The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 139

Kilderk stalled for time by showcasing his turntable skills. As another 10 seconds passed, the vote count slowly began to rise.

In Kilderk’s opinion, it was impossible to determine a superior rapper between Park In-hyuk and Yeom Hyun-pil based on skill alone. Both had delivered their best possible raps, without making any mistakes. Therefore, the outcome of the vote would come down to personal preference.

Whether you prefer fast rap or slow rap.

Whether you prefer a relaxed groove or a tight flow.

Kilderk thought that if he were to vote, he would have sided with Park In-hyuk.

Because mastering slow rap is more difficult than mastering fast rap.

Of course, that didn’t mean fast rap was easy. Delivering lyrics, catching rhymes, and maintaining unwavering speed were by no means simple tasks.

However, fast rap could be somewhat ‘formulaic.’ Even if the beat changed, there were many similarities in how to cram rap into each measure and convey excitement through speed.

‘But slow rap is different.’

There was no formula for slow rap.

Finding the beat’s attractive space and creating a groove before and after that space required a different approach every single time.

‘But audiences tend to find excitement in fast rap… or maybe there are more hardcore hip-hop fans here?’

It was impossible to predict the outcome.

Kilderk glanced at the monitor displaying the vote count.

70 to 71.

At that moment, the screen flickered once, and the score of ’70 to 71′ changed to a close ’75 to 75′.

There were a total of 151 audience members today. So, there was only one vote left.

Finally, the last person completed their vote.

At that moment, the battle beat between Park In-hyuk and Yeom Hyun-pil ended, and a very brief silence descended upon the venue.

It was naturally the host DJ Kilderk who broke the silence.

“Next Round! Turn the Beat!”

Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones Part II,” famous as the final rap battle beat from the movie 8 Mile, began to play.

Perhaps because 8 Mile was quite successful in Korea as well, a great response erupted from the audience even just from hearing the beat.

Four musicians appeared in the center of the stage.

* Two and Two Battle

Stars Record VS 888 Crew

Kim Yu-hwa, Oh Myung-jin VS Kim Hwan, Shin Ha-yeon

The rap began with Ha-yeon’s preemptive strike.

***

Rap and rap battle are definitely different.

This is similar to the difference between soccer and futsal [a variant of soccer played on a smaller, indoor field].

In soccer, numerous factors come into play besides the players’ physicality. The coach’s ability, the compatibility of tactics, and the harmony between players.

Therefore, even a team composed of 11 highly skilled players cannot necessarily beat a team of 11 less skilled players. That’s why upsets sometimes happen where a fourth division team beats a first division team.

In comparison, futsal places overwhelming importance on the players’ physicality. Of course, tactics and chemistry between players also affect the game, but their influence is insignificant compared to soccer.

The difference between rap and rap battle is similar to this.

In rap, the rapper’s individual skill is important, but controlling the element of music is even more important.

When the 888 Crew first appeared, the members other than Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung were not considered top-tier. Considering the positive factor of being female rappers, Ha-yeon was barely included in the top-tier level.

However, 888 Crew’s music was considered top-tier from the beginning. That was because of Sang-hyun’s clever verse arrangement that brought out the team’s chemistry.

Placing Oh Min-ji behind Kim Hwan, who is on beat and relaxed, is a verse arrangement that benefits each other.

Arranging Jun-hyung’s low-toned, aggressive verses with In-hyuk’s swaggering verses creates a synergy effect.

On the other hand, rap battles are much more about individual rap skills, like futsal. The power conveyed to the audience within the verses attacking the opponent is important.

‘Look at these guys. They’re much better than I thought.’

Bae Ga was inwardly surprised as he watched the 888 Crew members.

Stars Record thought that if they competed with 888 Crew in ‘rap music,’ they would be similar.

And this was a tremendous evaluation.

888 Crew was a team that had been formed for less than a year. On the other hand, Stars Record was a team that had been formed 6 years earlier than 888 Crew and was competing for the top spot in the Korean hip-hop scene.

However, apart from acknowledging 888 Crew’s music, Stars Record was confident that they would definitely win if they competed in a ‘rap battle.’ They still believed that they were a step above the others except for Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung.

‘Actually, the others are normal, and Lee Sang-hyun and Shin Jun-hyung are really weird. When you think about it, they haven’t been rapping for very long, have they?’

However, 888 Crew grew rapidly.

They repeated mix-ups at every performance and fought against themselves in the mirror every day.

Therefore, the first battle of the two-on-two battle, ‘Kim Yu-hwa, Oh Myung-jin VS Kim Hwan, Shin Ha-yeon,’ recorded a close match where the outcome could not be predicted.

The following ‘Oh Myung-jin, Yeom Hyun-pil VS Dolphin, Edition’ between Stars Record and Bounce Rhyme ended with a clear advantage for Stars Record.

Bounce Rhyme was spitting out points like a vending machine. The truth was that they were not good enough to fight Stars Record.

“Next Stage!”

With Kilderk’s loud voice, the final order of the two-on-two battle approached.

* Two and Two Battle (Final)

Bounce Rhyme VS 888 Crew

Shin Gak, Dolphin VS Lee Sang-hyun, Shin Jun-hyung

‘I have to win no matter what.’

Sang-hyun clenched his fist tightly as he stepped onto the center of the stage for the first time today.

So far, Stars Record had secured a clean 2 wins against Bounce Rhyme. The match against 888 Crew was too close to call.

However, according to Sang-hyun’s scoring, Park In-hyuk had won in the one-on-one battle, and Stars seemed to have won in the two-on-two battle.

So, they had to win this fight against Bounce Rhyme.

“Let’s win.”

“Of course.”

Jun-hyung smiled and nodded at Sang-hyun’s words.

Lee Sang-hyun, Shin Jun-hyung, Shin Gak, and Dolphin gathered in the center of the stage.

A DJ Premier-style beat, which can be seen as the standard of rap battle beats, with a greatly amplified drum snare that makes you nod your head involuntarily, echoed through the venue.

Sang-hyun slowly looked around and steeled his mind.

Carelessness or complacency completely disappeared, and only the determination to do his best sprang up anew.

Whether he knew Sang-hyun’s heart or not, Shin Gak’s preemptive strike began to heat up the beat.

Eight, Eight, Eight sounds like Mayday [international distress signal]

Searching with reddened eyes for Payday

Selling your soul and earning money, doing that every day,

In contrast, my Daybreak rap awakens the dawn

Shin Gak’s preemptive strike, which started with the topic of ‘greed for money’ that still followed 888 Crew, was quite intense. Because it upset Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung.

Shin Gak had been hiding his verses during rehearsals and practice. It was a plan to embarrass Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung with a surprise attack.

888, the name itself reveals greed for money

Avarice that wants to fill the bank account

And then you believe? Be the? Under?

Come to our company, hyung [older brother or male friend] will push you well

The voices of the audience shouting “Ooh” erupted.

While the battles so far had been more about swagger, raising oneself up rather than putting others down, Shin Gak’s rap was literally putting down 888 Crew.

I’ll give it to you, are you ashamed? Why? Where are you hiding?

High schoolers drunk on hip-hop, sober up quickly

What you guys need to do is school homework, not rap

You can never escape, the shackles of greed for money

Shin Gak, who finished his 12-bar rap, bumped shoulders with Jun-hyung.

Shin Gak’s rap itself was not outstanding or flashy, but the straightforward lyrics immediately captivated the audience’s attention.

At that moment, Jun-hyung grabbed the microphone and started rapping at an ambiguous timing. Originally, the structure was for Jun-hyung to rap 12 bars after Shin Gak’s 12 bars ended and had a 4-bar interval.

However, Jun-hyung started rapping immediately after half a bar after Shin Gak’s rap ended.

Shackles? Run away quickly, I’m the tagger

Homework? Like that, yeah, you need to shut up

“Wow, damn!”

“Crazy bastard!”

The 888 Crew members were surprised by Jun-hyung’s amazing lyrics and shouted. You need to shut up. It was a punchline with the double meaning of ‘Shut up’ and ‘Approach’.

What Jun-hyung is doing now is freestyle, filling the 3.5 bars between the intervals. It was Jun-hyung’s ambitious challenge, who had been practicing freestyle hard with In-hyuk.

Sang-hyun knew how talented Jun-hyung was in freestyle.

He already knew that the reason Jun-hyung first made a name for himself before regressing was because he won first place in the national freestyle competition.

Who’s crazy about greed for money?

Whispering while rapping the rap made by the company?

Jun-hyung finished his 4-bar freestyle and immediately spat out the 12 bars of rap he had originally prepared like a storm. Although half a bar overlapped, he also showed the sense to cleverly omit the preceding word.

Sang-hyun applauded in his heart.

The third round competition borrowed the form of a give-and-take battle, but because they were rapping pre-prepared raps, it could seem like they were avoiding the opponent’s attack.

Especially if the opponent hid their verses during practice. Because there was no answer to the money issue in the 12 bars Jun-hyung prepared.

However, Jun-hyung countered Shin Gak’s scheme through freestyle. The following rap was naturally more flashy and stable than Shin Gak’s.

‘He’s pissed.’

Sang-hyun smiled slyly.

Because he could see Jun-hyung’s expression, pouring out rap with the momentum as if he would make holes in Shin Gak’s body.

As Jun-hyung’s rap, which continued like he was possessed, ended, he felt that the atmosphere had shifted to the 888 Crew side.

After Shin Gak-Jun-hyung, it was Dolphin’s turn.

Dolphin, who was as experienced as Stars Record, properly used the 4-bar interval.

He created an interesting scene by taking off the New Era [baseball cap] he was wearing.

Dolphin, who held his hat in his hand like a British gentleman and gave a splendid greeting, suddenly trembled. The source of the vibration was the New Era held in his right hand.

Dolphin, who was surprised, tried to throw the New Era, but it did not fall from his hand. Dolphin hesitated with a look of embarrassment, then suddenly threw the New Era violently.

However, the New Era did not fall from his body. It spun around his chest and was passed to his left hand. The New Era, which seemed to be alive, slowly climbed onto the back of his left hand and shoulder, and finally landed on his head.

It was a New Era Trick Dance.

“Wow!”

“Dolphin!”

The audience’s cheers erupted after a long time. Sang-hyun, who was the opponent in the battle, also thought it was cool, so how much more would the audience think.

Applause naturally came out at the sight that could only be seen in the music videos of black rappers.

Dolphin, who finished dancing, shrugged his shoulders and looked at Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung. It was as if he was asking, ‘Can you guys do this?’

Sang-hyun, who felt a sense of intimacy with Dolphin, burst into a hearty laugh.

At that moment, Dolphin, who rewrote the New Era, snatched the microphone held in Shin Gak’s hand and started rapping.