The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 39

< Verse 4. Cross Over >

The noise was intentionally inserted, and the flustered reaction was a prearranged act between Sanghyun and the boss.

Only then did the audience burst into laughter at Sanghyun and the boss’s terrible acting. The atmosphere livened up even more.

“Everyone! Gwangju!”

“Up!”

“Gwangju!”

“Up!”

“City of Light, Gwang, District Ju! Gwangju!”

“Up!”

“City of culture and art, Gwangju!”

“Up!”

Gwangju Up! where we live.

While preparing for the performance, Sanghyun wanted to create a track like Jay-Z’s ‘Empire State of Mind’, but with Gwangju as the theme.

Generally, the lifespan of hip-hop songs isn’t that long. Of course, the lifespan of ballads or metal songs is similar. However, a major difference is that rap music is generally not ‘remade’.

For example, Lee Moon-se’s ‘Red Sunset’ has many remakes. But even Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself,’ which topped the Billboard charts for 12 weeks, has no remakes except for band covers.

So, which hip-hop song has the longest lifespan?

Which song will still be played after the musician’s death?

In Sanghyun’s opinion, it was definitely ‘Empire State of Mind’, a love letter to the Big Apple (New York’s nickname). When asked what song represents New York, most Americans think of Jay-Z’s song.

Beauties arriving at Gwangju Station captured

Stylish outfits befitting the city of art

A city where the spirit of Mudeung Mountain descends

Thanks to that, a stronger accent than elsewhere

Everyone gather tonight on Geumnam-ro

The biggest stove in Jeollanam-do

Mudeung Mountain Bomber, classy as always

Brothers, sisters, and younger siblings all have character

The audience was excited by Sanghyun’s cheerful rap and pleasant lyrics. If ‘Move It’ felt luxurious like brandy, this song is like makgeolli [Korean rice wine]. Mudeung Mountain Makgeolli, at that.

In fact, there is an original song for ‘Gwangju UP’.

From Sanghyun’s perspective, it was a slightly unfair situation. As soon as Sanghyun heard Standard’s beat, he thought of the word ‘Gwangju UP’ and created the chorus first.

And as he was writing the verses, he kept feeling like something was about to come to mind. But in the end, he couldn’t remember it and realized the next day that there was a song called ‘Osaka UP’.

Perhaps it was natural that Sanghyun couldn’t remember, as ‘Osaka UP’ was a song he had only briefly encountered.

A Japanese rapper wrote a rap representing Osaka’s attractions and culture and filmed a music video, which stimulated rappers from all over Japan, leading to numerous remixes.

Tokyo Up, Shinjuku Up, Kanagawa Up, etc.

Sanghyun had accidentally come across ‘Tokyo Up’ on a hip-hop blog in the past and had only briefly listened to the original song ‘Osaka Up’ that was posted on the blog together.

He couldn’t remember what year the song was from, so he searched Google or Yahoo, but it didn’t come up, so it seemed like a song from much later.

Sanghyun didn’t know, but ‘Osaka UP’ was a song released by SHINGO Nishinari in July 2012.

Anyway, Sanghyun felt quite uneasy.

‘Gwangju UP’ is definitely a song he worked on, but it felt like he had stolen a song from the future, and even if he denied it, it seemed like he was influenced by ‘Osaka UP’ in his subconscious. Nevertheless, he didn’t think of ‘Osaka UP’ at all when he was making the song.

In the end, Sanghyun decided not to use ‘Gwangju UP’ for commercial purposes such as releasing it as a single or including it in an album, but only to use it for performances.

He decided to pretend it was a coincidence if the original creator made ‘Osaka UP’ later.

In fact, songs like Busta Rhymes’ ‘New York Shit’ were released in 2006, but the material had been used enough in the underground before that.

It’s amazing that that thing does that thing

It’s a bit awkward that this guy is just cool

The reins are already loose after spitting out the dialect

We all have our numbers engraved, we’re all 062 [Gwangju area code]

Yeah, this is proud Gwangju Love

In October, the Chungjang Festival and the Biennale [an international art exhibition]

Sanghyun felt that he was still awkward with the dialect whenever he sang ‘Gwangju UP’. Nevertheless, this song was generally made with Gwangju’s accent, and most of the audience didn’t feel any awkwardness at all because of the exciting rap rhythm.

“One more time! Gwangju!”

“Up!”

“Gwangju!”

“Up!”

Sanghyun bent and straightened his knees every time he shouted “Up!”, dynamically raising his right hand, which was not holding the microphone. Soon the audience began to follow.

Junhyung didn’t even put the microphone to his mouth and dynamically raised both hands as if dancing.

The audience’s gestures rippled through the auditorium.

“City of Light, Gwang, District Ju! Gwangju!”

“Up!”

City of culture and art, Gwangju Up!

Gwangju Up! where we live.

Sanghyun had one more ambition while creating ‘Gwangju UP’, in addition to the significance of it being a love letter to Gwangju.

That was the intention to create a ‘hook song’.

A hook song is a song in which an addictive melody is looped several times.

The song that first caused the popular craze for hook songs in Korea was Wonder Girls’ ‘Tell Me’ in 2007.

Everyone knew the craze that ‘Tell Me’, equipped with disco retro dance and addictive chorus, brought to the Korean music scene without even saying it.

After that, the hook in the Korean music scene developed in a direction that was simple, repetitive, easy, and melodic, causing addiction. And that influence had a lot of influence on hip-hop without knowing it.

Sanghyun wanted to showcase a very addictive hook in ‘Gwangju UP’, slightly ahead of the trend.

Of course, hook songs didn’t exist in 2005 either.

It’s just that the repeated length is a little long, and it’s a technique often used in trot [Korean pop music], and especially often used in cartoon theme songs.

Chiki Chiki Chaka Chaka Choko Choko Cho-

Like the theme song of the cartoon ‘Fly, Super Board’.

Gwangju UP! Gwangju UP!

City of Light Gwangju UP!

City of culture and art Gwangju UP!

Gwangju UP where we live!

Sanghyun himself evaluated that he had created an addictive chorus in ‘Gwangju UP’. Easy for people to follow.

After the hook, Verse Two began.

Home of flavor. Jeollanam-do inside

Eat until the table legs break

There’s so much to eat right now

People here know it’s not swearing

Duck soup, Tteokgalbi [grilled short rib patties], everyone goes crazy after eating

It’s not just the food, the real thing is the side dishes

Sundae [Korean blood sausage] with red pepper paste, bean noodles with sugar

If you eat it once, your ‘no way’ will disappear

Sanghyun’s rap wasn’t as flashy as when he sang ‘Move It’. At first glance, it felt similar to Junhyung’s ‘Move It’ verse.

But Junhyung had a lot to feel while listening to Sanghyun’s ‘Gwangju UP’.

‘A feeling of speaking.’

It really feels like he’s talking to the audience. Sundae is with red pepper paste and bean noodles are with sugar, right? The audience loves the question, right?

Even if he doesn’t emphasize rhyme as strongly as he does, natural rhyming occurs. If his rap ‘put’ the rhyme in at the right timing, Sanghyun seems to have the rhyme naturally ‘located’.

‘When did he get so good?’

Actually, I didn’t really know when I recorded it and listened to it.

I thought Sanghyun was a little better than me.

But you can tell when you’re on stage. There’s a gap that you can feel when you listen to it live. But Junhyung wasn’t jealous or upset at all.

He was sure that if he tried to catch up with and surpass Sanghyun’s back, he would definitely go the right way.

When you want bread, go to Goongjeon Bakery

To Sejong Music Store, the Nakwon Arcade of Gwangju

Chamisul is good, but Ipsaeju is in our mouths

The ranking doesn’t matter We love Gwangju Tigers

Gwangju UP. Gwangju UP.

Yeah, proud hometown Gwangju LOVE

The location of my heart is always next to Gwangju

Gwangju Up (業) [Karma] that we live and complete

‘This is what rap is.’

Audiences who were unfamiliar with rap were clearly feeling the difference between rap and song through Sanghyun’s rap.

I don’t know if this expression is correct, but if a song appeals to ‘sensitivity and emotion’, rap feels like it appeals to ‘reason and recognition’.

If they hadn’t understood each and every lyric, would they have been able to enjoy it this much?

Gwangju!

“Up!”

Gwangju!

“Up!”

Middle school girls, Sangmi’s friends, 888 Crew members, Editor Hwang, and indie band people were all shouting Up! together.

City of Light Gwangju!

“Up!”

City of culture and art Gwangju UP!

Gwangju Up! where we live.

***

< Verse 4. Cross Over > End

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