DAZE ALIVE

Earlier today, Vismajor Company’s Deepflow has made public a statement about the recent diss battle between him and Don Malik.

Deepflow previously released the track ‘DazeAllLie‘ in response to Don Malik‘s ‘Deep talk‘. The two rappers had been battling it out since Don Malik released the track ‘old Wave‘.

So far, Don Malik has not reacted to Deepflow’s previous diss. Early today, VMC’s boss has posted a long statement on his Instagram along with the above image. The image is a screenshot of a dictionary’s entry for the word ‘underground’ (언더그라운드):

underground
noun General Arts

An avant-garde that ignores marketability, or the trend of experimental art. Or,
that art. Emerged in the US in the 1960s with focus on movies.

Deepflow writes:

1. My idea of battle rap is not to explain oneself or express one’s standpoint. There are not enough bars to attack like f*ck after the bell rings.

2. And there is nothing for me to explain. I even less want to answer to people who already have decided on the answer by themselves. Do you want me to explain or to apologize[?]

3. I’ve actually always disliked daze alive’s typical atmosphere, so I don’t feel very awkward about this extreme antagonism. I really got emotional now [with my disses] but Don Malik is a hopeful rookie so I support him as a rapper. I hope he’ll make a good album.

4. I won’t respond with any more tracks. The rap game is fun but it was different since it was the weekend, now I don’t have time to play anymore.

5. Many people might want me to be clumsy and slow like my looks suggest, but I am a businessman responsible for 15 people. I will always try to gain a better standing and make wise moves.

6. Look forward to the VISTY BOYZ Concert next week!

Korean fans’ reactions

Fans reacted once again mostly positively, praising Deepflow for his “adult” statement, underlined the importance of his words, and pointed out his well-written text: “Swag,” “Wow, as expected .. a great CEO,” “That’s really neat.”

A few commented: “Have you seen a bear this foxy?” “It sounds like he feels superior somehow,” “All that’s left for him and daze alive [Don Malik] is to show and prove themselves.”

One fan also pointed out an interview Deepflow gave in September for Hongik University. It included a question very relevant to the diss battle this time around:

Q. Through programs like Show Me the Money or SCHOOL RAPPER, the public’s interest in hiphop has increased recently. Accordingly, more and more hiphop artists are appearing in various media. What do you think about rappers in the media?
A. Personally, I often criticized Show Me The Money in interview I gave after releasing my album ‘Yanghwa‘. I still think that the program Show Me The Money does not perfectly fulfill the claims of hiphop artists, I strongly feel that many suffer from the aspect of the “evil editing,” and I think that it is an uncool program. However, this is the opinion of the individual Deepflow.
As I became the CEO of the label VMC, I have been greatly influenced by income considerations that come with managing a label and marketing it. Hence, I sometimes need to have opinions different from my own personal music-related ideas. In fact, we at VMC do our best to gain the public’s attention when releasing music videos or other music-related videos, but it is the reality that appearing on Show Me The Money is much better at getting people’s attention, it is the trend.
It is true that the negative view on Show Me The Money I’ve expressed before has now changed a lot. So I agree with those who criticize me, saying that I’ve changed my words. I do feel responsibility for what I’ve said. Hiphop artists appearing in [mainstream] media is an opportunity for them to present themselves to the public so I view it positively. However, appearing in the media should not be the [rappers’] main goal. I’ll say it once more, it is dangerous to make that one’s one and only goal at this point when that program could end at any time. Thus, I’d like [hiphop artists] to consider an appearance in the media as [only] a useful means.

Deepflow also mentioned something relevant to this topic in his interview with Huckleberry P for the Respect series in June:

Huckleberry P: Your participating in SCHOOL RAPPER came a bit unexpected, how come you decided to participate?
Deepflow: Operating a label for nearly three years, I’ve tried all kinds of things. The time came that I thought I needed a different type of promotion, plus all members of Vismajor are nearing their thirties, so … I also consider hiphop a music for the youth, so the older we became, the more I thought that VMC needed new, young members. Naturally, I thought that I’d find a young rapper for my label on the show. There were several reasons for which I decided to participate.

These statements seem to answer the questions Don Malik has put forth in his diss tracks.