The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 192

< Verse 29. Just For The Record >

The audience had encountered 888 Crew in various settings.

Some remembered them from Club Homie, where they first emerged, while others recalled their performances at Mudeung Stadium. For many, it was through Hip Hop the Vibe.

Regardless, all those memories were encapsulated in JFTR [Just For The Record]. This album captured the emotions, experiences, and sentiments 888 Crew felt while creating their music.

Junhyung continued, “Track 10 captures this very moment. That’s why it’s titled ‘Just For The Record’—the moment we release our first album.”

Park Hye-yeon, listening intently, asked, “JFTR has 14 tracks, so what about the other four? If track 10 is this moment, what are tracks 11-14?”

“Tracks 11 to 13 depict our vision of the future. Track 11 is the near future, track 12 is our future in two to three years, and track 13 is our future in about five to ten years. They have a strong, confident vibe, reflecting our hopes for what we’ll become.”

“So, track 14 is the ultimate form? The 888 Crew’s dream?”

“Exactly.”

Park Hye-yeon tilted her head. “But you don’t mention track 14. You keep talking about tracks 11 to 13. Is there a reason?”

“Well… nothing’s recorded on track 14. It’s just a 30-second blank.”

“A 30-second blank? Why?”

“In our ideal future for 888 Crew, Hyuk-hyung [using ‘hyung’ is a Korean way of saying ‘older brother’ or a term of endearment for a close older male friend] needs to be with us. But he couldn’t participate in JFTR. So, we left it blank. Track 14 will be created when he returns and included in our second album.”

Park Hye-yeon didn’t fully grasp it.

She understood that they couldn’t express their final vision without Inhyuk. But if they were leaving it blank, why a 30-second blank? Wouldn’t that inconvenience listeners who replay the album?

Then, she realized why 888 Crew would deliberately create such a long ‘blank.’

‘Huh? Really?’

Initially, she doubted her interpretation, but then she felt a surge of warmth and support for 888 Crew. She was proud to support such a team.

Watching Sanghyun smile as he received attention, Park Hye-yeon was certain track 14 was his idea.

He often joked about marrying her, but she didn’t see Sanghyun, much younger than her, as a romantic interest. Yet, in moments like this, she saw him as a truly wonderful person, beyond categories like ‘man’ or ‘younger brother.’

Older brother or younger brother, I’m more than that
The number one topic of talk in cafes and bars

It seemed the lyrics from “Straight Writer,” which Sanghyun performed on Hip Hop the Vibe, weren’t random.

‘Oh my, really…’

Sanghyun’s intention was simple.

What if JFTR, released in a few days, received near-perfect praise and was considered flawless? What if critics only praised tracks one through thirteen?

The answer was clear: Inhyuk’s absence would go unmentioned.

Listeners wouldn’t feel the missing musician.

This would inevitably pressure Inhyuk upon his return.

‘Is 888 Crew already complete without me? If my contributions to the next album aren’t well-received, will it be my fault?’

Inhyuk might think that way.

The public might see Inhyuk as just funny and cheerful, but the 888 Crew knew he was surprisingly deep and sensitive.

That’s why they created track 14.

The 30-second blank in track 14 would constantly remind everyone of ‘Inhyuk’s blank,’ his absence.

Some might say track 14 ruined the album’s flow, while others might call it innovative.

But it would always be a track dedicated to Inhyuk.

It was a track filled with hope for a complete, eight-member 888 Crew.

“Ah…”

The 888 Crew fans, understanding track 14 as Park Hye-yeon did, were overcome with emotion. They felt a sense of pride.

Despite appearing friendly in the media, teams formed through ‘show business’ contracts rarely lasted. Discord was common, and even with good personal relationships, teams often disbanded when contracts ended.

But 888 Crew would never do that.

For them, ‘their value within 888 Crew’ outweighed ‘their individual value.’

-Clap clap clap.

Someone applauded.

Initially, the applause felt out of place, but it spread steadily. Soon, 800 fans were applauding enthusiastically.

This applause was filled with affection for 888 Crew, support for the complete group, and satisfaction in supporting them.

The most excited weren’t the 888 Crew members or the fans, though they were happy. Someone else’s mind was racing: Hyun Tae-min, the only reporter at the showcase.

Hyun Tae-min, a broadcast reporter for CBC News Bureau, had a connection with 888 Crew. He was the rookie who pushed for coverage of their small festival, Real Hiphop 888 ST, next to AIMMF [a music festival]. He was no longer a rookie.

As far as Hyun Tae-min knew, no other media representatives were at the showcase. He had exclusive access to this information.

‘For the article title: “The Meaning and Emotion of 888 Crew’s Album Given by the Last Track.” That’s appropriate, right?’

As a broadcast reporter, he couldn’t publish articles directly in newspapers or online news.

But he knew senior reporters with newspaper connections. He could get compensation for providing the information.

‘Or maybe I can post it on my personal blog to build my reputation as a reporter.’

As Hyun Tae-min considered this, the applause continued. Sanghyun stopped it with an awkward smile.

“We were supposed to proceed in track order, but we ended up talking about the last track. Let’s go back to the beginning! Host, please continue.”

“What do you mean continue? You ruined the scenario!”

“Hey, you’re getting paid, so earn it.”

“Is one meal and five albums that valuable?”

“Of course. They’re signed albums.”

Sanghyun and Park Hye-yeon joked, possible because she’d offered to host without pay.

Sanghyun wanted to pay her, though.

Park Hye-yeon grumbled, then said, “Since the planned order is ruined, I’ll proceed with questions I have as a fan. Our questions will be similar, right?”

“Yes!” the fans cheered.

Hye-yeon said to Junhyung, “We know the tracks’ meanings, and we know about the first and last tracks… It’s time, right? What am I talking about?”

“The tracklist!” the fans shouted.

Hye-yeon, riding the cheers, said, “The tracklist was to be revealed at the end, but we should reveal it now, right?”

“We can do that.”

Minho opened the PDF file on the main screen.

The tracklist, with 14 tracks, appeared.

The 800 fans read it in one breath.

– 888 Crew First Studio Album –

Just For The Record

1. La Mancha – Lee Sanghyun, Shin Hayeon, Kim Hwan

2. We Ro – Shin Junhyung, Oh Minji, Kim Hwan

3. Hitch, High, King – Lee Sanghyun, Shin Junhyung

4. Seed, Nudge – 888 Crew

Skit. Bootleg Series Remix – DJ. Woo Minho

5. Straight Writer – Lee Sanghyun

6. Just 888 kidding – Shin Hayeon, Shin Junhyung Feat. Keeble, Texer

7. Let’s Live by the River – Shin Hayeon, Oh Minji

8. Circle – 888 Crew

9. Seoul City Mind – Lee Sanghyun, Oh Minji, Shin Hayeon

10. Just For The Record – 888 Crew

Skit. The Future of a Webtoon Artist – Lee Sangmi

11. National Team – 888 Crew

12. Forecast 2 – Shin Junhyung, Kim Hwan Feat. Bae Ga, Woo Yeonwoo

13. Scene Stiller/Stealer – Lee Sanghyun, Shin Junhyung Feat. Calib

14. Blank (Dedicate to In-Hulk)

The first full-length album of 888 Crew, Just For The Record, containing a total of 14 tracks and 2 skits.

JFTR’s playtime was 72 minutes. It included previously released tracks like “Straight Writer,” “Let’s Live by the River,” “Circle,” and “National Team,” as well as new collaborations like “Just 888 kidding.”

It also featured artists they’d worked with before, like Stars Records and Calib.

As the audience absorbed the tracklist, Junhyung said, “The two skits divide 888 Crew’s musical eras. The first skit divides the past and present, and the second divides the present and future.”

Skit means a short play, farce, light satire, or sarcastic writing. It’s not common outside hip-hop albums, but early hip-hop albums used skits to record situations (usually conversations).

As hip-hop evolved, skit usage changed. Satire decreased, and refreshing the album’s atmosphere became the focus, like a bridge in a verse.

JFTR’s first skit, “Bootleg Series Remix,” was created by Minho using tracks from Bootleg 0.5 and Official Bootleg as a DJ remix. It summarized the Bootleg series, symbolizing 888 Crew’s music before JFTR.

Unlike 888 Crew’s sophisticated beats, “Bootleg Series Remix” centered on 80s old school boom bap beats.

Sanghyun was surprised by Minho’s remix.

Not by the skill, but by the old school beats that suited the Bootleg songs so well.

“Bootleg Series Remix” was Minho’s declaration of war on fans who called 888 Crew’s music ‘sophisticated beat-driven.’

< Verse 29. Just For The Record > End

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