The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 244

< Verse 38. Dungeon >

***

Kendrick Lamar.

To the Korean public, he’s widely known as the artist behind the song ‘Control,’ which ignited the ‘Control diss controversy.’ However, ‘Control’ wasn’t actually Kendrick Lamar’s song.

‘Control’ belonged to Big Sean, featuring Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica as guest artists.

Despite this, Kendrick Lamar’s verse in ‘Control’ served as a challenge, prompting numerous prominent rappers to step up their game, solidifying the perception of ‘Control = Kendrick Lamar’ in the public consciousness.

Kendrick was a rapper hailed as ‘the best lyricist of the 2010s and the most important artist in the current music scene, transcending hip-hop itself.’

I’m Makaveli’s offspring, I’m the king of New York

I’m Makaveli’s descendant, I’m the king of New York

King of the Coast, one hand, I juggle them both

I’m the king of the West Coast, with one hand, I juggle them both

Judge me ’til the monarchy, blessings to Paul McCartney

Judge me until the monarchy, blessings to Paul McCartney

(He dares anyone to judge him until a monarchy is established, where only one king reigns supreme, emphasizing his own ‘king’ status by referencing Paul McCartney, who received a knighthood)

As evidenced by the lyrics of his ‘Control’ verse, Kendrick Lamar boasted an unparalleled career.

He embarked on a tour immediately following the release of his first album in 2011.

In 2012, his second album, conceived during his travels, dominated the Billboard charts.

It garnered ‘7 Grammy Awards nominations in 2 years,’ an achievement rarely seen even in the year of an album’s release.

When Kendrick was passed over for a Grammy, music fans across the United States voiced their outrage, decrying ‘The Grammys are crazy.’

In fact, up until this point, many critics considered Kendrick Lamar’s second album to be his magnum opus.

However, in 2015, Kendrick Lamar released his third album, shattering all the records he had previously set.

It sold nearly 3 million copies, despite being an album that deliberately eschewed commercial appeal.

It achieved a score of 96 on Metacritic [a website that compiles reviews and assigns a weighted average score], the highest album score in 10 years.

It was named Rolling Stone’s Album of the Year No. 1.

It received 11 Grammy Awards nominations, the second-highest record after Michael Jackson’s 12.

And it won 5 Grammy Awards.

Beyond these significant musical achievements, he was also recognized as the best musician of 2015 by President Barack Obama and was invited to the White House purely out of the president’s admiration for his work.

There seemed to be no end to the accolades and achievements one could mention regarding Kendrick Lamar’s career.

Schoolboy Q was also a highly respected rapper with a substantial influence within hip-hop culture, but Kendrick Lamar operated on a completely different plane.

He was the world’s best musician, far beyond just being a rapper.

He was the idol of aspiring rappers worldwide in the 2010s.

It was only natural that Sanghyun’s heart raced when he unexpectedly encountered such a figure as Kendrick in Pasadena, LA.

‘Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q,이라니……!’

Hiding his excitement, Sanghyun extended his hand for a handshake.

He wanted to maintain composure and avoid appearing overly enthusiastic, but it wasn’t easy. His idol and hero stood right before him.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. Q, Jay. And Kendrick.”

“Huh? You know my name?”

“Ah… I heard more about your real name than your stage name from Standard.”

“Really? I’m not very close to Standard…?”

Kendrick Lamar shook Sanghyun’s hand, puzzled but not dismissive. He seemed to consider it a possibility.

Sanghyun breathed a sigh of relief internally.

He had almost slipped up, unfamiliar with the idea of the short black man in front of him being addressed by a name other than ‘Kendrick.’ It was likely due to the countless times he had watched Kendrick’s ‘Grammy Awards Live,’ ‘SNL Live,’ and ‘BBC Live’ performances.

‘I guess he’s using the stage name K-Dot now, not his real name.’

As Sanghyun surmised, Kendrick Lamar used the stage name K-Dot until 2009 before transitioning to his birth name, Kendrick Lamar, from 2009 onward.

In fact, Sanghyun was unaware that Jay, standing behind Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q, was also a significant musician in his own right. He was Jay Rock of the West Coast.

Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul, who was absent.

They were childhood friends who had grown up together in Compton during their underground days, and they were all members of Black Hippy, a group that achieved mainstream success following Kendrick Lamar’s rise.

‘To run into these guys on the street by chance!’

Sanghyun was determined not to let this serendipitous opportunity pass him by.

Until now, he had always avoided intentionally seeking out future celebrities. Approaching them felt like a form of cheating, and it was generally difficult anyway.

But he genuinely wanted to befriend Kendrick and Schoolboy Q.

Of course, he had no intention of exploiting Kendrick or Schoolboy Q’s future fame to propel himself into the mainstream.

He simply desired to understand the thoughts and perspectives of the idols he had only encountered through their music and to learn how they transformed the world into rhymes.

If he could grasp the essence of what inspired them to create such exceptional raps and lyrics, he believed he could stand alongside them as equals.

“Did you all have dinner?”

With that, Sanghyun extended an invitation to the Black Hippy members for a meal. He couldn’t let the encounter end so abruptly.

The Black Hippy members, who had no other immediate plans, readily accepted the offer.

“Let’s go.”

As Sanghyun led the way, the Black Hippy members followed.

Sanghyun was deeply moved by the sight of Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q trailing behind him.

But that feeling was fleeting.

Soon after, Sanghyun found himself trailing behind Schoolboy Q.

“Restaurant? Did you just say restaurant?”

Because Q and Jay exclaimed ‘What the fuck!’ at Sanghyun’s suggestion of going to a restaurant.

Instead, they purchased the most delicious pizza in Pasadena and headed back to Compton.

Because that’s where Black Hippy’s hideout was located.

“Oh, Shit! What is this song?”

“It’s a song I’m going to sing on tour this time. Isn’t it great?”

“Do it again. Do it again, Five.”

“It’s your turn, Kendrick.”

Real Recognize Real [a common phrase in hip-hop culture meaning that genuine talent and authenticity are easily recognized].

As the saying goes, the Black Hippy members quickly recognized Sanghyun’s authenticity.

And so, the Psychedelic Records members, the Black Hippy members, and Sanghyun were having a fantastic time in a basement in Compton Hood [a neighborhood known for its predominantly African-American population and often associated with poverty and crime].

***

In rap culture, LA holds as much pride as New York.

There’s no need for extensive explanation; simply mentioning N.W.A [a highly influential gangsta rap group from Compton, California] is enough to demonstrate its significance.

Consequently, LA rappers initially had no interest in attending ‘miscellaneous’ tours like the Curtain Call Tour.

The Curtain Call Tour featured a substantial amount of rap and numerous rap stars, but it lacked the raw authenticity of true hip-hop. It also included many rap stars manufactured through marketing, like Pee Pee, whom Compton rappers derisively labeled as ‘gay rappers.’

However, when the Curtain Call Tour arrived in LA, a considerable number of LA rappers began seeking tickets.

It wasn’t that they suddenly developed a desire to see the Curtain Call Tour.

Rapper FiveSix was the one who drew them to the concert hall.

FiveSix was regarded as a rapper who had risen from the LA underground. He consistently represented LA on stage and maintained genuine connections with LA musicians.

However, due to the vastness of the LA rap scene, some had only heard rumors about him and had never actually seen FiveSix in person.

‘Why is a young Asian kid shouting out LA?’

‘Is FiveSix the guy who came out of Compton Black Block? A hood man?’

‘Is he any good?’

These questions were what motivated them to attend the Curtain Call Tour.

That’s how the first performance of the Curtain Call Tour commenced.

The first of the two scheduled LA performances fully lived up to their expectations.

***

“WASSUP! LOS ANGELES!”

The audience erupted in cheers at Sanghyun’s slightly excited shout.

-FiveSix!

-Wow!

The audience’s response to Sanghyun was by no means insignificant compared to the reception received by the other acts. In fact, it was much greater.

While Sanghyun’s recognition among the general public might have been limited, his recognition within the hip-hop community was substantial.

There are countless rappers who never even make it to the main pages of websites like HipHopDX and WorldstarHipHop, even after rapping for a lifetime. And among them are rappers who are considered rap stars within their respective regions.

So, to hip-hop fans, FiveSix was undoubtedly a Rapstar. Especially in LA.

-Came From The LA!

-LA Yellow Nigga!

From Sanghyun’s perspective, it felt as though his position had undergone a dramatic shift in just a few months. In Korea, he had steadily climbed to the top, while in the United States, he was experiencing a cycle of ‘breathing-leaping’ [a Korean expression referring to rapid progress and growth].

At the heart of it all was Hadel Raines, whose promotional strategy was rooted in his unwavering belief in Sanghyun’s rap skills.

“Okay, let’s go!”

That’s how the performance began.

In the LA performance, Sanghyun was featured as one of the main acts, rather than serving as Pee Pee’s opening act. This decision was made by Sony Music due to LA having the largest Korean population in the United States.

The performance commenced with ‘The way we live’ and ‘No Color,’ as usual.

The KRS-One of 예의 [referring to KRS-One’s emphasis on knowledge and respect in hip-hop] appeared on the screen once again, raising expectations among the general audience who were less familiar with Sanghyun.

In fact, without KRS-One’s enthusiastic consent, using the video in this manner would have been impossible due to publicity rights issues.

The foundation for Sanghyun’s growth was built upon the relationships he had cultivated over the years.

And KRS-One wasn’t the only one who had offered his support.

While Sanghyun, who opened the performance with ‘The way we live’ and ‘No Color,’ was taking a breather, someone already on stage began to engage the audience.

It was Westrun of Psychedelic Records, who was serving as the hype man for the day.

Westrun was a musician who was relatively well-known in LA, and regardless of anyone’s opinion, he was undeniably ‘from LA’.

With such a figure acting as the hype man, people couldn’t help but think, ‘Ah, FiveSix is definitely an LA rapper.’

“Hey, LA friends. Do you know what country FiveSix is from?”

In response to Westrun’s question, the answer ‘Korea’ echoed from all corners of the venue.

Through the lyrics of ‘The way we live,’ the audience was aware that Sanghyun was a Korean rap star.

“That’s right. Mr. Lee is Korean. But when he goes on stage and becomes FiveSix, he’s from LA. You know what I mean, right?”

-Lee Sanghyun!!

-Kyaaaaa!

At that moment, Koreans residing in LA erupted in loud cheers in Korean. The Korean Association of LA had systematically acquired tickets and even created banners to bring to the show.

“Woah! I don’t know why you’re screaming at this timing, but it’s amazing anyway? Did everyone hear that?”

Westrun made an exaggerated gesture and held the microphone out towards the Korean residents. Once again, screams bordering on shrieks poured out.

“There may be people who know the next song. DJ Standard sometimes played it at party plays. Right? Five?”

Sanghyun responded to Westrun’s question.

“That’s right. However, if the song that Standard played was a song about my ‘hometown in Korea’, the song I’m going to sing now is a song about my ‘hometown in America’.”

“Are you ready?”

“Anytime in LA.”

Westrun, upon hearing Sanghyun’s response, ran to the front of the stage and shouted.

“Errbody Say! Where is the 56 hometown!”

-Where is the 56 hometown!

“Where is the 56 HOMETOWN-!”

-Where is the 56 HOMETOWN-!

The audience’s massive chorus of ‘Where is the FiveSix hometown!’ reverberated through the concert hall like an echo-

When people’s ears were ringing from the deafening noise-

“Motherfuckin` LA.”

Sanghyun’s dry voice cut through the air.

-Kyaaaaa!