Soul Company

Soul Company
Private company (defunct)
Industry Music & Entertainment
Genre Hip hop
Founded 2004
Founder Kebee & Jerry. K
Products Albums, Concerts & Singles
Services Publishing Records, Entertainment Talent agent
Website SoulCompany.net (via Internet Archive)

Soul Company (Hangul: 소울컴퍼니) was an independent Korean hip hop record label and talent agency based in Seoul, South Korea. Its dissolution was announced in September 2011, and moved on to disband in November of the same year.[1]

It was started in 2004 by rappers Kebee (키비) and Jerry. K (제리케이). It specialised in recording and producing R&B and hip hop music and has played a big role in creating underground hip hop world for big artists like Crucial Star, The Quiett, Loquence, etc. Since the unpopularity of Korean hip hop at the time, Soul Company become one of the representatives of underground hip hop.

Soul Company's releases are distributed by Soribada Inc.

History

2004

Soul Company was established on 10 June 2004. Soul Company's founding artists met and got their start in hip hop through the late 1990s programmes at the Haja Centre (하자센터), an alternative vocational education centre for teenagers operated jointly by Yonsei University and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.[2] The label began its history with a compilation album in 2004 entitled The Bangerz, featuring founders Jerry. K and Kebee along with The Quiett (더콰이엇), Planet Black (플래닛 블랙), and others. Later that year Kebee released a solo album Evolutional Poems through which both he and the label began to become more well known.[3]

2005

In July, due to continued interest from fans, Soul Company's first album The Bangerz was re-released.[2]

2007

In 2007, Soul Company released their album Official Bootleg Vol. 2. It spoke out about a number of social issues in South Korea: Kebee described the stress of college entrance exams in his song "Go 3 Hugi" (고 3 후기, "Epilogue to Senior Year"), while Loquence, D.C., and Planet Black discussed difficulties and disappointments they faced in reintegrating into society after the "rite of passage" of mandatory military service in their song "Yebiyeok" (예비역, "Army Reserve"). P&Q in "Jikyeobolge" (지켜볼게, "I'll be watchin' you") and Kebee in "A Matda" (아 맞다, "Oh Right!") also criticised the perceived inauthenticity of mainstream hip hop in South Korea, attacking some unnamed targets as "hip hop cosplayers".[4] However, The Quiett also set a precedent of collaboration between underground and mainstream South Korean hip hop artists such as Tasha Reid, Drunken Tiger, and Dynamic Duo in his album The Real Me later that year.[3]

2008

In July, Soul Company held a concert entitled "Show me the hiphop".[5] That year Soul Company also began holding "Judgement Night", reported to be South Korea's first hip hop/hardcore joint performance.[6]

2009

In February, Soul Company held a Valentine's Day concert entitled "My Funny Valentine" at Rollinghall in the Hongdae area (near Hongik University), featuring performances by Kebee, UMC, Junggigo (aka Cubic), and Swings.[7][8] In July, Soul Company artists came together to record a new single Aeiou Eo?! part 2. The title was a reference to an album released by Soul Company in 2004.[9] In May and again in October, they hosted the third and fourth joint "Judgement Nights" with GMC Records; the latter was held at V-Hall in Hongdae.[6] In August, they again held a concert at V-Hall featuring performances by The Quiett, Loptimist (랍티미스트), and DJ Wegun.[10] Midway through the year, in August, Soul Company had done a group stage performance, which was entitled Summer Ground.[11]

2010

In January, Soul Company released an online single collection Mad Clown VS Crucial Star, which within a few days of its release was one of the top 10 sellers on Cyworld. A Seoul Sinmun reviewer especially liked the last track featuring DC entitled "Ibyeoleun" (이별은, "Parting").[12] In March, The Quiett released his fourth LP with Soul Company, Quiet Storm: A Night Record.[13] In July, Soul Company held a concert at Club Fabric near Kyungsung University in the southern city of Busan.[14][15] In October, Soul Company released an online single by RHYME-A (라임 어택) entitled Speak The Truth (진실을 말해).[16] In December, Soul Company suffered a blow with the departure of The Quiett. His departure from Soul Company was announced through the label's release of the album Still A Team (스틸 어 팀).[17] Early the following month, he announced that he would be forming his own label Illionaire Records with Dok2. The Quiett described his move as giving him the freedom to preserve the kind of music he wanted to perform and bring new vitality to the South Korean hip hop scene.[18]

2011

In April, Soul Company held a joint concert with Pastel Music (파스텔 뮤직) and sponsored by Jin Air devoted to environmental protection. The concert, entitled "Save The Air Green Concert", was held at KT&G Sangsang Madang (KT&G 상상마당) in Hongdae. Soul Company artists who participated include Crucial Star, Fana (화나), and Eluphant (이루펀트).[19] However, in September 2011 it was announced that the label would dissolve. One contributing factor was that Soul Company co-founder and Eluphant duo member Kebee had to leave for two years to perform his mandatory military service which he had been delaying. Just a few days after the news of the breakup, Eluphant released a digital single entitled "Miraero Naagaja" (미래로 나아가자, "To the Future"), following which they indicated the duo would also become dormant for two years.[20] In late November, Soul Company artists held a farewell concert at AX-KOREA (악스코리아) to commemorate the label's dissolution.[21]

Artists

Group Albums

Member albums

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Digital Singlel Single- Mad Clown - Luv Sickness (Digital Single) Digital Singlel Single- DJ Wegun - Atomic Anatomy (믹스테입)

2009

2010

References

  1. ↑ "소울컴퍼니 해체 "아티스트 개개인 역량 담기 힘들어 각자의 길로" — Soul Company dissolves, 'Thanks to all individual artists for their efforts, each will go their separate ways'", Korea Economic Daily, 2011-10-01, retrieved 2012-03-08
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "소울컴퍼니 '더 뱅어스' 재발매 — Soul Company's 'The Bangerz' on sale again", Busan Ilbo, 2005-07-02, retrieved 2012-03-10
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "한국의 인디레이블 ④: 소울컴퍼니 — South Korea's Indie Labels #4: Soul Company", Kyunghyang Sinmun, 2008-07-30, retrieved 2012-03-10
  4. ↑ Lee, Jamie Shinhee (2010), "Glocalizing Keepin' it Real: South Korean Hip-Hop Playas", in Terkourafi, Marina, The Languages of Global Hip Hop, Continuum International Publishing Group, pp. 146–148, 152–154
  5. ↑ "소울컴퍼니 ‘Show me the hiphop’여름 콘서트 — Soul Company summer concert 'Show me the hiphop'", NSP Tongsin, 2008-07-16, retrieved 2012-03-10
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "GMC 레코드와 소울컴퍼니, '저지먼트 나잇 Vol.4' 개최 — GMC Records and Soul Company, host 'Judgement Night Vol. 4'", Maeil Business Newspaper, 2009-10-05, retrieved 2012-03-10
  7. ↑ "소울컴퍼니, 테마 공연 개최 — Soul Company hosts themed concert", Naver News/Newsis, 2009-01-29, retrieved 2012-03-10
  8. ↑ "소울컴퍼니가 준비한 발렌타인데이 선물 공연 'My Funny Valentine' — Soul Company prepares Valentine's Day present 'My Funny Valentine'", Naver News/Newsis, 2009-02-14, retrieved 2012-03-08
  9. ↑ "소울컴퍼니 단체곡 '아에이오우 어?! part 2' 발표 — Soul Company releases group song 'Aeiou Eo?! part 2'", Maeil Business Newspaper, 2009-08-24, retrieved 2012-03-08
  10. ↑ "소울컴퍼니 ‘다음에도 많은 성원 부탁드립니다’", JoongAng Ilbo, 2009-08-11, retrieved 2012-03-10
  11. ↑ 2009년 8월 열린 Soul Company 단체 공연 "Summer Ground"Soul Company는 2000년 경 하자센터에서 열린 MC 메타의 힙합 강좌 "힙합방"과, 청소년들을 대상으로 한 힙합 캠프 "Teenfest"가 전신이 되었다, from http://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%86%8C%EC%9A%B8_%EC%BB%B4%ED%8D%BC%EB%8B%88
  12. ↑ "소울컴퍼니, 힙합싱글모음 마니아 ‘반색’ — Soul Company 'delighted' by hip hop single collection mania", Seoul Sinmun, 2010-02-04, retrieved 2012-03-10
  13. ↑ "더콰이엇 4집 앨범, 평론가-네티즌들로부터 연이은 호평 — The Quiett's 4th album gets good reviews from critics and internet users", Maeil Business Newspaper, 2010-04-15, retrieved 2012-03-10
  14. ↑ "힙합 레이블 소울컴퍼니, 31일 부산에서 콘서트 — Hip hop label Soul Company to hold concert in Busan on 31st", Chosun Ilbo, 2010-07-28, retrieved 2012-03-10
  15. ↑ "힙합레이블 소울컴퍼니, 홍대 떠나 부산서 힙합 파티 개최 — Hip hop label Soul Company leaves Hongdae to host hip hop party in Busan", Hankook Ilbo, 2010-07-28, retrieved 2012-03-10
  16. ↑ "`라임어택`, 화끈한 사회 비판 `MC몽·신정환·타진요가 대상?` — RHYME-A's heated social criticism; 'MC Mong, Shin Jung-hwan, TaJinYo are the targets?'", Korea Economic Daily, 2010-10-10, retrieved 2012-03-08
  17. ↑ "더콰이엇, 2011년 힙합계를 흔든다 — The Quiett shakes up the hip hop scene in 2011", Frontier Times, 2011-01-11, retrieved 2012-03-08
  18. ↑ "더콰이엇, '소울컴퍼니 탈퇴? 주류음악계 도전 아냐' — The Quiett, 'Leaving Soul Company? Not challenging mainstream music'", Frontier Times, 2011-01-11, retrieved 2012-03-10
  19. ↑ "소울컴퍼니, 환경보전 앞장 — Soul Company in environmental protection initiative", Kyeongin Ilbo, 2011-04-19, retrieved 2012-03-10
  20. ↑ "힙합듀오 이루펀트, 신곡 ‘미래로 나아가자’ 발표 — Hip Hop duo Eluphant releases new song 'To the Future'", Naeil Sinmun, 2011-10-05, retrieved 2012-03-10
  21. ↑ "힙합크루 소울컴퍼니, 8년활동끝 공식해체 콘서트 — Concert officially ends eight years of activity by hip hop crew Soul Company", Money Today/Star News, 2011-11-27, retrieved 2012-03-10

External links