Amoeba Culture

Amoeba Culture 아메바 컬쳐
Founded 2006 - present
Founder Kim Yoon-seong (Gaeko) and Choi Jae-ho (Choiza) of Dynamic Duo, Go Kyung-min
Distributor(s) LOEN Entertainment, CJ E&M
Genre Korean hip hop
Country of origin South Korea
Location Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Official website http://www.amoebaculture.com

Amoeba Culture (Hangul: 아메바 컬쳐) is a South Korean record label. It houses many prominent South Korean hip hop artists, including Primary, Dynamic Duo, and Zion.T.

History

The label was founded in September of 2006 by Kim Yoon-seong and Choi Jae-ho, who are also on the label's roster as Dynamic Duo, and some friends including the label's chief executive officer Go Kyung-min.[1] The label held open auditions in late 2007 in order to expand its roster.[2] In 2008 Primary and Supreme Team joined.

In 2011 the label released a series of toy figurines and started the "AMOEBAHOOD" project to promote exhibits and other cultural art projects. They also established the Amoeba Culture recording studio in October 2011. In 2012 the label held the first "Amoebahood Concerts" at Daegu Exco and KBS Busan Hall in February, as well as the House of Blues in LA and the Showbox at the Market in Seattle in April.[3][4] Zion.T also announced that he had signed with the label that summer.[5]

In 2013 all of the label's artist participated in the 'NOWeekend' project which culminated in an album.[6] The group also held the "2013 Amoebahood Concerts" on March 16 and 17.[7] On July 19, 2013, Supreme Team disbanded when member E-Sens's contract ended.[8] That summer E-Sens released tracks alleging the company had offered him a slave contract and that they had stolen money which the label denied.[9] In January 2014 the other former Supreme Team member, Simon D, left the label as well.[10]

Controversies

Plagiarism accusations against Primary

For the 2013 Infinity Challenge Music Festival, Primary collaborated with Park Myeong-su and label mate Gaeko (Dynamic Duo) for the song I Got C. The song scored a perfect all-kill in all nine major online music stores in South Korea (MelOn, MNet, Bugs!, Olleh Music, Naver Music, Daum Music, Cyworld Music, Genie and Monkey3).[11]

Later, netizens noticed similarities between "I Got C" and Dutch singer Caro Emerald's "Liquid Lunch." Rumors of plagiarism later followed.[12]

In an interview by Seoul Shinmun NTN's "Dispatch," Caro Emerald's production team member David Schreurs said, "[Primary] uses our music as a template to create his own, which is an honor but on some songs he’s just going too far with it. I would like to say he should start trusting his own talent, because he sure is a good producer.”[13][14] As a result, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), the network behind "Infinity Challenge," as well as KT Music, the publisher of the album and songs from the "2013 Infinity Challenge Music Festival," ceased online sales of "I Got C."[15]

Another Primary composition, Park Ji-yoon's Mr. Lee (featuring San E) was also later accused of plagiarism.[16][17]

2013: "The Control Diss Phenomenon"

Current artists

Former artists

Label Discography

Year Work Artist
2007 Enlightened
  • Album
 Dynamic Duo
LOVE is ENLIGHTENED
  • Album
2008 Last Days
  • Album
2009 "Ballad for Fallen Soul Part 1"
Supreme Team Guide To Excellent Adventure
  • Extended Play
 Supreme Team
Band of Dynamic Brothers
  • Album
 Dynamic Duo
2010 Supremier
  • Album
 Supreme Team
Spin off
  • Album
"Ames Room"
2011 "Homage to Quincy Jones" project Primary, Supreme Team, Dynamic Duo
Primary And The Messengers
  • Album
 Primary
DYNAMICDUO 6th DIGILOG 1/2
  • Album
 Dynamic Duo
2012 DYNAMICDUO 6th DIGILOG 2/2
  • Album
Primary And The Messengers Part 2
  • Album
 Primary
Primary And The Messengers Part 3
  • Album
Primary And The Messengers Part 4
  • Album
Everyone is good-looking, Rhythm Power
  • Album
 Rhythm Power
"Air"

Nike Air Force 1 30th Anniversary Collaboration Track

 All
Mohican and the Barefoot
  • Album
 J-Tong
2013 NOWeekend Project
  • Album
 All
2014 CRUSH On You
  • Album
 Crush

References

  1. ↑ "15 Korean Rappers You Should Know That Aren’t Psy". XXL Mag. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "아메바컬쳐, 공개 오디션! Amoeba Culture Open Auditions!". HiphopPlaya Magazine (in Korean). Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Amoeba Culture History". Amoeba Culture. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "Join Dynamic Duo, Simon D, & Kero 1 at the ‘Amoeba Culture and Kero 1′ concert in Seattle!". Allkpop. 2012-03-13. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "자이언티, 아메바컬쳐 전속 계약 체결 Zion.T, Amoeba Culture signed an exclusive contract". HiphopPlaya Magazine (in Korean). Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  6. ↑ "얀키, 'NOWorkend' 프로젝트 두 번째 주자 28일 음원 공개". HipHopPlaya Magazine. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  7. ↑ "Amoeba Artists for ‘NOWeekend’ Project, First Up: Gaeko". MTV K. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  8. ↑ "Supreme Team on the Splits: E-Sens Leaves Amoeba Culture". MTV K. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  9. ↑ Hong, Grace Danbi; Hyoun, An So. "E-Sens Releases Diss Track Concerning Dynamic Duo’s Gaeko and Amoeba Culture". CJ E&M enewsWorld. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  10. ↑ "Simon D Goes Solo - Former Supreme Team Member Joins Jay Park's New Label AOMG". KpopStarz. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  11. ↑ neefa (November 4, 2013). "It's a perfect all kill for Park Myung Soo & Primary's Infinity Challenge Music Festival song I Got C". Allkpop (6Theory Media LLC). Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  12. ↑ alim17 (November 6, 2013). "Primary addresses plagiarism controversy on his Infinity Challenge song I Got C". Allkpop (6Theory Media LLC). Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  13. ↑ alim17 (November 6, 2013). "Dispatch interviews David Schreurs who shares his thoughts on Primary's plagiarism controversy". Allkpop (6Theory Media LLC). Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  14. ↑ Kim Hyo-eun, Kim Hae-won (November 6, 2013). (단독) "아이갓씨, 내 노래 참조"…'에메랄드'가 밝힌 표절논란 (인터뷰). Dispatch (in Korean) (Seoul Shinmun NTN (via Wyzmob)). Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  15. ↑ starsung (November 13, 2013). "Infinity Challenge to cease the online sales of "I Got C + Primary apologizes". Allkpop (6Theory Media LLC). Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  16. ↑ jnkm (November 6, 2013). "Primary’s "I Got C,” “Mr. Lee” Under Scrutiny for Possible Plagiarism of Dutch Artist". Soompi (Soompi, Inc.). Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  17. ↑ morgenderper (November 7, 2013). "Decoding Primary ‘I Got C’ Plagiarism Allegations + Caro Emerald team's response". Omona They Didn't (LiveJournal). Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  18. ↑ halves in unison (July 21, 2013). "Hip Hop Duo Supreme Team Disbands, E-Sens Wants to Go Solo". Soompi (Soompi, Inc.). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 asteriskrolled (August 26, 2013). "A Concise Guide to the “Diss” Battles Involving E-Sens, Amoeba Culture, Simon D and More". Soompi (Soompi, Inc.). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  20. ↑ "(DISS+patch) "All That Diss"…2013 디스전, 완전분석 (종합)". Dispatch (Seoul Shinmun NTN) (in Korean) (Nate (SK Communications)). August 26, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  21. ↑ "스윙스(Swings) - King Swings (Explicit)". Brandnewmusickorea (in Korean). YouTube. August 21, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  22. ↑ "(핫이슈) Control 국내 뮤지션 곡 모음". Hiphop Playa (in Korean). Genuine Music Inc. August 22, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  23. ↑ IATFB (August 25, 2013). "Korean rap clusterf**k in full "swing", started because Swings missed the point of Control". Asian Junkie. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  24. ↑ serendipity (August 22, 2013). "E-Sens stirs up controversy with a new song targeting his former agency Amoeba Culture and Dynamic Duo's Gaeko". Allkpop (6Theory Media LLC). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  25. ↑ Hong, Grace Dan-bi and An So-hyun (August 23, 2013). "E-Sens Releases Diss Track Concerning Dynamic Duo’s Gaeko and Amoeba Culture". Mnet enewsworld (CJ E&M). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  26. ↑ jennywill (August 23, 2013). "Hip Hop Battle heating up in Korea, Swings lashes out at Simon D in his newest track". Allkpop (6Theory Media LLC). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  27. ↑ serendipity (August 24, 2013). "Dynamic Duo's Gaeko fires back at E-Sens with track I Can Control You". Allkpop (6Theory Media LLC). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  28. ↑ serendipity (August 24, 2013). "E-Sens responds to Gaeko with True Story and Simon D drops Control in response to Swings". Allkpop (6Theory Media LLC). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  29. ↑ jennywill (August 26, 2013). "Swings snaps back at Simon D with New World". Allkpop (6Theory Media LLC). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  30. ↑ Lee Jeong-a (August 26, 2013). 아메바컬쳐 측 "개코-쌈디 맞디스, 아티스트 의견 존중". SBS funE (in Korean) (Nate (SK Communications)). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  31. ↑ starsung (August 27, 2013). "Swings announces his diss tracks have come to an end". Allkpop (6Theory Media LLC). Retrieved August 9, 2014.