In South Korea, hip-hop has not solely developed into a vital a part of the music scene, but additionally a giant a part of the nation’s popular culture. While Okay-Pop has been taking up the world, Korean hip-hop has additionally began to realize worldwide recognition, with Okay-hip-hop artists increasing their presence within the international market. With the rising curiosity from followers and listeners worldwide, Spotify launched KrOWN in September of this 12 months, our official international Korean hip-hop playlist (previously often called Okay-Hip-Hop +82). KrOWN serves as a bridge between Okay-hip-hop and music followers around the globe, in the end elevating Korean hip-hop artists and tradition.
To dive additional into the style, uncover what makes Okay-hip-hop distinctive to the world, and discover the music’s roots, Spotify sat down with among the most iconic artists within the scene.
Meet among the key gamers who’ve propelled the expansion of Okay-hip-hop:
- Tiger JK: The historical past of hip-hop in South Korea is usually thought-about to have begun within the Nineteen Nineties with iconic figures like Tiger JK serving to the style turn out to be mainstream. Often known as the godfather of Okay-hip-hop, the rapper was additionally a founding member of the group Drunken Tiger. “Back then, every day was like war, and finding a place to perform was almost impossible. But it was so much fun,” Tiger JK recollects. “And the best trophy for us at the time was having three or four fans walk up to us in the subway and share which lyrics and rhymes they liked about our song.”
- Yoon Mirae: Yoon debuted in 1997 and is acknowledged as an icon in Korea. She runs the file label Feel Ghood Music together with her husband, Tiger JK. “If you are a fan of hip-hop, you can’t help but be a fan of K-hip-hop,” she says. “A lot of artists in Korea are just really that good, and a lot of MCs—especially people like Tiger JK—stay grounded to their roots and want to show their love and appreciation for the Korean culture we came from… I think people recognize that.”
- Dynamicduo (consisting of CHOIZA and Gaeko): The Okay-hip-hop scene started to coalesce additional within the 2000s, because the style’s high artists repeatedly challenged themselves to deliver the sound ahead. In 2006, the enduring group Dynamicduo established hip-hop file label Amoeba Culture, which has since turn out to be a house to varied outstanding artists.
- Jay Park: Fast-forward to the current, and Jay Park—rapper, singer-songwriter, file producer, and entrepreneur—believes the general recognition of Korean tradition around the globe has benefitted Okay-hip-hop as effectively. Having began his profession within the Okay-Pop leisure enterprise, Jay Park is now a famend multifaceted expertise and one of the streamed Korean hip-hop artists worldwide.
- The Quiett: The Quiett holds a powerful presence in South Korea’s hip-hop scene with over 20 years of expertise within the house. A rapper, composer, and file producer broadly identified for founding main hip-hop file labels (together with Illionaire Records and Ambition Musik), the artist thinks again to when he first began as a rapper and to the thrilling current of the scene, now crammed with passionate, distinctive abilities.
Not solely has the style turn out to be a major a part of the music tradition in South Korea, however it has additionally emerged as a type of leisure, together with TV reveals, festivals, and movies, loved throughout many generations.
In addition to the marketing campaign video accessible on KrOWN (by way of Spotify Clips) and Spotify’s official international YouTube channel, beginning mid December, the KrOWN playlist might be taken over every week by one of many artists featured within the video. Through the KrOWN playlist takeover marketing campaign, Yoon Mirae and Tiger JK, Dynamicduo, The Quiett, and Jay Park will every choose 10 of their favourite tracks to be added on the high of the KrOWN playlist for one full week. Interviews of every artist will even be unveiled on the platform.