Telling Us What We Already Know

[justkyhdding.livejournal.com]

Hip-hop program gives genre a bad rap

‘I’m often shocked by sexist lyrics that the show’s participants say, which makes me feel repulsed at hip-hop.’



When the all-male trio Seo Taeji and Boys hit the nation with their dance music with hip-hop elements in the early 1990s, it was a huge sensation. People were not only drawn to the unprecedented rhythm and beat, but also to the musicians’ style of wearing baggy pants and oversized shoes - the hip-hop style that soon spread across the nation.

Despite the public’s craze for hip-hop dance music, regular hip-hop never became part of the mainstream back in the ’90s. However, thanks to various hip-hop-influenced acts that followed such as DJ Doc, Jinusean and Drunken Tiger, the genre started to steadily gain popularity until becoming mainstream.

But one of the main reasons the genre has come to the forefront in recent years is due to the popular yet highly controversial debated hip-hop audition reality program “Show Me the Money,” that aired its first season in 2012 and is currently in its fourth season. Even though the show is often embroiled in various controversies, the more it is criticized, the more people seem to pay attention to the program: Currently “Turtle Ship” and “Respect,” performed by the show’s participants and producers, are dominating major music charts even amid such criticism.

Hip-hop specialists agree that Mnet’s “Show Me the Money,” both celebrated and condemned, has contributed to promoting the genre. Hip-hop producer Kim Jung-bok, for example, commented that people accept hip-hop more easily thanks to the program, because it appropriately mixes both the musical and entertainment elements that keep the audience interested.

“Even though the entertainment factors may have made the program slightly deviate from the essence of hip-hop, we can’t deny that ‘Show Me the Money’ triggered people’s interest in the music and its culture,” Kim said.

The public’s acceptance of hip-hop can be seen in major music charts, where hip-hop tracks are in the top spots.

Also, an increasing number of singers are requesting hip-hop musicians to feature on their songs. For example, Boa, who has rarely worked with hip-hop artists since her breakout in 2000, recently had Gaeko from rap group Dynamic Duo feature on her latest song, “Who Are You.”

However, while “Show Me the Money” has helped increase public awareness of hip-hop, it has also fostered negative feelings toward the genre, since the program prioritizes high viewership over delivering quality hip-hop.

In a practice often dubbed “the Devil’s editing,” the show highlights the most controversial parts, frequently topping lists of popular search terms and making headlines.

For instance, one participant, Song Min-ho, drew criticism recently for rapping, “MINO sniping daughters, open your legs like [you’re in a] maternity unit,” which was perceived as disparaging to women.

Consequently, many viewers have come to misunderstand that sexist comments and swear words are what hip-hop is about.

One viewer of the program, Gi Yeo-un, 23, who has watched every season of the show, said, “I’m often shocked by sexist lyrics that the show’s participants say, which makes me feel repulsed at hip-hop.”

She continued, “In the past, hip-hop musicians often criticized society and corrupt politicians, or what needs to be changed,” adding, “These days, however, most lyrics seem to revolve around sex, just like many modern girl groups trying to promote their music through sex appeal.”

Although many viewers like Gi blame the rappers, the problem may lie in the program’s system.

In regards to the show’s editing, Lino Lee from Sony Music explained that “‘Show Me the Money’ tends to purposefully leave a controversy at the end [of almost every episode].”

“Even though the program’s need to boost viewership is understandable, the show would better achieve its purpose of [popularizing hip-hop] if it focuses on showing participants skillfully rapping instead of concentrating on the thrilling scenes, where they make mistakes and disrespect each other.”

Actually, in contrast to common perceptions, hip-hop musicians are nice people who respect others, according to Lee, and he also pointed out that rappers usually cover a variety of issues, from love to work to politics.

However, “Show Me the Money” viewers are mostly only aware of the controversial side, “because they are the segments that are aired on TV.”


By JIN MIN-JI

Korea JoongAng Daily

Comments

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

The show is set up to reward people for being as over the top as possible. And in some contexts that makes sense, and in others it doesn't.

Also when you have people that have no clue wtf they're talking about act as if they're authorities on hip hop....well....

[sjtaazrz.livejournal.com]

IA. It's always bothered me about the show (and also idol groups that use hip-hop elements in their music/concept) that "real hip-hop" is always this overblown exaggeration of 90s gangster rap. It's constantly this over the top, loud, aggressive characater that doesn't necessarily reflect the rapper in that role.

Also when you have people that have no clue wtf they're talking about act as if they're authorities on hip hop....well....

I had to stop reading for a second when I got to "Hip-hop specialists agree that Mnet’s...". How does one become a hip-hop specialist? Who are these authorities on the genre?

[atopworld.livejournal.com]

I don't even know what to say. I know I want to comment on something, but not sure what.

As far as the SMTM goes, I don't want to watch the show because of the reasons the writer stated. It's more about the drama than anything else and it's blatantly obvious.

[hyungmoney.livejournal.com]

kinda ot but not really but anyways is anyone keeping up with whats going between keith ape and takeone?

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

uh keith ape said korean rap sucks so that's why he joined the cohort and couldn't join any other crew, then takeone made a diss track to him about him basically being a self-hating korean/flunkey

[hyungmoney.livejournal.com]

lol yeah, i find it hilarious coming from keith ape of all people

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

i think it's ironic too but he's also kind of right so lol, but so was takeone

i hope it becomes another control-lite type of thing

[miwa201.livejournal.com]

lol right, he sucks so idek what his point is

[edanz-castle.livejournal.com]

lol

[pepsi-twist9.livejournal.com]

One of the things I really like about K-rap is that it isn't super saturated with sexual content and often does reflect ongoing critiques of society. Even mainstream silly rap like BB and EH's singles focus on romance usually without a heavy influence of simply sex. Like sex isn't a bad topic but conversations on sex are much more engaging.

[lulufairybubble.livejournal.com]

The same is true about Western rap and hip hop tho
...

[charlieu.livejournal.com]

What? No, it's not at all. What mainstream rap song wouldn't be banned if a Korean idol came out with it?

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

Comparing korean idols rapping to american mainstream rappers rapping is still a false equivalence bc those rappers aren't considered part of mainstream pop culture

[charlieu.livejournal.com]

You're saying rappers that make billboards top 100 aren't part of mainstream pop culture?

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

Well it depends on the rapper and depends on the song but overall not really. I probably should've said "pop music" to make the difference more clear. Just like we don't say for example hyukoh that's been on the top of korean charts is comparable to korean idols.

[charlieu.livejournal.com]

All I know is that the subject matter in rap/hip hop that is heard on mainstream radio shows in the US and Korea are extremely different.

[lulufairybubble.livejournal.com]

Well when I think k rap or k hip hop I'm not thinking idol music. Idol music is completely different. Even pop music in Korea is not the same as idol kpop. There are plenty of rappers and MCs in the East who release music just like those in the West.

[charlieu.livejournal.com]

I was assuming we were talking about the mainstream media ie what is played and dominates on tv and radio, especially since we are making generalizations. We can always find outliers, but you were the one saying a lot of western rap isnt' about sex, etc. It's pretty much about sex and drugs/alcohol here in the states.

[cherrypop.livejournal.com]

The same thing can definitely be said for western hip hop and rap. I mean if you consider western hip hop and rap to be what you see on the iTunes top 100 or Billboard charts, then you're not seeing the full picture. When you said you prefer Korean rap and hip hop, I assumed you meant in comparison with mainstream western hip hop and rap. But if you mean in general, that's totally different and fundamentally wrong from the start.

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

i wanted to say something similar but i wasn't sure if i was understanding their comment

[jeugd1.livejournal.com]

There was always a fair balance between sex and politics in American rap (like Tupac's "I get around" & "Changes") but lately it just went down hill...I'm talking about mainstream acts

I would like to know why this change happened

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

Radio One bought all the radio stations and Viacom bought BET around 2000. Basically the overall quality of R&B and Hip hop that gets mainstream radio/video play declined around that time. Corporate monopolies decided it was more profitable to push misogyny, drugs, and sex because that is what suburban white boys like to buy when they rebel against their parents.

[jeliza]

I think having almost all radio stations now owned by a small handful of media companies is part of it, frankly. They have no motivation to play more political music in any genre in the way local stations focused on a particularly community did, so now when you have more unusual content it's because it blew up online with a viral video (i.e. Macklemore's Same Love).

All the "conscious" focused hip hop groups I follow (a very small sample, admittedly) that are still working have gone totally indie and don't try for radio play.

[jeliza]

I don't know that the difference in sexual content is so much a K-rap vs US-rap thing so much as a K vs US thing. Plenty of pop & rock in the top 40 in the US is also very sexual. I can't see a mainstream K group releasing as a single the equivalent of Tove Lo's Talking Body or Maroon 5's Animal, for instance.

[existingisfunny.livejournal.com]

+1

[shintotchi.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I think Gain might be close to the path of Tove-Lo, just not as blunt, and without the drugs, because that would kill any kpop career.

[ggumd.livejournal.com]

smtm is the most embarrassing show about "hip hop" I have ever seen, so many tryhard people from the judges to the contestants

[canxi.livejournal.com]

The show needs new people behind the scenes. Or competition that does a better job.

Also a format change that makes sense.

[justkyhdding.livejournal.com]

I get that mnet wants ratings and that's their job basically, but the way they're going about it is so cheap, like try a little harder to not be trash?

[imienazwisko.livejournal.com]

I onlu watched two first seasons of SMTM and it was a mess. Esp second season with Swings? I mean the concept is kinda cool but mnet is trash and this show kinda lost its purpose.
At least I was able to see bunch if cool performances like Outsider's Loner when he was fresh from army (Im not sure tho) or Hyori in first season. Teams were stronger and it felt like a legit competition? Like I had no time for 3rd season and when I realised Bobby won I was kinda surprised.

[kwikimart.livejournal.com]

BYE at Gi Yeo-un, 23 for somehow managing to throw in some lowkey sexism alongside her trash opinions on hip hop

I haven't seen this show coz tbh I'm sceptical of what I have already heard so far from Korean rappers but apparently the people on SMTM are pretty talented and actually really into the genre. So, I guess I should check it out.

[fabulousdoll.livejournal.com]

BYE at Gi Yeo-un, 23 for somehow managing to throw in some lowkey sexism alongside her trash opinions on hip hop
mte. I started reading and I was like okay talk more about this so I can understand your point and then she mentions girl groups and I'm like 'now you lost your first and second point to me. I'm out!'

apparently the people on SMTM are pretty talented and actually really into the genre
About the show, I'm only watching this season and I can tell you that sometimes is infuriating how much importance the judges, more than the contestants, give to "the swag" (I think, in fact, they use the word several times). Like they care about what clothes they're a wearing and the gestures more than lyrics sometimes. It blows my mind.

[kwikimart.livejournal.com]

Lol mte, Gi Yeo-un needs to go chill somewhere offline.

As for SMTM, what you said is exactly what I was worried about. So far in my kpop journey I've come across too many acts where they are told to rap and 'dress cool' but barely know anything about hip hop.
I mean yes, authenticity and attitude play a huge, huge part but the main thing is whether or not you can deliver on the mic and if SMTM doesn't get that then it's not really a rap show.
Are there any epis worth checking out, still?

p.s. what do you think of Bobby? I've only seen pics of him + his appearance in Born Hater but he is REALLY hot. Basically, how problematic is he on a scale from say...TOP to Zico?

[fabulousdoll.livejournal.com]

I've come across too many acts where they are told to rap and 'dress cool'

Then you are going to dislike Jay Park because he's like that 90% of the time, boy can sing (he should just do that) but his idea of rap is so...ugh, and he is american. I like Tablo because he seems to take seriously hip hop and at the same time he can be funny. Jay Park and Tablo are both judges on SMTM in case you didn't know.
I think the first episodes with the selection and battles are more interesting than the others because there is a little bit of less drama.

I don't follow too much Bobby because I didn't watch SMTM3 and he's only 19 and I don't want to end up liking him LOL
Finding him cute on this song was already an alert

But the only things that I remember about him being problematic is this dumb interview (not washing is hip hop) http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/14785164.html and him dissing other idols rappers (not sure if this can be considered problematic).
how problematic is he on a scale from say...TOP to Zico?
I'm dying here LMAO I think he is much more close in terms of problematic to TOP than to Zico. Zico is on another level of bullshit.

[kwikimart.livejournal.com]

Ooh, thanks for this!

I've seen pics of Jay Park and I've heard he's trouble so I haven't looked him up, I know of Tablo but only good things so it helps to know they are judges.
I think I'll check out an episode of it but sounds like it's best to avoid it lol. The main reason I'm interested is coz of that meme of that guy Verbal Jint that's going around, that made me laugh so I wanted to see his epi.
Eh, dissing other rappers is not an issue, you're supposed to trash talk your competition in rap, it's normal and can be fun if they rise to the challenge.
Bobby is NINETEEN?! I thought he was young but NINETEEN! Bye! *moonwalks away from him*. He looks so...anyway it doesn't matter because he is NINETEEN! That's too young, good luck to him lol but I'm gonna avoid him now like you hahaa.
Zico has some nerve being ugly AND ignorant. Like...pick one, not both!
Anyway, thanks! If you have any hip hop recs (I only know of people like Beenzino & Primary) send them my way if you want : D

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

If you are a Verbal Jint fan check out his appearance on Running Man, he was adorable

[fabulousdoll.livejournal.com]

I think the problem with the dissing was that he talked specially about idol rappers when in some way he is one too, but not sure because I didn't pay too much attention to it.

You always have to be careful with ages in kpop because all of them are SO DAMN YOUNG O_O and more than a couple of times I got surprised.

I don't know khiphop in profundity, so a couple of names are familiar to me, but because they're the popular ones.
I like this song from Mad Clown:

And there is a couple of artist that sing and rap like Zion T. and Crush and ends up being confusing how to labeled them lol a couple of songs of them together: [X (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skhwqq-iGQM)] [X (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkozsve2oKU)]
Then we have Gaeko (from Dynamic Duo) too (this song is with one of the girls of Wonder Girls)

And Leesang:

San E is another judge from SMTM, and sometimes I like him and sometimes I want to slap him hahaha
[X (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUYu7SFzhBQ)] [X (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkfMN-jaycA)] [X (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVdjb3AtKpM)][San E when he was in his older company JYPEnt. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jx3qP9LiqI)][Another song with his older company (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N--lL_6ZBys)][Song with Verbal Jint (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve7ZWkXvdPU)]

And there is much more but now I don't remember hahaha

EDIT to say you should do what the other commenter said and watch Verbal Jint episode in Running Man because is hilarious.

[kwikimart.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, definitely avoiding everyone pretty under the age of 22 has been interesting lol! I just see them as kids anyway as soon as I find out their age.

Thanks for the vid links! I really like Zion T (his chin tho, bless...) and Crush, they're really talented. But anyway! Thanks for those links, adding them to my now endless list of kpop/khiphop (smh that it took me a whole day to realise why calling it K-rap was a bad idea) music/artists I need to know lol.

[fabulousdoll.livejournal.com]

I came to the computer only because I remembered something that I didn't put in the comment but you already answered it LOL
I feel like I should not let it pass, I can't forgive myself for forgetting her, Yoon Mirae, the best female rapper in Korea. She is american, with south korean mother and black american father (she had to take a lot o shit for this, mixed people in Korea have it pretty hard) and she is now in a group (MFBTY) with her husband Tiger JK and a friend, Bizzy.

[beanii.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say "the people" more like "the select few".
I think contestants like Basick have more extensive of an understanding of hip hop. But there are some contestants who like to put drop big names like Biggie and Nas, and maybe Wutang if they're feeling classy, but then you realize it's the same names everybody drops.

[kwikimart.livejournal.com]

*sigh*
Yeah, I think I'll just watch Verbal Jint's epi (the one that started that meme) and leave SMTM.

[angela-derp-otp.livejournal.com]

water is wet.

[miwa201.livejournal.com]

i stopped watching smtm after ep 2 tbh, it was too ridiculous. really wish mino didn't go but oh well

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

Meh, there has been always misogynistic and sexual lyrics in Korean hip hop along the political and social topic related ones. And I'm not surprised Korean rappers opting for more sexual and misogynistic lyrics as actual serious topics can get you banned from the media much more easily (Korea really isn't society of freedom of speech especially what comes to topics about politics, government, or major corporations). Also sexual liberation is gradually (even if at very slow speed) happening in Korea, so sexuality related topics are becoming more and more common throughout the spectrum of pop culture. Korea needs many more more female rappers though to offset all the testosterone in the scene and to give actual female perspective into sexuality and give their honest piece of mind through their lyrics about Korean misogynistic culture and society.

Anyhow, be it for good or bad representation of Hip Hop thanks to this program many Korean rappers are getting more gigs and making some actual money from rapping, so Mnet is obviously doing something right. And would anyone even bother watching this show without some controversy and drama (aren't those reality TV's main staple)? Plus if you don't like it, don't watch it. Mnet should return the 19+ rating for the show though so that they could stop censoring shit. Also I want them to return to last year's format as it seems like we won't be getting many individual stages this year. Oh and they need to stop concentrating on one issue so long, like I felt that Hanhae getting replaced by Black Nut drama took forever and I was dying of boredom.

[yuzuruhanyu.livejournal.com]

smtm4 is so dull n their scandals this year have left a bad taste in my mouth so i stopped watching lol

u rly need a high bs tolerance/masochistic tendencies to deal w these fools

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

I feel that they concentrate too long for each drama instead of showing many different issues this year. Like personally I don't mind behind the scenes drama, but I have very short attention span so I want them to move onto next thing quickly.

[obscureauthor.livejournal.com]

Honestly i have stopped paying attention to anything of ideological views from k-media. Most things have heavy double standards and sure Mino might get kicked out for mysogenistic rap lyrics while knetz still questioned khj s gf beating as truth? Or sexist statements on actresses weight getting passed off as jokes. Honestly even though i feel nothing for Mino or his sexist ways i stand by the view that hes just a convenient victim for the occasional anti mysogeny incident which is far few and far too rare to matter! /end rant