omonatheydid | Jay Park & Loco for W Korea

Brothers with respect, CEO & rapper, co-producers on <Show Me the Money 4>, and influencing each other as musicians. Jay Park and Loco are walking above and beyond together.

Jay Park

From being a member of a boy idol group, he became a leader of a hip-hop label. Jay Park, who seemed to have escaped the censorship and restriction of the entertainment company system, has returned as an innovator of his own path. Although the definition of success is different for everyone, it is undeniable that the current Jay Park, creating music with colleagues, seems more free and happier.

Loco

Despite being the winner of SMTM season 1, there is nothing fierce about Loco. With an innocent face and comfortable voice, he enunciates his rap clearly for our ears. To him, hip-hop is not music that is meant to attack others, but a genre that portrays life honestly and purely.

Q: For every contest (on SMTM4), you seem to have a lot of greed for showing the best stage, even by spending your own money. Is this because of your affection for the show or your competitive side to be better than others?

Jay: It is not because of affection. It is because SMTM is an uncommon, hiphop TV show. Although AOMG works hard to create music, film m/v and perform, there are not many TV shows that we can star on. Since SMTM is a program that even non-hiphop fans watch, I try my best to represent hiphop in the name of my label. So I don’t mind spending my own money. Only if it would be broadcast properly on the show.

Q: I think you have lots of regrets about the (program’s) editing.

Jay: I don’t think it can be helped, as there are many aspects that we are trying for the first time and the staff do not have a deep understanding of hiphop. They will consider the viewer ratings or fun aspects more valuably than delivering the music and performances. I understand that not everyone can be satisfied, but I do have complaints about the editing. Because the stage that we prepared so hard does not get delivered (to viewers). I was especially disappointed during the producer special performances.

Q: The full versions can be access through the web, instead of the TV show.

Jay: That is why I do my best. Apart from the TV show, a video clip lasts forever. Whether that becomes an amazing performance or a shameful experience will depend on us. So we do what we do. I’m not so hung up on the broadcast itself.

Q: Then as the CEO of AOMG, I believe you would have had a reason to appear on SMTM4.

Jay: I was invited to appear since the first season. I was active in various ways for the next 3-4 years, then I thought I could do the program now. But AOMG staff didn’t think I necessarily needed to go on the show. They thought it wouldn’t be good for my image, since the program has had numerous controversies. However, I was feeling bad that the image of hiphop to the public was becoming that of vulgar words or disses. I was confident that we could show a different side (of hiphop). Although we were not the hottest issue or the most popular team, I think we have shown our style for certain. As the only individual hiphop label, other than Paloalto’s Highlight Records, we wanted to show that our company doesn’t fall behind to major (companies).

Q: In the hiphop genre, are vulgar expressions and strong slandering necessities?

Jay: Just because you act tough and swear, it does not mean you are doing hiphop. The story is more important. Hiphop is music that started from the black ghetto. B-boy, DJing, rap - all contains how they started from the bottom and climbed to the top. (Hiphop) unfolds these stories with hope. You can talk about your cars like Illionaire; reflect on yourself honestly and without bluff like Loco in “Respect”. Of course, something like ‘rap battles’ are part of the hiphop culture. However, young Korean fellows these days say a lot of things that they cannot be responsible for, in order to gain attention. Even the staff (of SMTM) encourage this to arouse the audience. Some of this can’t be helped since it is a TV show, but I hope that they won’t say anything that they will regret in the future. I don’t think winning is important to that degree.

Q: It seems that having fun is very important to you.

Jay: Having fun and being true to oneself is important. Instead of being stubborn, if you show yourself honestly, then you can sleep well that night.

Q: One of your rap lines goes like this: “Idol rappers be thankful to me”

Jay: Since starting out solo, I did whatever I want, without caring about what others say, unlike my idol days. (I did things) naturally, without planning or hidden intentions. I produced a song with Dok2, whom I always liked; put swear words in lyrics; make sexual jokes on (SNL); upload pictures with middle fingers raised… I think I showed that even by doing those things, I am alive. 'Hey, Jay Park did those things and he’s still active in the industry…’ Because of that, I think the idols these days can act a bit more freely.

Q: You could have signed with another company; how did you come up with the idea of making your own label?

Jay: In the states, I had my b-boy crew, (in Korea), I was in a team and then became solo - I think I was a bit lonely in terms of music. I wrote songs with my friend Cha Cha Malone, and worked a few times with Illionaire, but I didn’t have my own crew in Korea. I said before that I wanted to join Illionaire, but they said they wouldn’t be able to handle my scale so they refused. Although Illionare has grown super big now too (laughs). I like Dynamic Duo hyungs’ Amoeba Culture and also YG, but I didn’t think they would take me. I talked to the management director that had taken care me for a while and suggested, “Should we start something on our own?” The first album of our label was Gray hyung. Back then, he was still good at making music but a quiet character, but now his attitude on stage has changed completely. In (AOMG), we learn from each other in a good atmosphere, and get positive influence. Since everyone is good, I love making rap, music and dance.

Q: You recruited Simon D as the co-CEO. Did you need another CEO at the company you were running well?

Jay: Loco, Elo, Chacha, Gray, Ugly Duck… I do all I can to promote our musicians. I take them on my tours, make promotional clips, make a sign and hold it up on SNL… However, there is a limit to how much I can do. I thought it would be good to work with a famous and skilled rapper like Simon D, so I made the suggestion to him. It’s funny to just recruit him as a musician. He is a great guy and very talented. I think it was best for both of us to work together at the same level.

Q: So the length of contract is not important. You are more like a family - musicians can leave if they don’t want to stay and you don’t want to force them

Jay: I think we got together because of similar thoughts and feelings, not just because of a piece of paper. I hope it lasts forever.

Q: Do you have any expectations for AOMG?
Jay: All the artists are building a better career each day. I hope that hiphop will be loved like this all over the world. I want to raise the status of Korean hiphop. I want it to become something that is classy, trendy and worthy, rather than a subculture like now.

Q: It seems that thinking in English is easier for you when writing lyrics - what do you focus on when you translate that into Korean?

Jay: Back when I wasn’t very good at Korean, I used all the words I knew. These days, if there is a topic that comes to my mind, I try to write to it. I wasn’t that hung up on rap, but this time, I focused seriously on it and a new rap album will be released next month (September). I am a bit sick of rap though, after working on it for 4-5 months, so I can't wait to sing. I think I will sing a lot in English if I release an album.

Q: What kind of rapper is Loco?

Jay: There is nothing unnatural about him. His music, lyrics. He’s good at rap and on stage, and that is just who he is and I love that.

Q: What are the similarities of AOMG artists? Is there a link that connects all of you?

Jay: We are an unexpected combination and each person has their own color of music. So there is a variety of things that we can do. From performing in a small club to Sketchbook, SMTM, Immortal Song, Dancing 9… and performing on a very big stage.

Q: I cannot imagine your past as an idol member.

Jay: It was really just 1 year. Though people seem to think it was longer.

Q: Do you think that your direction of life has changed a lot?

Jay: I exist now because of my past experiences. If it was just work in the past, now it is me. The thing that I’m doing is Jay Park, my life and my identity.

Q: Your music career is on the road since you joined AOMG.

Loco: Before, I had problems with my company and was not making money. Although I wanted to have fun with music, economical situations were always a barrier. I think the biggest change is that these financial problems have been solved. I can just focus on music now.

Q: How is Jay Park as a representative of a label?

Loco: He influences me as he works the hardest. Thanks to him, I’m always on my toes. We drink together, hang out together, but also produce music continuously… Surely he didn’t create the label just to make money. The contract condition is very good and is very supportive in music work. Another thing I am influenced by these days is that I need to exercise a lot (laughs)

Q: I heard that there are a lot of alcoholic drinks in the office.

Loco: It has a comfortable atmosphere to hang out together with musicians. We chill together like that and then get a good feel to write a song suddenly and also record. The alcohol has the role to create that mood. The song 'Hold Me Tight’ was created that way. Although these days, everyone is so busy that it’s hard to drink together.

Q: You seem quiet, different from other rappers

Loco: I’m introverted and not very talkative. Normally, I don’t swear even with friends, so I don’t try to force it in my lyrics. Hiphop may seem like just a tough genre, but I think it is the most innocent music. It reveals an individual’s pure personality and story directly. Hiphop also seems to reflect the jungle-like aspect of this world. Life is rough, and there are certainly cruel sides in this society. When you express these things honestly, the scary side can get emphasized. And those sides are arousing and raise the viewer rating… so it gets emphasized… and the cycle continues.

Q: You enunciate your rap clearly, easy for the ears.

Loco: I focus a lot on delivery. Before, I sought funny and cool rap like others. It was probably just fun, and hard to hear. But on SMTM (Season 1), the topic of the last contest was a song for my mother. Since my mom was to come watch my performance live, I set a goal to have her understand my lyrics. And after performing, my mom said she really understood everything. Since then, I have thought delivery to be important, but the fun part of rap often disappears, so I try to balance it out.

Q: You are on SMTM4 as a producer. But as the winner of season 1, you must know the flow of the show well.

Loco: I was on the show and watched all the seasons, so I knew the system well. I know when and how the contestants would face hardship. I wanted to find someone like myself. There have been so many talented people, but I wanted to take in those that were similar to me, and show the process of us changing marvelously.