓰다-백재협(Baeg-Jae-Hyup)), Dead'P, Fwana, Insane Deegie, The Motivation of Hip-Hop, 45RPM, CB MASS, Market Number.1, Verbal Jint, Simon Dominic, Minos, Kinetic Flow, DS Connexion, 237, Outsider, Shorry.J, Brown Sugar, Maniac, Dynamite, Basick, Red Bear, Roy.C the Dream Hanger, Freedom Of Mouth, Infinte Flow, Koonta, SouthPaw, La'Deep, JoyRain, Jiggy Fellaz, Ignito, Virus, Rhyme-A-, R-est, Jinbo, TBNY, Vasco, Loptimist, Keslo, Yu-po(여포), Rama, Bae-Chi-Gee(배치기), Room.9, Smooth Tale, Superman IVY(Gak-Na-Ge-Nae), Sean2slow, Jung-Dab(정답)Intellic, Sunday 2pm, Supperapping' PJ, Molly.D, Deepflow, Elcue, KeyReal, YM, TEBY, Sama-D, XL, Hucleberry P, Swings, Row Digga, Nel-Pem-Pae-Gu-Ri(늘픔패거리), Trespass, Wimpy, Mecca, Brown Hood, Gwa-Ill Sa-Nyang-Ggoon(과일사냥꾼), MC Sung-Chun(MC 성천), Daephal(대팔), Yu-Soo(유수), Macro, Mithra Jin, Lwe-Bung-Gwe(뢰붕괴), Anesthetic, Kirbytrap, Defconn, Double K, Joosuc, Leo Kekoa, B-Shop, GLV, Side-B, Ga-Ri-On(가리온), 2nd Round, Nextplan, C-luv, Jin-Mal-Pae(진말페), Somalia, Z-juc, 2Soo, JDEE, En-Ji-Wan(은지원), Tweak, 60row, Ja+Aeizoku, G-Drive, M.H.IS, Unknown People, Yun-Lyun(연륜), Vistrap, 3534, Soulman, J-Dogg, Kross, Zito, MBP, 1-Kyle, YDG, Joe Brown, and Rec Roc, O.K Bone, Monsoon-Nui, Vegaflow, Merci, Unbomber(운바머), And Fatdoo..

[edit] Break dance

Since Korea has won Battle of the Year titles, break dancing enjoys a great deal of popularity in South Korea, and break dance groups frequently appear on national television.[1] Now Korea is one of the world's leading countries in breakdancing.[2]

[edit] Korean American hip hop

Korean American hip hop began in the United States in the mid 1990s, mainly attributed to the efforts of the Korean rap duo Tiger JK and DJ Shine, also known as Drunken Tiger. Drunken Tiger was formed in the early 90's at an LA hip hop festival. Following the success of Drunken Tiger, many new groups and production companies emerged to further popularize the musical style. Also, many korean-americans come over to South Korea to show their rap skills. Like Maniac(New Dynasty), many people stay at Busan. Some of them go to the capital of South Korea, Seoul. They are trying to join the korean hip-hop group. However, Korean hip-hop is really small to join. Only few of them show their faces to the media.

[edit] Korean hip hop artists and groups

  • E Sang
  • Eluphant Bakery
  • Epik High
  • Eun Ji Won
  • EXP (formerly EX-PLICIT LINEZ)
  • Fana
  • Fatdoo
  • Feelsea
  • Freestyle
  • Frottage Family
  • Fruit Hunter
  • Gae Hwa Shan
  • MC Meta, Naachal
  • G-Ma$ta
  • Honey Family
  • iM -Idea Makers
  • Ignito
  • Infinite Flow
  • Insane Deegie
  • Itta
  • Izreal
  • Jerry, K
  • Jo PD
  • Jinusean
  • Joosuc
  • Junggigo
  • Kebee
  • Keeproots
  • KG & Vern
  • Kim Jin Pyo
  • Kinetic Flow
  • Knowledge
  • KOD
  • Lee Hyun Do
  • Leessang
  • Lethal Underground
  • Lexy
  • Lil' Joe
  • Mario
  • Master Plan
  • Masta Wu

[edit] References

  1. ^ Morelli, Sarah. "Rap, Hip-Hop, and Dance in Korean Popular Culture.” Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside of the USA. Ed. Tony Mitchell. Middletown, Wesleyan University Press, 2001. 248-258.
  2. ^ Morelli, Sarah. "Rap, Hip-Hop, and Dance in Korean Popular Culture.” Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside of the USA. Ed. Tony Mitchell. Middletown, Wesleyan University Press, 2001. 248-258.
  3. ^ Morelli, Sarah. "Rap, Hip-Hop, and Dance in Korean Popular Culture.” Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside of the USA. Ed. Tony Mitchell. Middletown, Wesleyan University Press, 2001. 248-258.

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