Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Rap Monster recently did a great interview with HipHopPlaya, which you should read in full, but I’ll just cover the relevant parts to me.
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One of those relevant parts is discussing his “battle” with Bobby and how he’s cool about it … but shades the everliving shit out of him twice.
Please, we need that idol diss battle.
Q: Then let’s talk about the battle(?) with Bobby. What started it?
RM: Bobby made references to me a few times on Show Me The Money. He seemed to enjoy using words like ‘sangnamja (T/N: true man, also the title for ‘Boy in Luv’) and ‘leading a fast life’ (T/N: pronounced as Bangtang). Saying “Like a true man, I lead a fast life” isn’t a common mix of words, right? I thought that it wasn’t just a coincidence. He not only attacked Bangtan, but Boyfriend as well. It was the context of, “Everything you guys messed up, I’ll show it all here.” However, I didn’t even have much thoughts on it at that point either. I just thought, Bobby probably just dislikes us. However, on his lyrics for ‘Come Here’, there were lyrics that seemed to be targeting us again. “I live a fast life, there’s no need for pretty boys / They call me a monster, I never called myself that / You guys like a full-length mirror much better than a basement dungeon / If my skills were looks, then I would look like Wonbin in front of a bulletproof mirror.” But to be honest, Bobby isn’t really a Wonbin… (laughter)
Q: Then is he Hyunbin?
RM: Anyways, these lyrics were the third time. I felt like I would be an idiot if I just endured it till the third time. If I didn’t give feedback in any way, then it would also be insulting to fans, and I personally couldn’t let it pass as well. Truthfully, I was planning to use lyrics from my [RM] mixtape on the MAMA stage. However, after listening to ‘Come Here’, I quickly changed the lyrics to reply to Bobby. And then as people caught onto those lyrics, it ended up becoming a hot topic. However, I personally respect Bobby. He does really well on stage. Although I don’t think his raps are exceptional or that he has a wide spectrum, his ability to dominate the stage is good, and he has a cool style of hip-hop that rappers aren’t able to achieve. And the fact that he won SMTM whether or not he had his company’s power or not is definitely something that confirmed himself.
Goddamn.
Need a Ravi reply up in this motherfucker.
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Rap Monster also indirectly addresses B Free‘s criticisms regarding him and idol rappers.
Q: Is there a criticism you agree with that relates to idol group promotions?
RM: There are many. Why do you do smoky makeup, why do you try to act pretty on broadcast, etc. For hip-hop where purity is important and masculinity plays a large part, I believe it’s definitely a critique that could come out. So from some point, my self-conscious has been divided in half. The reason why the cover for my [RM] mixtape is divided in black and white is to show my two-faced self. I believe that there’s no improvement if you have an inferiority complex and victim mentality. I decided upon the thought that I can only find myself once I can admit to myself and approve that both sides are sides of myself.
Q: However, towards the tradition of hip-hop that sets ‘actions’ as something importance, they could be thinking that you’re receiving everything possible through your idol group promotions and then try to act hip-hop by releasing a solo mixtape. Criticisms that that’s a contradiction and isn’t cool. Even if your mixtape’s completion level is high and is well-made.
RM: I understand that thought. You can see it like that. However, I have a lot of greed. The types of music I want to show are on this side and on that side. Conclusively, if I’m able to make good music and people continue to look for my music, won’t this kind of controversy get better… is my thought. I’m going to not be wavered by things like that any more. I’ve been shook by it too much up till now. When G-Dragon released ‘Heart Breaker’, I remember it. The reactions to when that was released as opposed to ‘One of a Kind’ is really like heaven and hell. Didn’t he do well like that? However, people that dislike G-Dragon still continue to dislike him. There’s nothing you can do about that (laughter).
Well, at least he’s realized that it doesn’t really matter what route one takes, some people will dislike you anyway.
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Finally, he talked about what he regrets and admits to acting like a clown in the past.
Q: You shouted, “Westside Till I Die” during ‘If I Ruled The World’.
RM: That’s well. I was really wrong then (laughter). After the album came out and I listened to it, I thought “Ah”. I think I was immersed in the emotions while recording and ended up shouting like that.
Q: What’s the specific reason why you feel you were wrong?
RM: First off, I didn’t even live in the ‘west side’… And even if that song had a G-Funk sound, what I shouted wasn’t the way to respect the west coast hip-hop musicians. I believe there are many meanings inside the words “Westside Till I Die”. Sweat, struggles, pride, etc. Isn’t it a phrase that compressed all these factors of life.
Q: Are you saying that you overlooked the weight and complex undertones that the phrase has within hip-hop?
RM: That’s right. I believe it’s different from words like “Yo!” or “Check It!”. As a result, I was thoughtless.
Q: Are you admitting it to be a mistake?
RM: Further than a mistake, it was a wrong. I have nothing to say.
Fair enough.
When mentors on ‘Unpretty Rapstar‘ are comparing Jessi and Yuk Ji Dam to Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., it’s hard to hold doing some dumb shit against him.
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Most importantly, he’s true hep-hap now.
RM: After the performance ended, I went down but Bobby high-fived me from behind the stage. He said that he mouthed my lyrics and saw it well. I found out that when I was performing on stage, Bobby was watching me attentively.
That’s just hep-hap.
