The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 274

Verse 43. Touch The Sky

2009 was an eventful year.

The first African-American president of the United States began his term, the financial crisis spread worldwide, leading to the bankruptcy of GM in the US. The European Union was officially launched, and the swine flu pandemic spread globally, causing widespread fear.

Meanwhile, the music industry experienced its own seismic event. Michael Jackson, the living legend who had announced a world tour, passed away in June 2009.

MJ’s death sent shockwaves across the globe.

Especially among black musicians.

Without Michael Jackson, MTV might never have played music videos featuring black artists, and black artists might never have graced the cover of Rolling Stone.

But it wasn’t all sorrow.

There were joyful moments too, of course.

Eminem’s “Relapse” topped the Billboard charts upon release, and Susan Boyle, a 47-year-old overnight sensation, captivated the world with her appearance on Britain’s Got Talent.

As the first half of 2009 passed, October, marking the near end of the second half, approached.

That’s when it happened.

Three albums released simultaneously from one company.

–

Date : 2009. 9. 30

Artist : Kendrick Lamar

Title : Overly Dedicated

Label : H&R INC

–

Date : 2009. 9. 30

Artist : J.Cole

Title : The Warm Up

Label : H&R INC

–

Date : 2009. 9. 30

Artist : FiveSix

Title : Touch The Sky

Label : H&R INC

***

A few days after the Grammy Awards, while Sang-hyun was holed up in his LA studio, something far more urgent than work came up. So urgent that he had to drop everything and rush to the airport.

The urgent matter Sang-hyun faced was a celebration party.

The theme of the party was the return of Standard from Denmark.

“What happened? You sounded so confident, but you haven’t even done a US tour yet?”

“It’s not that I couldn’t, but I didn’t want to. Hadel suggested touring the US, but I turned it down.”

“Liar.”

“I’m serious!”

They hadn’t spent much time together, and it had been almost a year and a half since they last met, but there was no awkwardness at all. It felt as familiar as if they had seen each other yesterday.

Sang-hyun believed that three people held a significant stake in his musical success.

Those three were Ha-yeon, Mi-joo, and Standard.

If Sang-hyun hadn’t met Ha-yeon at the hospital, he might never have chosen music. Ha-yeon was the one who led him to the path of music.

If Ha-yeon pushed him forward, Mi-joo was the one who showed him the difference between art and non-art. ‘Impulse,’ the core value encompassing Sang-hyun’s musical world, was born from Mi-joo.

Lastly, Standard was the one who gave his music unlimited freedom.

From ‘Move’ to ‘Eight, Eight, Eight Remix,’ Standard provided the canvas Sang-hyun wanted at every important moment of his development.

If Sang-hyun hadn’t connected with Standard, the success and development of Sang-hyun and the 888 Crew would have been much slower.

Of course, the ‘888 Crew’ had the biggest stake in Sang-hyun’s musical success, but they were excluded because they were with him rather than just helping him.

Like this, Sang-hyun and Standard had a deep musical bond that wasn’t proportional to the time they spent together.

And that bond had deepened even while they were apart.

“I watched The X Factor with my father a few days before he passed away. The episode where you sang ‘Lonely Road’.”

“……You should have told him I was the musician you raised.”

“Well, I didn’t exactly raise you, but I exaggerated a bit since I have some stake in it. I also told him that I made the beat for ‘Eight, Eight, Eight Remix’ that you sang in the first episode. Actually, my father doesn’t know KRS-ONE, and he didn’t know any of the musicians I’ve worked with, so he thought I was starving in the black ghettos of LA.”

“What did he say then?”

“He was amazed. And happy too. When you got eliminated, he had a word for the judges: bedrager!”

“What does that mean?”

“Fraud.”

Sang-hyun smiled faintly.

“Anyway, thank you. Thanks to your performance on The X Factor, my father was able to let go of some of his worries about me and pass away peacefully. Well, not completely, but still.”

“I’m glad.”

As Sang-hyun patted Standard’s shoulder, thinking of his deceased parents, Standard said,

“So, we have to keep going up. Until my name reaches my father in heaven and he can completely let go of his worries.”

Sang-hyun found Standard’s words familiar.

Hello my only one, just like the morning sun

안녕 나의 하나뿐인 아들아. 아침 햇살처럼 [Hello my only son, like the morning sun]

You‘ll keep on rising. ‘til the sky knows your name

계속 떠오르렴, 하늘에서도 네 이름을 알 수 있게 [Keep rising, so that the sky knows your name]

Because it was similar to Kanye West’s ‘Only One’.

Sang-hyun suddenly wondered if his music had reached his parents. But he changed his mind to ‘I hope it hasn’t reached them yet.’

Most of the music he had made in the United States so far was focused on overcoming racism.

There was a declaration that ‘I will overcome racism with my skills,’ but the basic premise that he was being discriminated against never disappeared.

That’s why he didn’t think his parents in heaven would be happy to hear those songs.

They would probably be worried instead.

“Ah…….”

Sang-hyun finally faced the album he had to make, and wanted to make.

He had been sitting in the studio for days, 고민했지만 확실한 그림을 그리지 못했던 [agonizing but unable to draw a clear picture], He had found the answer to the album that could show ‘the real me’.

Sang-hyun wasn’t basically a rapper who enjoyed bragging about himself.

Most rappers never leave out boasting about material things in their lyrics, but he rarely wrote such lyrics. If he did boast, it was mostly about his music or the achievements of the 888 Crew.

But not anymore.

The song that would reach the sky had to convey the message that I am a rapper who reaches the sky.

He had to reveal how well he could live and how happy he was.

‘Is this why rappers do swagger?’

Sang-hyun thought so and said to Standard.

“Let’s do it.”

“Do what?”

“Billboard Album Chart No. 1. Billboard Single Chart No. 1. Album sales No. 1. Even the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.”

“You have to do that much to reach the sky?”

“That’s right.”

“Is it possible? Eminem’s album is coming out soon, too?”

“It’s all up to you. You’ve been resting for too long, so your skills might be a bit rusty?”

Standard raised his middle finger at Sang-hyun, and Sang-hyun smiled and raised his middle finger back.

“I lent you my house, car, and equipment, and this is how you repay my kindness?”

“Ah, that’s right. The car!”

“Why? Did you break my car?”

“No, it’s not that, but I have to buy a really expensive car.”

Sang-hyun said that and went into the room to get his wallet and hat.

Standard asked with a puzzled expression.

“Why the car all of a sudden?”

“I’m going to brag to my parents, but I don’t have a car yet. I can’t lie, so I have to buy one.”

“……Am I the only one who thinks the order is a bit strange?”

“I’ll borrow your shitty car one last time.”

“Shut up. Give me the keys.”

While Standard was trying to take the car keys and Sang-hyun was trying not to give them, Hadel Raines opened the door and came in.

As Standard’s gaze turned to Hadel Raines, Sang-hyun pushed Standard.

Standard stumbled towards Hadel, and Hadel opened his arms to catch Standard from falling.

“CEO Ha. Don’t let go of the musician who jumped into your arms and sign a contract with him. That friend is Standard.”

Sang-hyun said that and quickly disappeared.

A moment of silence passed, and as Standard was feeling embarrassed, Hadel Raines hugged Standard tightly and said.

“Welcome to H&R INC.”

“Yes? Oh, no, I…….”

“I was going to review it a bit, but since you jumped into my arms like this, I have no choice.”

“Yes?”

Hadel Raines, who had been playing with Sang-hyun, was now matching his rhythm.

“By the way, where is Five going in such a hurry? I had something to tell him.”

At that moment, Standard saw the copy of the contract that Hadel was holding.

Standard asked in surprise.

“Is this perhaps an advertisement offer?”

“This is the power of H&R INC. If you join our company, you might be able to get a Lamborghini advertisement.”

“Is it really from BMW?”

Hadel smiled and nodded.

BMW ASIA had chosen Sang-hyun as the model for the newly released high-end convertible in March. It included TV commercials, print ads, and outdoor advertisements.

Of course, the advertisement would only be in Asia, but even so, BMW’s offer was amazing.

BMW, which emphasizes innovation and dynamism targeting young luxury customers, was famous for avoiding celebrity advertising and proceeding with advertisements only with its own products.

However, as the Western consumer market severely contracted due to the financial crisis, BMW planned a new marketing strategy targeting the Asian market, where celebrity advertising is effective.

The celebrity chosen was ‘FiveSix’.

They highly valued his challenging spirit and innovation in proving himself in the black culture of rap, where even white people are discriminated against.

As soon as Standard heard the news, he started praying.

‘Please, please let Sang-hyun buy a BMW convertible.’

And Standard’s prayer was answered.

Sang-hyun, who returned home, heard the news of the advertisement and learned that he would have another car of the model he had just contracted for.

This was because the contract stated that BMW ASIA would provide the vehicle upon acceptance of the advertisement.

Hadel stopped Sang-hyun, who was about to go back and cancel the contract.

Hadel explained that if he refunded the car of the advertising brand, he would receive the same car, so the fact that he refunded it would disappear and only the rumor that ‘FiveSix refunded BMW’ would circulate.

In the end, Sang-hyun ended up with two cars, and the keys to one car that he wouldn’t even drive were handed over to Standard.

“Yay!”

“CEO Ha. How about using this as a down payment? Take it away if he doesn’t sign the contract.”

“What? There’s no such thing!”

“That sounds like a very good idea?”

However, the two cars that he had acquired with all sorts of fuss were left unattended in the garage from a few days later.

Until the moment when all the work on their album to reach the sky was completed.

In the meantime, Sang-hyun was riding the beat instead of the car, and Standard was busy turning the turntable instead of the steering wheel.

-Vroom!

The dusty dust that had accumulated on the two cars for several months disappeared on October 1, when Kendrick, J. Cole, and Sang-hyun’s joint showcase took place.

End

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