The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 176

< Verse 27. 888 Crew Version 2 >

Verse 27. 888 Crew Version 2

-The overwhelming hip-hop appeal showcased by the 888 Show!

-How did the 888 Crew target the mainstream from the underground?

-Exclusive interview with the 888 Crew: “In 2006, the 888 Crew’s main stomping ground was Hongdae [a vibrant district in Seoul known for its indie music scene and artistic vibe], the mecca of Korean indie culture.”

-Critic Lim Young-ho: “Lee Sang-hyun of the 888 Crew is a musician with the qualities of a CEO.”

The 888 Show, which toured Gwangju, Busan, and Seoul, concluded with a success that was unimaginable at the time of planning the performances.

Gwangju: 1,322 people, Busan: 1,218 people, Seoul: 2,835 people.

Over 5,000 people attended the 888 Show, and their highly satisfied reviews were spreading across the country.

It was a number that embarrassingly exceeded Dream Entertainment’s audience prediction of barely over 2,000 people.

The unstoppable success of the 888 Show gave great inspiration to numerous entertainment agencies in Korea. The premise that underground music doesn’t make money began to crumble.

Of course, the 888 Crew had already been enjoying great popularity as musicians before that, but in terms of business, they were still an unproven entity.

Popularity and profit often go hand in hand, but the answer to the question of whether that premise is absolute is no.

This was because there were quite a few teams that had better recognition than the 888 Crew but ended up with losses whenever they performed.

So, from the perspective of a record label, the profitability of the 888 Crew before the 888 Show was an unknown quantity.

They had a strong feeling that it would do well, but since they didn’t register their music with official music charts, they couldn’t know the exact music scores, and since they didn’t appear on music shows, they couldn’t know the music show rankings either.

According to rumors, unofficial merchandise and domestic brand products were selling like hotcakes, but they couldn’t know the exact sales figures and profit margins.

It was the 888 Crew’s first paid performance, the 888 Show, that dispelled all these doubts at once. From the perspective of a large agency, the 888 Crew’s potential was a goldmine they were missing out on.

‘Oh, that delicious thing!’

Their promotions were practically non-existent from the perspective of an agency that specializes in promotional pushes for profit generation.

They only featured underground musicians from each region as guests.

A cheap ticket price of 25,000 won [approximately $20 USD] that was so low it made people question its legitimacy.

The crew members were giving away goods that could have been marked up and sold at the concert hall because they were having so much fun.

The 888 Crew fans were already highly loyal, but there were so many areas where they could generate profits if they wanted to.

What if they had popular idols as guests and targeted not only the 888 Crew’s fan base but also audiences who had a general liking for them?

What if they had increased the exposure of the performance through TV, radio, and outdoor advertisements on buses?

What if they had used a differentiated pricing strategy to maximize profits by dividing ticket prices into VIP, regular, and standing sections?

What if they sold limited edition goods at the concert hall that couldn’t be obtained normally, instead of the ‘062 X RAP’ goods sold online?

They probably could have earned 10 times more than they were currently making. Of course, that would have diminished the unique image, authenticity, and quality of the 888 Crew’s performances.

‘If we had led the project instead of an outsourcing company like Dream Entertainment…….’

That was the common thought that entertainment agencies had while looking at articles about the 888 Show.

Like this, the 888 Crew was so coveted by companies that they were dying to have them, but they also knew that they could no longer attempt to recruit them.

The 888 Crew was already too big, and they were doing well on their own without the company’s support.

To recruit the 888 Crew, which had become like a brand name, they needed compensation that only giant corporations such as Ohkyung Entertainment, LOC Entertainment, or SM Entertainment could handle.

In the end, the only viable option was a strategic alliance with a company that would support promotional pushes and album distribution only when the 888 Crew requested it, but that position already had an owner.

Ohkyung Media.

An affiliate of the Ohkyung Group, which dominates the Korean economy.

An affiliate established to improve the group’s overall image rather than pursue profits. As a result, it leads the industry in contract terms and treatment of affiliated artists.

Except for the disadvantage that internal politics forces singers to choose sides, there were few agencies better than Ohkyung Media from the singers’ point of view.

Lee Sang-hyun of the 888 Crew was affiliated with this Ohkyung Media. So, if the moment came when the 888 Crew needed an affiliate? There was no doubt that they would choose Ohkyung Media.

According to rumors circulating in the show business world, there was a story that Lee Sang-hyun was forced to choose in the process of being recruited by Ohkyung Media, but that was originally the nature of the show business industry.

Even if they entered unpleasantly and through back channels, the relationship between celebrities and agencies was to stick together if they maintained their popularity and generated profits well. And Ohkyung Media was a good partner in that regard.

Perhaps because of the regret over the 888 Crew, which was becoming an increasingly unattainable star, or because of the severe recession in the music industry excluding established singers such as SG Wannabe, entertainment agencies began to turn their attention to underground musicians one by one.

This was because the 888 Crew had proven that the underground could grow into a market beyond a niche market.

The era of heavy metal’s dominance, which seemed like it would last forever, was over, and alternative rock, which shook the American popular music scene, also started in the underground.

This trend was not solely due to the 888 Crew, but it was certainly true that the 888 Crew lit the fuse.

***

The beginning of the year is January, but for students, March is bound to feel more like the starting point of the year than January. Because school life begins.

The 888 Crew members also spent most of March adjusting to the new beginning.

Ha-yeon passed the arts college and started as a university student, and Sang-mi passed the arts high school and started as a high school student. Jun-hyung and Sang-hyun were also trying to adapt to the transferred arts high school.

In fact, strictly speaking, no special effort was required.

There were various fields of education in arts high school, but the purpose of the ‘Practical Music Department’ students at Seoyul Arts High School, where Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung attended, was almost the same: to make a living with popular music.

Some of them would have dreamed of becoming singers, and some would have dreamed of becoming composers or performers. Rarely, some would go on to music college and dream of becoming professors, but such people were only a small minority.

Therefore, Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung were already people who had achieved the ultimate goal of practical music students. And with their pure talent, they achieved innovative success.

To give an example, it was no different than Babe Ruth appearing in front of baseball prospects who were eating tearful hamburgers in the rookie league, dreaming of the major league. Saying, ‘Hi? We’re on the same team now?’

So, from the perspective of the arts high school students, they couldn’t help but want to befriend Sang-hyun or Jun-hyung. This feeling had a pure meaning of admiration, and there was also the calculation that if they built a friendship, they could get help when they entered the popular music scene in the future.

Of course, there may be students who internally belittled and disliked the 888 Crew, but the relationship between Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung that was visible on the outside was very smooth.

Rather, the relationship with the teachers was ambiguous.

Hip-hop, especially rap, began to slowly permeate the practical music curriculum around 2008-2009. Around that time, hip-hop and rap courses were established in the practical music departments of various arts colleges and conservatories (credit banks), and professors were hired, often as visiting professors.

As a significant event, an entrance exam student who entered the conservative Korea National University of Arts [a prestigious national university specializing in arts] with rap for the first time since its opening also appeared.

Korea National University of Arts is often referred to as the ‘KAIST of arts colleges’ [KAIST is a top science and technology university in Korea], a four-year national special university with the highest recognition in the Asian region.

So, conversely, it meant that in 2006, the practical music educators had no rap skills. Thanks to this, the teachers at Seoyul Arts High School, who had to teach Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung, were in a difficult situation.

If they were just ordinary rapper hopefuls, they could teach them enough for a year with just the basics required for vocalists, but Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung were already the top rappers in Korea. They also had the drawing power to mobilize more than 5,000 paying audience members.

‘These kids aren’t going to end up as flash-in-the-pan stars. They’re the real deal.’

‘I can’t even compete on the same stage with their lineup, so what can I teach them?’

The teachers at Seoyul Arts High School had to acknowledge Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung’s skills, which they had seen through the mass media, and their inspiration and talent.

As the best arts high school in Korea, there were no stubborn teachers who insisted on the curriculum with strange rigidity. Thanks to this, Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung were able to continue their own research as usual without any special interference.

The time spent studying lyrics all day, analyzing foreign raps, and discussing the music of the 888 Crew increased. All the time that they had to waste while attending a general academic high school was now invested in music, so they felt that their skills were improving.

They sometimes received different inspiration from the aspiring musicians around them, and when they needed professional knowledge, although not specifically about rap, there were teachers who could give them advice. In addition, the school was full of music equipment that they wanted to use but were reluctant to buy.

‘It’s fun.’

Sang-hyun and Jun-hyung went to school every day thinking that. Seoyul Arts High School, which they came to attend after moving to Seoul, was really to their liking. Of course, that didn’t mean that their anger at Ohkyung Media subsided.

Everything was satisfactory with school life, but there was only one regret.

“Oppa [a Korean term used by females to address older brothers or close male friends]! Why do you keep hanging around the art department?”

“Huh? No, I had something to say to you…….”

Sang-mi scoffed at Sang-hyun’s words.

“You’re funny. It looks like you’re looking for someone? Why? Did you fall in love at first sight with a girl at the entrance ceremony?”

“Don’t say ridiculous things and let’s go home, my dear sister.”

“Fell in love at first sight? You have high standards.”

“Ah, it’s not like that.”

Sang-hyun changed the subject to hide why he was hanging around the art department. Fortunately, his intention worked, and they soon began to chat about other things.

‘Ah, that’s weird. How old is Beenzino? I think he was the same age as me?’

Sang-hyun clicked his tongue in regret even while going home with Sang-mi and Jun-hyung.

Suddenly, I remember when I was young
The only buzzcut in Seoyul Arts High School,

It was Beenzino’s verse from Illionaire Records’ Rollie Up that Sang-hyun was remembering the lyrics to. It was also the reason why he was constantly wandering around the art department.

He wasn’t looking for Beenzino for any particular purpose. It was just a pure intention to befriend a musician he admired, but he couldn’t find him. He was sure he was the same age as him.

Since he didn’t remember his real name, he couldn’t go around asking, ‘Who’s the only buzzcut in this school?’

In fact, Sang-hyun didn’t know, but Beenzino was born in 1987, one year older than him, and had already graduated.

< Verse 27. 888 Crew Version 2 > End

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