Top 5 Recommended Music Videos

"ProMeTheUs" by Yankie feat. Dok2, Juvie Train, Double K, Rap Monster, Topbob, & Don Mills
Yankie had a pretty good year last year, musically. I enjoyed majority of the music videos he put out and this is one of them. I enjoyed the collaborations among all these unique rappers, most of them I'm fans of. The video and sound really reminds me of 90s hip-hop, more specifically WuTang Clan for some reason. It also reminds me of a Linkin Park song from their album Reanimation. The visual content is definitely trippy and most likely won't make a bit of sense, but it's hard to look away, especially when the flow is so addicting and the beat is entrancing.



"PLEASE LOVE ME" by TARGET
Look! A nugu group from 2014! Yeah, I ran into this video in the suggestions of YouTube and I'm happy I gave them a chance. Sure, the video is low budget, but it doesn't deflect the potential and enjoyment of this group. The video mostly focuses on the theatrical choreography, reminiscent of a more successful group VIXX. It's well synced and effective to the mood of the song, I just wish the camera work was more in their favor of showing that off. What's really interesting about this song is the vocal layering and delivery. Sure, the vocals aren't mindblowing, but their raw talent reminds of H.O.T's more serious songs. There's passion there and I hope we see more from these group in the future.



"Forever" by Tiger JK feat. Yoonmirae
Whenever Korea's hip-hop royalty collaborate together, you already know it's going to be fiery masterpiece and this is no exception. Songs like this prove how much range both artists have, especially Tiger JK. He could do hard hitting songs and songs that just hit your heart hard and this is definitely one of those songs. The melody and chorus give a sense of pain and desperation that really makes you think while swaying along to the beat. The video also delivers that gut wrenching feeling effectively as well and I'm glad they went this direction. Definitely give this a couple or so listens and viewings, especially with subtitles.



"Afterglow" by FAKY
This is a jpop girl group I feel needs more recognition and maybe one day I'll dedicate a promo post for them, but for now, let's talk about this comeback song. After a minor line-up change and a cover collaboration with FEMM, they released this PV and it's different than what I would expect from them. It's a challenge to do first person point of view videos, but I think this video was very effective in showing that obsessive fan that puts a group over her relationship. Perhaps this could be a public service announcement for extreme idol lovers. The song is a slightly upbeat R&B song and vocals are just heavenly. Listening to this song and seeing these young ladies together again makes me excited for new upcoming material.



"DANCE WITH ME NOW!" by E-girls
I'm now convinced that every E-girls song that includes the word "dance" is instantly amazing. Ever since my introduction to this group through "RYDEEN ~Dance All Night~", I've been hyped up to see these three girl groups come together and set fire to the dance floor. I seriously think kpop girl groups should take notes on their tight and energetic choreography, because I've never see this sort of naturally passionate movements before and range either. The song is just as upbeat and fun as watching the choreography.

Rant/Review: Show Me the Money 3 Pt. 1

It seems like everyone has turned into a khip-hop fan last year due to a popular competition show called Show Me the Money 3. I won't rant about the new "fans" the genre has gained, because I mainly want to put all my energy into breaking down my feelings toward this show. As a khip-hop fan, I'm surprised I've never heard of it before now, but on the other hand, I rarely watch any Korean shows aside from very, very few variety shows featuring bias groups, Hello Counselor, and Korean dramas. After watching this season, I am definitely searching for the previous two seasons. If anyone knows of any sites that have them, please let me know. Anyway, I'm going to treat this rant/review like Heroes of Cosplay, breaking it down into easy to digest sections and since I'm doing that, it might take a few posts to convey all my feelings (hence the pt. 1 in the title). In case you've never seen the show and you're planning on watching it **SPOILER ALERT**. If you're interested in watching the show, you can watch it KShowOnline or on Mnet America. Let's get started then!

Quick Music Review

Dok2 - Love & Life, The Album (2012, South Korea) Rating: 4.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Best Time (In Our Life), Let Me Love U, 비밀 2, Can't Let You Go
"Love & Life" opens this album with a different tone that I'm not used to with Dok2. He has done songs like this before, but this is a different trip than previous albums. Anyway, this has a simple little R&B sound and nice sprinkle of piano as well as guest vocals from a previous collaborative partner Rado. Their voices still compliment each other very well. "Best Time (In Our Life)" is a little less upbeat R&B than the first track. It has more of a piano emphasis with a nice snap effect. It's very smooth and it works really well with Dok2's voice. I'm really impressed with this track. It shows a softer side to this normally cocky rapper. Only criticism is the voice effect that throws off the mood a little. "Let Me Love U" brings it back up to the upbeat R&B sound from the first track. It still maintains a nice mellow beat and the chorus is kinda catchy. "비밀 2" strips away a lot music to the simplest form which allows Zion.T's sensual vocals shine with the subtle beat. Dok2 doesn't overdo it with his flow, so both voices work together well. "Plenty" shares a similar minimal sound and brings back the sounds of 90's love making music of America, especially with Jinbo providing his voice for the chorus and the ascending keyboard effects. "They Love Who?" departs from the romantic R&B sound to a more softer hip-hop sound. The music is more subtle, but the delivery has a slightly quiet aggressive edge to it. "Leave Me Alone (Fuck You)" maintains a balance between R&B and hip-hop. The music is minimal, but Dok2 attacks his subject while the chorus seals the deal on the message of this break up song. "Can't Let You Go" falls back into atmospheric, minimalistic R&B sound. The aggression is exchanged for a more pleading delivery by Dok2 while Bumkey adds a little more sympathy with his soulful vocals. "It's Alright" drops the R&B sound for an acoustic pop type sound and optimistic delivery by Dok2 which is a little odd, but not completely uncomfortable. "Lonely Nights" continues with an acoustic sound, but exchanges the pop for R&B and a female vocalist to carry on the chorus. This goes back to the sensitive Dok2 style that goes quite nicely with this sound. "어제 같은 오늘" jumps into 90's keyboard R&B territory and dramatics. It feels like a soothing blast from the past who are familiar with this sound and a great way to close the album off. I'm still not fond of the vocal distortion, but this song is really good. As a casual fan of Dok2's, I think this is his strongest album yet. It has a surprising emotional, sensitive direction to it, but it works really well.



Infinite - INFINITIZE (2012, South Korea) Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Tracks: The Chaser
"INFINITIZE" opens up with wild, belting guitars and some electronic and symphonic entwining elements as well as a preview of the boys' wonderful vocals. So refreshing~ "The Chaser" was used for promotion and I don't blame them for this pick. The song takes a few elements from the introduction, balancing subtle electro-pop elements, horns, guitars, bass, and drama. The chorus is powerful and the verses are slick, allowing the vocals to shine. "Feel So Bad" has a playful piano sound and a slight symphony sound to it. It’s a light, airy like song that highlight the chemistry between the members’ voices. “In The Summer” continues the playful, light sound but with an acoustic guitar. This is a song that will make fans’ hearts flutter and give you the urge to run through a field of fresh flowers. “Only Tears” goes into the sorrowful sounds of piano and strings. The vocals are softer and tugs at your heartstrings bit by bit. “니가좋다” jumps back up to upbeat territory with an electric guitar and a poppy tone musically and vocally. “With...” closes the album off with a soft, perhaps pleading tone.



Ulala Session - Ulala Session (2012, South Korea) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: 아름다운 밤
"URBANIC (울랄라 Prologue)" brings an optimistic, refreshing a Capella opening with some very strong vocals that can be compared to the legendary Boyz II Men. "울랄라" begins with a gimmicky showcase of horns and an upbeat pop sound, but the vocals still remain strong. This gives a great amount of energy and interest for listeners to just let loose. "아름다운 밤" is the song responsible for me trying out these guys. The song begins off romantic and slow with a swoon worthy piano backing, then it picks up to a fun pop tune that could easily be found in some sort of bright musical. You'll have a hard to resisting this one. "다 쓰고 없다" slows down things with a few strings and piano accompanying these soft, skillfully controlled vocals. "DYNAMITE" goes in a more electro-pop sound that reminds me of the latest KAT-TUN for some reason. This is definitely different from the previous tracks. Perhaps to keep up with what's trending with using a simple, generic beat and auto-tune. It's not a terrible song. It's still fun, but a bit out of place and a downgrade for the vocal skill set. "WEDDING SINGER" opens with a Sandford & Son introduction on the horns, then abandon it temporarily for a very simple beat and a lot of vocal pauses that remind me of older Japanese male vocals in old songs. It's a little strange and islandy. "난 행복해" closes the album off on a soft note and retreats back to their strength of vocals. This is definitely one of those drama OST type songs or at least an ending.



Dalmatian - State of Emergency (2012, South Korea) Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Tracks: E.R, Drive
I remember not liking this group, but something about "E.R" made me give this group another chance. This is definitely more mature than their debut and has some great elements. It has a nice, toned down dance beat with some piano points cleverly placed with various levels for emotional effect. This song also shows off the boys' vocals more than the stuff they were given in the beginning too. "Drive" has a nice R&B beat to it and probably would provide a smooth driving song. This definitely continues that maturity displayed in the previous song. "Hurt Me" has the same feeling as "Drive", but a little more simplistic. I almost like this song just as much as the previous but the drums or whatever pack too much punch that becomes a bit distracting during the quiet moments. The chorus is a little weak too. Sometimes it feels like it doesn't match the sweet tone of the verses and the auto-tune is unnecessary. "Still By Ur Side" pulls in some guitar work and a little English dialogue before the song begins. It's a decent song, but it feels like it's missing something I can't put my finger on. I'm quite pleased with this growth and it seemed like the guys carried this mature image to their new name DMTN.



2NE1 - Scream (2012, Japan) Rating: 2/5
Favorite Tracks: Scream
I think this is the first original Japanese track that these girls have made. I'm completely ignoring that catastrophe with m-flo. Anyway, the song isn't that bad. Although, I felt that everyone's voices seemed stifled and too soft, except Bom's. They always crank up the volume for her for some reason, which is really annoying. Somehow the song remains enjoyable, but nothing extremely new or quite the same from their previous tracks. The next track is a Japanese remake of one of their hit singles, "Fire". Originally, I really liked this song, but once you hear certain tracks too much they tend to fade. The song's still not that bad, but the transition from Korean to Japanese seems a bit awkward. I don't know if it's just me because I'm so used to listening to this track in Korean, but it's odd. Last track of this single, excluding instrumentals, is a remix from m-flo of "Scream". It's a pretty good remix by mixing piano elements and electronic sounds. Although, I could've lived without the beat dropping and Verbal's vocal input in the song.


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Top 10 Korean Male Rappers

Before, I complained about female kpop idols being recognized for their rapping skills with actual rappers. So, I listed my six favorite Korean female rappers. This time, I'll give the fellas the spotlight. Granted, I was tempted to mention Big Bang's dynamic duo, Block B's rappers, and even Bang Yong Guk, but they're very borderline to me. While compiling this list, I excluded rappers that split off from groups to do solo work like Tablo and Simon D. Also, this isn't everyone I listen to either.


Top 10 Korean Male Rappers

Honorable Mentions
Jerry.K - When I was making this list, I wasn't around a computer, but it seems that Jerry.K was part of a rap duo by the name of Loquence. So, I kinda broke the rule here by picking him, but I didn't know that when creating this list. Nonetheless, Jerry.K has a very smooth, relaxing style and he experiments with a lot of grungy material as well as collaborate with artists and rappers that compliment his style.

Illinit - I haven't been listening to him for very long and, at first, I didn't really like his music. After watching a couple music videos, I gave him another chance and ended up enjoying his music. His album, Triple I, is going to be reviewed here on the Cult in the near future as well.

MC Sniper - Despite his gripes about the kpop industry and his cute little insecurities over his height, he is a great rapper and possesses a good ear for talent when signing artists under his label. He delves in a lot of classical and retro hip-hop styles with his rap that really makes an impact when you listen to his music. I can't listen to it often as it's sometimes too slow for my liking, but I still find it quite beautiful and unique. I'm glad he's back on the scene!


10. San E
Yes, I know I've already promoted him before and I even mentioned that I'm anticipating something new from him as well. C'mon, JYP, push him to make a new mini-album or even a full length one! So, I believe, San E started off as an underground rapper and later joined the ranks of JYP Entertainment. He has a very comical sense to him. Some might peg him as the Korean Eminem, but when he's not poking fun of the kpop industry and JYP, he makes some amazing music.




9. Double K
It took me some time to get into him, but hearing various collaborations with Gilme, Dok2, Kim Hyun Joong, and the song "Players", I started to become more interested in him. I saw "Favorite Music" on TV and went from there on explorations. He has a familiar cocky, but modest presence about him and his music is easy to digest without being too in your face.




8. Vasco
The first time I heard him was on an Untouchables track with other fellow Jiggy Fellaz members and he was quite...aggressive. When I listened to Guerrilla Muzic, he is probably the most intense Korean rap artists I have ever heard. It was a little scary, but I slowly got used to this abrasive style of rapping and enjoyed it. I find it amusing that a couple of his collaborations with other rappers are so upbeat and borderline poppy. Very contradicting~




7. Swings
Listening to him may confuse people as it really sounds like American rap, but there's something about it that makes it better. The quality, the effortless glow of skills, and it's hard to place it. Like many of my choices on this list, it's quite vague how I came to exploring more of Swings's individual works. Every time I hear his signature laugh, I immediately know it's him and get excited, like Tae yang's "After You Fall Asleep". The song was already pretty hot, but Swings being on it with that laugh...made it five times better!




6. The Quiett
Have I mentioned how much of a genius I think he is? He takes everything smooth about jazz and R&B music and makes love to it with his lyrics. It's just amazing! It seems like he feels like deep down he knows that everything he makes is a masterpiece, but plays it off like it's nothing. His music is almost down to earth and is just waiting to penetrate your ears in the most glorious way possible. Alright...I'll stop and let you guys enjoy this simple little music video.




5. Dok2
I suppose he's the Lil' Wayne of Korea or something, but I think he's way better than Weezy could ever be. Although, I think people in America would totally love him. He's versatile and knows how to pull off harder songs as well as heartfelt tracks without losing himself or making it a flop. I'll be reviewing his latest release here, which is completely different than anything else he's ever made before. Also, I'm mostly convinced that anything he's featured in is going to be awesome, especially if it's Jay Park.




4. NassuN
Despite collaborating with HyunA and other female kpop idols, he is an amazing rapper and has some punch to his creations. Whether it's fighting with an ex-girlfriend or shooting zombies, it has some diversity to his style. What really sealed the deal was his song with MBLAQ's G.O that showed off his classy, charming side that differed from the grimy "RAP Zombie" image with BigTone. I would like to hear more from him, because it seems like he's been silent for quite some time.




3. Verbal Jint
Like The Quiett, Verbal Jint isn't your conventional rapper with hard beats and aggressive lyrics or delivery. He takes smooth hip-hop and R&B beats and completes it with the most clever vocal arrangements. Aside from having a distinguishing flow, he inputs his talents with the piano as well as singing to some of his songs. When he performs, it's not all about attitude or high energy, he simply feels the music and makes listeners feel it as well. Another rap genius!




2. Drunken Tiger
It's probably really surprising that he's not #1 on my list, since I put his wife on the top of the list. I really thought about it, but it was really close honestly. Drunken Tiger also shares a very diverse style with mixing aggressive, upbeat silly, and emotional tracks. The ones I listen to the most are the emotional, heart wrenching ones like "8:45 Heaven" and "태어나 다시 태어나도". Although, his songs featuring his wife Tasha are always on point as they balance each other out in some many ways. It's ashame that him and some of the Jungle crew were only performing in Las Vegas. I would've loved to see something as epic as that in person. Maybe next time.




1. Outsider
Spitting 17-18 syllables per second and marrying orchestral music with rap effortlessly, Outsider is one of the main reasons I explored Korean rap as much as I have now. First, I was impressed by the music genre marriage, then when he started rapping, I was blown away. Not only is the speed he raps impressive, but the substance of his lyrics are just as admirable. Although, I was getting a little worried with his last release balancing on the fence of poppy, but I was overall satisfied. I can't wait until his military service is over and he can spend more time with his new wife and make more amazing, mind blowing music for the world!