Hip-hop with a local flavour

Looking back at this thriving hip-hop market, questions naturally arise: Has Korean hip-hop reached its peak? Has it lost its authenticity? Should this nation's hip-hop culture incorporate a Korean consciousness or should it remain true to its American roots?

First and second generation hip-hop artists and experts give us their answers and provide a look into the birth and growth of this transplanted culture.

Dusty black B-movie posters, records and turntables threaten to take over DJ Soulscape's studio. This 29-year old electronic engineering major sits in the crush, cap perpetually crunched down over his face.

The DJing ingenue first hit the scene when he released his debut album 180g Beats in 2000. But his love affair with hip-hop started two decades ago.

"In 1987, I saw the 1984 Grammy Awards on AFKN," Soulscape explained the defining moment when he, just an elementary school student back then, fell for hip-hop. "Herbie Hancock and Grandmaster DST did an old school performance."

Transfixed by the Grandmaster's futuristic scratching skills, the first grader started watching hip-hop music videos and digging up imported records by artists like LL Cool J.

As a high school student, he worked part time at a convenience store to scrape together enough money to track down two turntables and a mixer.

"I DJed alone in a bedroom," he said. "There were no battles. There was no scene."

Determined to hone his skills, Soulscape studied his way into Yonsei University, where he majored in electronic engineering.

"DJing requires a lot of technical expertise," he explained.

With his turntables, his mixers and his electronic engineering expertise, he headed out to the cornerstone of Korean hip-hop, the club Master Plan, to test out his DJing skills.

Now the oldest hip-hop label in Korea, Master Plan started off as a small venue in the Shinchon and Hongdae area.

"In 1998, it was a big landmark," said Soulscape, who went there to play on their open turntables and watch others try their hand at the open mike.

Determined to bring the old school to Korea, Soulscape and a group of friends started their own block party, which they called Afroking, in 2001.

"It was our country's first true old school block party," he said. "We rented a space and held a party and got a small admission fee."

As he cranked out albums and his block party evolved into the monthly get-together called 360 Sounds, Soulscape witnessed the spread of hip-hop, which he attributes to the opening up of the commercial market.

In Soulscape's opinion, however, the expansion of hip-hop has not led to an improvement in quality.

"I feel like it is just staying at the same level," he said.

Not one to go with the crowd, this DJ has been continually trying to transcend himself. With the release of his The Sound of Seoul album last year, Soulscape made an artistic statement.

By layering hip-hop beats over 1960s and 1970s Korean rock, soul and disco, which, according to Soulscape, was oppressed by the Park Chung-hee regime, he found a way to localise his music.

"I am highly influenced by old Korean music," said Soulscape, who equates the hardships of past musicians to his current struggles. "Doing soul and rock in Korea was hard back then. I feel like they and I are in the same situation."

Soulscape is not alone in his belief in a future for indigenised hip-hop music. Hip-hop website, www.hiphopplaya.com, president Kim Yong-jun also thinks Korean hip-hop is developing its own flavour.

"I think Korea's own hip-hop will emerge," said Kim, 29. "In the past lots of artists copied and followed American hip-hop, now Korean hip-hop artists are expressing themselves."

In Kim's mind, though, this nation's hip-hop has yet to mature. Kim, who started up his website eight years ago, sees hip-hop going strong for at least another five years.

"Every year more hip-hop albums are released," he said. "In 2007 alone there were approximately 110 hip-hop albums out in Korea. That number keeps increasing."

Unlike Soulscape, Kim thinks the quality of Korean hip-hop is improving and lists Dynamic Duo and Verbal Jint as artists to look out for.

"Korean hip-hop really came out around 1999 and slowly developed from there," he said. "Lots of styles and flavours have emerged. If Drunken Tiger, Jo PD and Jinusean formed an easy listening base for hip-hop, I think real hip-hop will spring forth from that foundation."

Brand New Old School

Anyone into Korean b-boying will know the Rivers Crew. Formed in 1997, this 16 member crew carried home first prizes from the 2004 UK B-Boy Championships, the 2004 France Hip-Hop Planet World Competition and they won the 2007 R-16 Korea Sparkling B-Boy Unit title.

Their flavour is old school all the way. This band of 12 b-boys, one b-girl, a DJ, an emcee and a beatboxer does not believe in a localised hip-hop culture.

"We are a crew that sticks to tradition," said Rivers Crew b-boy Born. "We don't put in a Korean flavor. Hip-hop doesn't jive with Korean sentiment."

The 21-year old 2007 United We Jam in Japan champion feels that Korean culture runs counter to a hip-hop lifestyle.

"Korea has a hierarchical system, so you can't really express yourself," the lean athlete narrows his eyes. "You have to be really careful."

Suddenly he starts grinning: "But while learning hip-hop, our personalities have changed. We're more free, cool. We're like brothers."

These brothers call their adherence to American hip-hop: "brand new old school."

"Brand new old school," Rivers Crew emcee Superman Ivy breaks it down. "In the 1980s, old school American hip-hop was a way to survive, a way to get out of crack, out of the projects. They didn't put records out, 'cause hip-hop was new. They couldn't enjoy it."

"But we can appreciate this culture," he continued. "We can make it a better art form. We want to make it a better art form."

In Superman Ivy's opinion, however, that is not what is happening in Korea.

"The scene itself is growing bigger, but it is not getting better," said the seasoned emcee. "Our quality of life is not going up. But I just keep hustling."

Ivy does more than work hard to perfect his art. In true old school fashion, he dedicates himself to educating the masses.

As part of his mission, the 26-year old emcee helped organise an intensive three day workshop and photo exhibition on the history of hip-hop. When the event, which was held in June, had a strong turnout, Ivy felt like he had truly made a difference.

The success of Ivy's event is no coincidence. Korean hip-hop has garnered a lot of attention both domestically and abroad.

In Rivers Crew Beatbox Eun-jun's opinion, however, that does not mean that Korean hip-hop has gotten bigger.

"Ten years ago emcees were big," said the first generation beatboxer. "There were a lot of freestyle rap battles. Suddenly it is all gone."

"There was more of a hip-hop boom back them," he continued. "But now the quality has really improved. So lots of countries are keeping an eye on Korea's hip-hop scene."

Eun-jun is right when it comes to quality. Co-member b-boy Physicx is proof.

The 23-year old b-boy is arguably one of the best in his field. He won the solo title at the 2004 UK B-Boy Championships and first place at the 2005 France solo battle competition.

Known for his waistbreaker/hollowback swing, Physicx' trademarks include exceptionally long elbow spins and an impressive air walk and kicks.

In person, Physicx comes across as a fun-loving boy, perpetually breaking the sternness of his square jaw with a wide smile. When it comes to hip-hop, however, he is very serious.

"There are no Korean elements," he says. "The rhythm is different. There is nothing one can do about it."

Physicx pauses before giving out his ultimatum: "It's hip-hop."

Key Hip-hop Events

360 Sounds: This monthly party will take place this month at the Mega CC at the Lotte Hotel in Jamsil on Aug 22. Tickets cost 20,000 won (US$19) before 11pm and 30,000 won ($28) after 11pm. For more information visit www.360sounds.net