The Rap Star [EN]: Chapter 293

The opening stage of Westrun and Mel, under the team name “Golden Nu-Era (完),” achieved results beyond imagination thanks to Sanghyun’s surprise appearance.

Their performance, by the least known members of the H&R INC crew, created an atmosphere that rivaled the highlights of any tour.

“The vibe is amazing!”

“Damn, I was going to talk about the Staples Center.”

“Everyone must have been thinking the same thing?”

Thanks to this, the Black Hippy members, waiting backstage to take over the opening baton, felt both nervous and excited about the hotter-than-expected stage reaction.

-Kyaaaaaa!

-LUDE!

-FiveSix!!!

Though unseen, the Black Hippy members realized their turn had come with the fervent response from the audience and the stage lights dimming.

Simultaneously, the staff began gesturing for them to come on stage.

Seeing this, Schoolboy Q shouted loudly.

“Black Hippy!”

“Doo-doo-doo!”

“Doo-doo-doo!”

Schoolboy Q, AB-Soul, and Jay Rock, shouting the Black Hippy signature sound and the gunshots West Coast hip-hop musicians often use, jumped onto the stage.

At the same time, a rough beat resembling gunshots erupted.

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The ear-splitting screams of the audience, as if they had really been shot, greeted the three men.

In many ways, Black Hippy was senior to Psychedelic Records.

They made their name in the Compton scene much faster than Westrun or Mel, and Kendrick, then known as K-Dot, was being spotlighted as the next-generation prospect of the LA hip-hop scene, participating in The Game’s album.

Moreover, T.D.E [Top Dawg Entertainment], Black Hippy’s label, was signed as a sub-label to H&R INC earlier.

So, they couldn’t lose on stage.

They had to deliver an even more fantastic performance than the opening act, no matter what.

‘No, well. Putting all that aside, we have to win,’ Schoolboy Q thought.

Schoolboy Q, who would start being called ‘Elementary School Q’ in Korea about four years later, opened the Black Hippy stage.

Originally, Schoolboy Q was a musician who would be recognized for his potential with his first album in 2011, acknowledged for his musicality in the same year, and start gaining attention in 2012 with his life’s work, *Habits & Contradictions*.

In other words, he was being spotlighted later than Kendrick or Jay Rock.

But now it was different.

He had already received national attention in the BET Cypher [a freestyle rap performance] with the Golden Nu-Era members, and he was quickly gaining a considerable number of core fans with his OG (Original Gangster) style of rapping, which had been considered extinct for some time, by participating in Kendrick’s album.

Like this, these people, who had grown much faster than the past, or future, that Sanghyun remembered, were not just Schoolboy Q.

Not only Kendrick and J. Cole, but also Jay Rock and AB-Soul.

Even the members of Melody or Psychedelic Records were musicians Sanghyun didn’t even know existed.

‘The 888 Crew is the same,’ Sanghyun thought as he watched Black Hippy’s crazy performance.

Except for Junhyung, who had been making music until just before the regression, they had all lived lives far from being rap stars. Even Junhyung was not considered a rap star.

But not anymore.

He had become a rap star, and when he came to his senses, the people around him had also become rap stars.

And if he were asked if he had been ‘fair’ in the process, Sanghyun would nod.

-Kyaaaaaa!

-Waaaaaaa!

That’s why the cheers now felt so sweet.

Unlike in the past, when he felt emptiness and loneliness despite making a lot of money.

Of course, his regression must have had a negative impact on someone.

Like Deputy Director Go of Ohkyung Group, who would have caused a traffic accident and lived well, Editor Hwang of the show business, or people like Manager Chainhyun and Section Chief Hongkyungsoo.

They had received punishments befitting the expression ‘what goes around comes around,’ but it was also true that their lives had changed significantly because of Sanghyun.

But Sanghyun didn’t care at all.

Life was only once to care about such things, impulse was so noble, and he wanted to shine more.

Hadel had once confided in him one day after Standard had fully recovered.

For some reason, he said that he was reminded of Kurt Cobain’s will from him.

-Please remember. It’s better to burn out in a moment than to fade away slowly.

But Sanghyun was now confident that he could change this statement.

If you don’t want to burn out in a moment, you can burn forever. If you sometimes lose the energy to burn, you can get help from your friends.

Standard, Black Hippy, Psychedelic Records, Golden Nu-Era.

And the 888 Crew.

This tour would be a wonderful ‘silk robe’ [a metaphor for success and recognition] that proves to the world how brightly they can shine.

‘So, I have to shine the brightest,’ Sanghyun thought.

Sanghyun, who concluded his thoughts with a rapper-like resolution, enjoyed Black Hippy’s stage with excitement.

Their stage was splendid.

Black Hippy’s stage sincerely and wonderfully expressed the life of a street gangster that Sanghyun could not imitate, and trying to imitate it would be strange.

Also, just like Sanghyun made a surprise appearance at L.U.D.E’s performance, Kendrick made a surprise appearance at Black Hippy’s stage.

Because Kendrick was also a member of Black Hippy.

-Kendrick Lamar!

-K-Dot!

Kendrick showed off his amazing rap in front of the LA fans who called him K-Dot.

So far, Sanghyun was above Kendrick in terms of discography achievements and external evaluations, but everyone was predicting that the two would soon compete for the top spot. No, if you include J. Cole, the three of them.

That time would probably be when the second Golden Era, the Golden Nu-Era, that hip-hop fans around the world were eagerly waiting for, would open.

‘The Grammys will hope that day never comes, but that can’t be,’ Sanghyun smiled and was certain that the day would definitely come.

Originally, the year Kendrick and J. Cole collided at the top was 2015, but now it was unknown. Because everything in the future was full of uncertainty.

After Black Hippy and Kendrick’s stage, Snoop Dogg and The Game appeared in turn.

Snoop Dogg and The Game delivered a great stage, sending the message that the ‘torch of the West Coast’ that they had been guarding had also been passed on to H&R INC.

The audience knew it, but they were thrilled, thinking it was a truly terrifying lineup.

So far, the largest hip-hop tour was *Up In Smoke Tour*. But even the Up In Smoke Tour was nothing more than a minor tour compared to the Golden Nu-Era Tour.

Because of this, even hooligans who were with the entire United States according to the Golden Nu-Era Tour schedule had appeared.

In fact, other audiences also wanted to see the performances in New York or Detroit if conditions allowed.

Because Jay-Z, Nas, and KRS-One were scheduled to appear in New York, and Eminem, Royce Da 5’9″, and Kanye West were scheduled to appear in Detroit.

The performances continued without a break.

In the meantime, the audience’s throats began to hurt, they were too dizzy from the noise, and their whole bodies were soaked in sweat.

Nevertheless, they did not stop cheering.

Because it was a stage created by people who they might only see together once in their lifetime.

Then Sanghyun’s turn came again.

Sanghyun was the same, but now the musicians stopped exciting the audience or inducing responses.

This was partly due to Hadel Raines’s words that there could be injuries if it got any more serious, but it was also because the atmosphere was already at its limit.

Sanghyun opened his mouth as soon as he got on stage.

“As Westrun and Mel, or L.U.D.E friends, said earlier, this is the Staples Center.”

If Sanghyun was born with an amazing talent as a rapper, Hadel Raines was born with an amazing talent as a promotion manager.

Just by revealing the venue, hundreds of articles poured out and the conflict between the Grammys and H&R INC was highlighted once again.

At this point, Sanghyun jokingly wondered if Hadel was setting up a conflict with the Grammys not to respect his opinion, but to promote him.

“The reporters poured out words that H&R INC had sharpened their swords properly, or that they were trying to mock the holy land of the Grammys, but that’s not true. Because…….”

While Sanghyun was dragging out his words, a short sentence appeared on the screen.

-I Don`t Give A Fuck.

“Fuck, I don’t give a shit,” Sanghyun said.

The audience screamed at Sanghyun’s rough language, which he doesn’t usually use.

“I think it’s most appropriate to release this song now. In fact, many people seem to think that I’m sharpening my sword of revenge against the Grammys and that I’m very angry. But that’s not the case at all. I think I can tell you the reason in this song.”

The moment Sanghyun’s words continued, an 80s West Coast old school beat that expressed a cheerful rhythm with a dirty sound began to flow from somewhere.

It was a sound that felt like lying on the beach or in the park without any worries.

That was why Sanghyun chose this beat.

This song was not a song to sing angrily or to suppress anger.

It was just a song to sing really coolly.

Because it was a song inspired by Hadel’s ‘hit and ignore’.

That’s how the chorus of Sanghyun’s last single, ‘Don’t Give A Fuck’, which he is releasing while temporarily suspending his activities in the United States, began.

I Don`t Give a Fuck,

I Don`t Give a Fuck,

I, I- I Don`t Give a Fuck.

I Don`t Give a Fuck,

Originally, the choruses of old school Western hip-hop often had melodies of attractive vocals intertwined, and lyrics from the theme part used in the verses were added in between.

Like songs like Gangsta Party or California Love.

But Sanghyun brought the feeling of Western old school, but he didn’t bring the method of rap or chorus as it is.

If he did, it would not be a good way to capture the feeling of the past, but would only be repeating the past.

I Don`t Give a Fuck,

I Don`t Give a Fuck,

I, I- I Don`t Give a Fuck.

I Don`t Give a Fuck,

That’s why Sanghyun’s chorus was made in a way that he didn’t pronounce the words completely and cut them off, and passed the beat with ease.

And this method was the most popular and well-received method in the recent hip-hop scene.

So Sanghyun created a chorus that brought the feeling of old school intact, but was not at all old-fashioned, but rather a different and sophisticated feeling.

‘Wow, what is it? Why didn’t anyone use this easy method? You just have to put the current feeling on top of the traditional old school, right?’ Standard thought.

Like Standard’s exclamation that produced Don`t Give A Fuck, the technique that Sanghyun is showing this time is not particularly difficult.

Of course, it may be difficult for amateurs, but it was a simple task for top-class rappers.

But as always, evolution starts from adding two existing ones.

Diplo and Skrillex, who ruled the world by mixing dubstep rhythm with trap, also said after mixing dubstep and trap, ‘I don’t know why this simple crossover hasn’t been done for over ten years.’

A little later, the chorus ended, and Sanghyun’s rap began, which would present a new trend of interpreting traditional old school beats in a new school way.

Still I’m Here,

Still the same since yesterday

A guy who climbs trees well

Always slips to 1st place

Sanghyun’s rap still had a solid and great resonance, but somehow there seemed to be a bit of playfulness and laughter in his voice.

In albums that provide the best sound quality, musicians can express subtle laughter or playfulness while pretending to be serious. Because the voice and the beat are distinguished.

But now someone tells me

My slipping form isn’t good

Grammy or Grammy

Or Grammy or Grammy

However, it was almost impossible to convey that intention live. Because the beat and the voice itself are delivered in one place.

But Sanghyun was doing it.

So the audience could feel that FiveSix was not ‘angry’ but calmly observing and teasing the situation.

But this is a secret,

I don’t give a shit

Music is too fun

To do while angry

Sanghyun shook his shoulders wildly while rapping.

The audience could feel FiveSix’s pleasant mood at Sanghyun’s excited appearance, which they rarely see.

But Sanghyun wasn’t shaking his shoulders because he was happy.

He shook his shoulders and thought of Park Inhyuk, which made him feel happy, and he showed an even bigger gesture again.

My friends are so happy,

America is a Dream World in a dream

Besides, my wallet needs a doctor’s

NaSSA [Noradrenergic and Specific Serotonergic Antidepressant] prescription

“Oh, Shit!”

“It never ends, it never ends.”

Fellow musicians who were listening to Sanghyun’s Don`t Give A Fuck with interest shouted.

NaSSA is one of the antidepressants, and in the United States, it is usually prescribed as a treatment for bulimia.

So now Sanghyun is teasing that he makes so much money that his wallet needs a prescription for bulimia.

It wasn’t just fellow musicians who were impressed by Sanghyun’s punchline.

The audience was also excited and screamed.

That’s how the first 16-bar verse ended and the chorus came back.

The 888 Crew members called Sanghyun a ‘chorus slave’.

It’s not easy for the audience to follow the chorus of a song they’re hearing for the first time, but because people quickly follow along whenever Sanghyun sings, they often forced Sanghyun to sing the chorus.

And now, Sanghyun’s skills, which have undergone the harsh hard training of the 888 Crew, are being demonstrated once again.

-I Don`t Give a Fuck!

-I Don`t Give a Fuck!

That’s how the prelude to the Golden Nu-Era was opening at the Staples Center in LA.

It wasn’t just that a tour with the name Golden Nu-Era had started, but the second Golden Era of hip-hop that opened in the 2010s had begun.

< Verse 45. Golden Nu-Era (完) > End

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