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Korean hip hop

Encyclopedia : K : KO : KOR : Korean hip hop

 

Hip hop music started gaining popularity in South Korea in the mid-1990s. Famous mainstream korean hip hop artists often resemble R&B or pop music with artists mimicing the vocal (and dance) styles of rap acts from the United States. Early artists included Kim Gun Mo, SeoTaiji and Boys, Deux, and DJ DOC. The Korean language was used almost exclusively. SeoTaiji, coming from a heavy metal music background, often featured heavy metal guitars in his mixes, and other artists also incorporated techno influences. A few artists, such as Seotaiji and Yuk Kak Soo, also incorporated influences from traditional Korean music such as pansori or nongak (farmers' music). It was evident that the first acts were mimicking popular American acts. One that was distinctive was Seo Taiji's "Come Back Home", with its vocal/production style resembling Cypress Hill. The first "rap" album that featured rap in every track was Kim Jin Pyo's first album in 1997.

Korean American hip hop began in the United States in the mid 1990s, mainly attributed to the efforts of the Korean rapper Tiger JK and DJ Shine and the Korean American hip hop group Drunken Tiger. Drunken Tiger was created after the song "Black Korea" by Ice Cube and used music as a means of cultural exchange and as an attempt to promote racial harmony. Following the success of Drunken Tiger, many new groups and production companies emerged to further popularize the musical style. In order to represent the elite group of Korea's best rappers, Tiger JK and Drunken Tiger formed The Movement Crew.

Many rap artists have been successful in the mainstream of Korean music. These include rappers such as YG Family, Jinusean, 1TYM, MC Mong, etc. Other lesser known underground artists who focus mainly on using non-flashy beats and lyrical skill include Quiett, PaloAlto, TBNY, etc.

Korean hip hop artists and groups

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