The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 281

< Verse 44. The End >

***

Sanghyun made his first appearance on American television at Hadel’s suggestion.

Of course, he had appeared on the X Factor, the Grammy Awards, and the BET Hip Hop Awards, which were broadcast nationwide, but he went there for the music, not for the broadcast.

It was more accurate to say that he was trying to make music, but he happened to be on the air.

But this time it was purely for the broadcast.

The influence of broadcasting on musicians’ album sales is significant.

According to an RIAA [Recording Industry Association of America] survey, a musician’s public awareness does not have a significant impact on album sales, but it certainly does on single sales.

“Five. You’re not particularly afraid of interviews or the press, are you?”

“Well, I’m not afraid. Is there any reason to be afraid? I just didn’t feel the need to go out of my way.”

“Then go out this time. This is something you can only do when things are going well. If you fail, you won’t be able to go out even if you want to. Say whatever you want to say when you go.”

However, Sanghyun’s appearance on the show was not solely due to sales.

He just listened to Hadel and thought it would be fun to try it when the opportunity came, because he didn’t know what would happen in the future.

“Welcome, FiveSix.”

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

“An honor? Am I famous in Korea, by any chance?”

“Of course. Maybe even more famous than me… well, maybe not.”

The host laughed at Sanghyun’s joke.

The program Sanghyun appeared on was the famous Oprah Winfrey Show.

Maintaining the number one daytime viewership for over 20 years.

7 million daily viewers.

More than 50 million viewers in the United States.

A program hosted by the most beloved broadcaster in the United States.

It was a program with a lot of impressive credentials, but Sanghyun’s impression of the show was simply that he came and said what he wanted to say comfortably.

Maybe that was Oprah Winfrey’s power.

“I’ve been wondering for a while, what is FiveSix’s real name? I mean, the name you used in Korea.”

“Lee Sanghyun. In American style, it would be Sanghyun Lee.”

“It’s a bit difficult to pronounce. This isn’t a stupid question, but it has nothing to do with Bruce Lee, right?”

“That’s right. He’s Chinese.”

As he felt during the WorldStarHipHop interview, the American interview style was different from the Korean one.

It was a way of chatting around the periphery, and then, before you knew it, you were approaching the core.

“I think the reason why ‘Touch The Sky’ became even more popular is because of the autobiographical stories in it. It may be a sensitive question, but are all the stories in it true?”

“Like other rappers, one of my principles is not to lie in rap.”

“So both of your parents passed away before you became an adult?”

“Yes. There was an unfortunate and unpleasant traffic accident.”

“Did your parents support you in making music?”

“No. I started rapping after my parents passed away. That’s why I needed to succeed. For the two of them watching over me from above, I have to shine brighter than anyone else.”

I’m driving around in your dream car now

I even shot an ad a while ago

I’ll fill my surroundings with flashlights

I’ll be the brightest person on earth, so I can be easily seen.

As if it had been prepared in advance, I Swear played at a very appropriate moment.

Oprah Winfrey and the panelists listened to the song with bated breath.

And when the song ended, a huge applause erupted.

“The last two lines are really, really great. I became a single mother at 14, and then two weeks later, that child passed away. When I listened to this music, I wondered if that child was watching me from heaven.”

Oprah Winfrey’s power of empathy was famous even in Korea.

Even Sanghyun could see that her words and expressions, full of sadness, contained complete truth.

Sanghyun carefully offered words of comfort.

“Maybe they are watching. Oprah is shining so brightly that they can’t help but watch.”

“Oh, I’m comforted. I think your voice has a great power, FiveSix.”

Sanghyun suddenly remembered that Professor Kim Woon-chul had said that Oprah Winfrey was one of the people with a special voice.

Certainly, her voice had the power to resonate with people and draw out emotions. So much so that she was fired from the news for conveying emotions too excessively.

‘Is this how my voice feels when others hear it?’

As Sanghyun was thinking that, Oprah carefully opened her mouth.

“But am I wrong? Didn’t you use the expression ‘unfortunate and unpleasant accident’ a little while ago?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Um… can you tell me why you used the expression ‘unpleasant’? Five?”

“Well… it’s going to be a long story if I tell you this. I don’t know if it can be broadcast.”

“You’re such a superstar in Korea that you even have the *yeoyu* [leeway/luxury] to check the broadcast time.”

Oprah laughed at Sanghyun’s concern.

“I’m worried about that when I do it live, but today is a pre-recording. Well, if it gets too long, it won’t be broadcast and we’ll just know about it. Is that okay with you guys?”

The panelists applauded in agreement with Oprah’s question to the panelists.

Sanghyun started talking about the traffic accident involving the Ohkyung Group.

He didn’t plan to talk about this, but he was talking about his feelings at the time without even realizing it.

The Ohkyung Group was a global company, so it had a considerable presence in the United States.

Many people mistake Ohkyung for a Japanese company, but it wasn’t difficult to find products with the OGyung mark in the United States.

Sometimes rappers would joke that OGyung was OG (Original Gangster abbreviation) + young, calling it a terrifying company name.

“Oh, I don’t know if anyone knows the lyrics to my English version of The Way We Live. The company I’m talking about here is Ohkyung.”

Without any exaggeration or lies

I brought the company down

Because it was a connected story, Sanghyun’s story continued to the story of Ohkyung Media and the story of leaving Korea.

“It’s a story like a movie, but if you didn’t have a genius for music, it would have ended as a sad ending.”

“Now that I’ve told the story, I’m afraid the Ohkyung Group will sue me.”

Laws vary from situation to situation, but defamation can be a crime even if you tell the truth. The only time it is not a crime is when it is for the public good.

However, Sanghyun proceeded with the story even though he knew this fact because he thought ‘it was time’ when he received Oprah’s question.

The Korean public doesn’t know where the bad relationship between the Ohkyung Group and Sanghyun started. At the time, Sanghyun was weaker than the Ohkyung Group, so he had no choice but to stop at reclaiming his rights.

But not anymore.

Touch The Sky.

To reach the sky, there must be no obstacles covering your head.

And apart from these reasons, it was something that would be repaid to the Ohkyung Group someday.

After Sanghyun’s story, Oprah Winfrey’s questions followed.

The United States is called the country of lawsuits, so when individuals and companies fight, the court gives power to the individual.

However, in Korea, companies are often above the law.

So there were many stories that Oprah Winfrey’s common sense couldn’t understand.

“I can’t understand.”

“The cultural gap can’t be narrowed down in just a few hours of conversation.”

“If you need my help, I’d love to help.”

“Thank you for just saying that.”

Sanghyun thought that the second act of the long-dormant battle had begun.

“I noticed that a Korean label called 888 Crew appears a lot in the story.”

“They are the driving force that got me here, and they are my newly formed family with my brother.”

“I’d love to hear their music too.”

“I want to release an album in the United States with 888 Crew someday. No, I will.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

At that moment, Oprah Winfrey gave an impish smile. She was a person with a very expressive face.

“Can I ask you a mischievous question? H&R INC, which is being evaluated as Death Row Records that appeared in the late 2000s, is receiving a lot of attention these days. The synergy and friendship of the musicians are also being well received.”

“I know what you’re going to say. Do you like mom or dad?”

“You’re quick to notice? Are you ready to answer?”

“Um……”

Sanghyun paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

“To be honest, even until I released MTB [Mixtape Battle], 888 Crew was a bigger presence to me. You know how it is? The birth of the first child is mysterious and amazing, but the illusion disappears a bit with the second child? But as time goes by, they both become lovely troublemakers.”

“So are you claiming that FiveSix gave birth to 888 Crew and H&R INC?”

“That’s right. I raised them all. Honestly, would they have succeeded without me?”

Oprah Winfrey burst out laughing at Sanghyun’s joke.

“There’s a good saying in Korea. ‘All ten fingers hurt when you bite them.’ The friends of H&R INC and 888 Crew are all brothers. That’s why I’m really looking forward to something.”

“What is it?”

“The meeting of half-brothers who don’t know each other’s existence well.”

A smile spread across Sanghyun’s face.

The meeting of musicians is not just a simple greeting, but will lead to a clash of inspiration, so it seemed fun just to imagine it.

“What are you going to do if they fight over their father’s love?”

“In that case, we have to call mom.”

“Mom?”

“Madam Ha will take care of it.”

The camera caught Hadel Raines, who was watching from the engineer line, and the panelists applauded.

The Oprah Winfrey Show ended with a few more words and Sanghyun’s live performance of ‘I Swear’.

But the work of those who make the show was just beginning.

“Raines. I think it’s better to edit out the part about Ohkyung. There’s a lot of room for problems.”

“I think so too, but FiveSix wants to put it out.”

“Try to persuade him.”

Hadel shook his head at the words of the main producer of the Oprah Winfrey Show.

“No. Just edit out the part where you directly mention the company and put it out as is.”

“If you can be sure of the target through inference, it’s useless to hide it with initials.”

“I know. But the musician wants it. I have to create a situation where the company loses money if they sue. When exactly is the broadcast date?”

“The second week of December.”

“Can I have some time to learn about Korean law and create the situation?”

The producer answered Hadel’s question.

“If it’s not broadcast in the second week of December, it will have to be pushed back to the third week of January. I’m sorry, but the broadcast schedule for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day is already full of concepts.”

“The third week of January is fine. It’s not much different from the Grammys, so it’s even better.”

The producer shook hands at Hadel’s words.

“Okay, I understand for now. Let’s adjust the schedule further. Oh, today’s stage was great. I think FiveSix’s popularity will increase even more with this broadcast.”

“I don’t like that very much.”

“Yes?”

“No. I’ll contact you again.”

Hadel Raines left the broadcasting station and headed to the van where Sanghyun was waiting.

“How did it go?”

“The name won’t be mentioned exactly, and it will come out as initials. But it will eventually spread through the panelists’ mouths.”

“I have to make a lot of money. Because I might have to pay a huge fine.”

“What if you don’t have to pay a fine? Is that money my bonus?”

“Hey, you’re too greedy. The situation is a bit special, but in this case, there are many cases where the company doesn’t sue because the moment they sue, it’s like advertising, ‘The company with those initials is me’.”

“……You’re too smart.”

“Let’s split it in half. Split it in half.”

“Call.”

Sanghyun smiled.

When he was in Korea, he had to take care of all the business aspects of 888 Crew.

But not in America.

There was someone more experienced than Sanghyun.

“What’s the next schedule?”

“How about appearing on the Ellen Show? You were good at talking today.”

“Get me a performance. Let’s earn the 5 million dollars we couldn’t earn during MTB. Our CEO Ha has to make money now.”

“Only 5 million dollars? Not 50 million dollars?”

Sanghyun chuckled at Hadel Raines’ joke.

However, Sanghyun realized that Hadel Raines was not joking for the next three months.

***

< Verse 44. The End > End

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