The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 68

“Hello! My name is Lee Sang-mi, and I’m 16 years old. This is my pain-in-the-neck younger sibling, and I’m in charge of Cyworld [a popular South Korean social networking site] club management and drawing for the 888 Crew. I’m planning to serialize a webtoon [digital comic] based on a true story called ‘888 X 888’ on Daum and Naver [major South Korean web portals] soon, so please give it a read when you have time! Today, I’m going to reveal the true colors of these people who are full of nothing but *heose* [a Korean word referring to showing off or bluffing]!”

Sang-mi’s confident shout was met with unexpectedly loud cheers, a bit much considering she was addressing a young middle school audience.

Sang-mi, thrilled, smiled brightly and waved.

Sang-mi had only officially joined the crew about two weeks prior, but she had been hanging out with them so much beforehand that she was practically an original member. And there was one more person like that in the 888 Crew.

‘I need to talk about Miju *noona* [an honorific used by males to address older female friends or sisters] too.’

However, the timing didn’t work out because Junhyung’s Hollywood-style speech (?) wrapped up the story.

“The group song is a song made by the six of us, but when we sing it, we always feel like we’re singing it with many people. Shout-out to Sang-mi, Minho *hyung* [an honorific used by males to address older male friends or brothers], Miju *noona*, and even the band L&S!”

The 888 Crew members chuckled at Park Inhyuk’s ‘Ugh, Hollywood’ comment. Park Inhyuk says that every day, but it’s still funny every time.

“Give me the beat!”

At Junhyung’s shout, the beat of ‘Eight, Eight, Eight’ began to play.

Now a familiar sound to the 888 Crew members.

However, a trap beat, a slightly unfamiliar genre to the audience and some of the rappers, began to play.

Trap music.

Trap is a genre created by rappers in the South [Southern United States], and it’s a genre that uses ‘solid but finely chopped 808 drums’ [referring to the Roland TR-808 drum machine, a key element in trap music] that contrast with the cluttered drum sounds of West Coast hip hop.

There was a simple reason why trap music came to dominate the world after 2010.

That’s because trap was the ‘real hip hop club tune’ that hadn’t existed before.

Before trap music, the rap that was played for parties in clubs didn’t have the authentic feel of hip hop. It lacked the element that would drive hip hop fans wild. Because authentic hip hop music was, in many ways, a less exciting sound to play in clubs.

A drum source that is periodically looped (repeated) every 4 or 8 bars.

A heavy rap on top of that.

This unique hip hop sound was just a bit short of exciting clubbers who weren’t already hip hop fans.

Because of this, club DJs played ‘club’ hip hop music—more stimulating and rhythmic songs like electronic hip hop or crunk. Or they remixed authentic hip hop with flashy sounds.

However, these songs were ironically rejected by hip hop fans.

Because it wasn’t real hip hop music that retained the unique style of hip hop.

In the midst of the gap between club tunes and hip hop music, trap music gained popularity. Trap, which evolved after 2005, was a Southern hip hop genre that simultaneously contained the advantages of club tunes and hip hop music.

And if there’s another attractive element, it was the addictive chorus that was easy to sing along to.

‘A very simple but somehow want-to-follow hook.’

All successful trap music had a very simple and attractive hook. There were absolutely no exceptions.

For example, like Illionaire’s ‘YGGR’ or Rae Sremmurd’s ‘No Flex Zone,’ which caused a big craze in Korea.

And Sanghyun had equipped Eight, Eight, Eight with a chorus that strongly resembled trap. There would definitely be people who liked it and people who didn’t. But one thing was certain: if you heard this song a few times, you would find yourself humming the chorus without even realizing it.

We, Eight that Eight that Eight that Crew!

We, Eight that Eight that Eight that Crew!

We Eight! Even if we chill (hang out) every day, we’re still on top

If you want to compare yourself to us, your nine is not enough

The chorus that Sanghyun made was blasted out to the audience through the speakers. Some people reacted immediately and raised their hands, while others had ambiguous expressions.

Sanghyun was curious whether they could continue to stand still as the chorus was repeated.

Junhyung and Park Inhyuk ran around the stage like crazy and shouted, and Hayeon and Minji started to jump while riding the rhythm at the front of the stage.

We, Eight that Eight that Eight that Crew!

We, Eight that Eight that Eight that Crew!

The hook of this song was more about all the members running around and having fun than clearly delivering the lyrics.

‘Inhyuk *hyung*, when you do this song, you have to be a crazy bastard.’

‘Is it time to unleash the dragon in my body that I’ve been sealing away…’

As predicted, Park Inhyuk, who had released the seal, became a crazy bastard. Inhyuk began to run around shouting, showing movements that combined Bongsan Talchum [a Korean mask dance-drama] and the Cancan dance.

“We Eight! We Eight! We Eight! We’re on top, We Eight!”

Park Inhyuk’s gestures, shouting incomprehensible sounds, were funny yet passionate. The audience near the stage began to jump, following Park Inhyuk’s gestures.

At that point, all the members, including Sangmi and Minho, started shouting Eight! and jumping around. Sanghyun felt the shoulders of the audience, who still had ambiguous expressions, gradually shaking.

After two consecutive choruses, Junhyung’s rap, the vanguard, began.

I’m either Chillin’ or Ballin’,

Or All-in on hip hop,

Looking far, or Benz Mercy,

Rolex or Rolls Royce

Has nothing to do with me!

Junhyung’s deep voice, as if carved out, began to spit out tight raps. Originally, Junhyung preferred raps with a moderate tempo and relaxed rhythm, but this song was not like that at all.

Instead of a heavy tank’s shelling, Junhyung chose a machine gun. A rapid-fire rap poured out, and the audience raised their hands in return.

However, Junhyung mercilessly continued to rap.

We plant flags in a space we’ll never reach in our lives

There on the moon

Now talk about conspiracy theories,

I’m the universe, but I say I’m the sea

Sanghyun was incredibly surprised when he first heard Junhyung’s rap on the Eight, Eight, Eight beat.

To be honest, he had thought that he was far ahead of Junhyung because of the cheat key of ’20 years of experience’. But now he couldn’t be sure. Before he knew it, Junhyung was absorbing the cheat key under Sanghyun’s influence.

Then someone pushed Junhyung with their shoulder and walked out, riding the beat. It was Park Inhyuk.

Simple rap, solid

I can handle a rough beat

Calmly, in a few words

Rhyme, flow, groove, a three-stage combination

Park Inhyuk began to spit out his rap in a nonchalant manner.

Perhaps because of his easygoing personality, Park Inhyuk always used a rap that seemed to loiter around the beat. It’s slightly different in that he keeps the beat, but compared to Korean musicians, he was similar to YDG (Yang Dong-geun) [a famous Korean rapper].

This rap style of Park Inhyuk’s often didn’t go well with tight and fast beats. But it was a rap that suited trap music with a slow BPM [beats per minute] so well.

Park Inhyuk’s high-pitched, loitering rap, which contrasted with Junhyung’s deep and tight rap, showed a different flavor and created a subtle contrast.

After Junhyung and Inhyuk’s raps, each with 8 bars, the hook of Eight, Eight, Eight once again echoed through the venue.

The atmosphere was quite different from when they first sang the hook.

The awkwardness from unfamiliarity had disappeared somewhere.

We, Eight that Eight that Eight that Crew!

We, Eight that Eight that Eight that Crew!

The feeling I had when I first performed Run This Town at Sejong Instrument Store. The feeling that the audience, who were awkward with rap metal, were excited and jumping around by the end of the performance.

‘Hip hop club tune.’

Like the definition of the genre trap, the venue had completely turned into a club.

‘Crazy.’

That was the common thought of the Stars Records members, including Bae Ga.

What are we going to do after this performance?

To be honest, the issue of Fuck the Show Biz is intense, but in terms of career, the 888 Crew has the least weight in today’s lineup. Some of the lineup were worried about why the 888 Crew was right before the ending.

No matter how good the previous stage is, if the second half dies, the evaluation of the performance will be lowered.

‘What was it like when I first performed?’

Bae Ga watched the 888 Crew’s performance and recalled the past, which was already more than 8 years ago.

He remembered the past when he couldn’t manage his breathing, forgot the lyrics, and was so frozen that he creaked like a robot.

‘Didn’t they say that everyone except Sanghyun and Junhyung are performing for the first time?’

How on earth is that a first performance? They didn’t even rehearse.

However, Bae Ga didn’t know that the 888 Crew members were filming their practice scenes with a camera and doing self-feedback.

‘Are we going to completely kill the atmosphere when we perform?’

Bae Ga suddenly felt worried.

He could understand why Birdman fired the opening rapper Slim P during his US tour because he was doing too well. He’s too good in front, so I’m nervous.

“But what genre is this? The beat is so unique.”

“Huh? Isn’t it just West Coast?”

“This is West Coast? The drum source is too clean for that? I don’t think it has the unique vibe of West Coast hip hop?”

Wooyeonwoo, the producer of Stars Records, tilted his head. Of course, he knows that it’s impossible to distinguish genres by sound now that it’s not the 80s. But the beat of the 888 Crew that’s coming out now is so unique.

“Isn’t this Dirty South?”

“What? Dirty South?”

“Isn’t it a bit similar to T.I. and Gucci Mane’s album songs?”

Wooyeonwoo suddenly thought of Gucci Mane’s album [Trap House], which came out a while ago. Come to think of it, there were many similarities to the sound of Dirty South [a subgenre of hip hop that originated in the Southern United States].

‘No way. Who’s the 888 producer?’

In fact, Wooyeonwoo didn’t know much about South hip hop. No, are there any people in Korea who are well-versed in South hip hop right now? Even if you imitate it without being awkward, people will applaud.

As Wooyeonwoo was watching the 888 Crew’s stage with a complex and subtle expression, Im Hyunpil suddenly opened his mouth.

“But isn’t this the last song of the 888 Crew?”

“It is in terms of time.”

“Then what about Fuck the Show Biz?”

“Uh…? That’s right?”

Bae Ga shuddered at the thought that suddenly came to mind. It’s terrible just to imagine. What if we go on stage and the ‘Fuck the Show Biz’ call comes out?

‘Lee Sanghyun, you bastard, this! Turns out he was a really bad guy?!’

However, regardless of Bae Ga’s grumbling, the stage of Eight, Eight, Eight was reaching its climax.