Andrew

Established since the year 2000 and active in the Korean hip-hop scene for 14 years, HIPHOPPLAYA carries on the annual tradition of HIPHOPPLAYA Awards. For the first time, HIPHOPKR will be translating the awards for our international fans. As with most translated articles posted on our website, full credit goes to HIPHOPPLAYA.

This year features the following categories: Artist of the Year; Rookie of the Year; Featuring of the Year; Album of the Year; Producer of the Year; DJ of the Year; Single of the Year; MV of the Year; R&B Artist of the Year; Collaboration of the Year; Mixtape of the Year; Concert of the Year; Album Cover of the Year; Verse of the Year; Label of the Year; Fashion Star of the Year; and Rising Star of Next Year.

Let’s get started!

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Artist of the Year: Swings

First place: Swings (41.76%)
Second place: Beenzino (16.99%)
Third place: Paloalto (16.20%)

Taking the majority of the votes, Swings claimed the title as Artist of the Year. The year 2013 was a busy year for Swings: starting the year by dropping his mixtape [Swings #1 Mixtape Vol.2], competing in the second season of Show Me The Money, followed by Control and finishing the year with Bulldozer. As always, Swings is keeping busy with his record label Just Music and as an artist for Brand New Music.

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Rookie of the Year: Crush

First place: Crush (23.25%)
Second place: Gray (22.60%)
Third place: C.Jamm (17.89%)

Rookie of the Year Crush began the year with “Crush On You” and continued to be featured in a number of tracks as a hiphop vocalist. Check out the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8x3Gjr3XXg

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Featuring of the Year: Crush

First place: Crush (33.24%)
Second place: Beenzino (14.74%)
Third place: Zion.T (13.51%)

Surpassing both Beenzino and Zion.T, artist Crush also takes the title as the Featuring of the Year. Throughout the year, Crush was able to showcase his vocal talents in a number of featured tracks by Dok2, Gary, Supreme Team, Dynamic Duo, and others. Here is my favourite track featuring Crush:

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Album of the Year: HI-LIFE by HI-LITE RECORDS

First place: [HI-LIFE] (28.35%)
Second place: [Swings #1 Mixtape Vol.2] (20.61%)
Third place: [LUCKYNUMBERS] (16.01%)

HI-LITE RECORDS’ compilation album [HI-LIFE] was voted as the Album of the Year. If you haven’t checked out this album, I highly recommend it. Some of my favourite tracks include “Wake Up (정신차려)”, “My City”, and “Lights On (불을 켜)”. Check out one of the tracks below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwJiQkZFjnU

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Producer of the Year: Nochang

First place: Nochang (29.53%)
Second place: G-Slow (25.83%)
Third place: Mild Beats (13.40%)

Just Music Entertainment producer Nochang (천재노창) claimed the title Producer of the Year with 29.53% of the total votes. Throughout last year, he produced beats for a number of artists including Vasco, Basick, and Swings. In addition, with the onset of Control tracks last year, Nochang stepped up as the producer for the tracks for Swings.

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DJ of the Year: DJ Wegun

First place: DJ Wegun (36.65%)
Second place: DJ Kendrickx (19.72%)
Third place: DJ Dopsh (12.82%)

Social networking has been one of the most powerful tools for DJs, who are able to host their own shows through UStream. Claiming the title DJ of the Year with 36.65% of the votes, DJ Wegun has been in the Fresh Avenue UStream show, and is active DJ for the ILLIONAIRE tours. Check out the following live performance by Beenzino featuring DJ Wegun:

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Single of the Year: Beenzino – Dali, Van, Picasso

First place: Beenzino – “Dali, Van Picasso” (21.72%)
Second place: Swings – “Bulldozer” (5.64%)
Third place: Gaeko – “될 대로 되라고 해 (느낌 So Good)” (3.30%)

Beenzino, who dropped his latest track “Dali, Van Picasso” at the end of the year, was both praised and criticized for the track due to the sampling controversy. Nevertheless, the track remains to be one of the most popular and well received tracks of the year. Check it out below:

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Music Video of the Year: Bullhandang – Bullhandanga (不汗黨歌)

First place: Bullhandang – Bullhandanga (不汗黨歌) (19.37%)
Second place: T.O.P – DOOM DADA (8.40%)
Third place: Ugly Duck, Zico, Crush – 느낌 So Young (8.33%)

One of the most anticipated (and delivered) music video of 2013 includes the compilation track “Bullhandanga” by the Bullhandang crew. Directed by Team Naive, the MV features the last verse filmed in the bamboo forest of Iksan city.

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R&B Artist of the Year – BUMKEY

First place: BUMKEY (33.89%)
Second place: Crush (24.14%)
Third place: Zion.T (19.62%)

The title for R&B Artist of the Year goes to BUMKEY who joined Brand New Music and since has been involved in a number of collaborations. He is currently a hot topic with his debut with the hiphop group Troy.

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Collaboration of the Year: 느낌 So Young (될 대로 되라고 해 Remix)

First place: Ugly Duck, Zico, Crush – 느낌 So Young (될 대로 되라고 해 Remix) (21.40%)
Second place: Epik High – 420 (Double K, Yankie, Dok2, Sean2Slow, Dumbfoundead, TopBob, MYK) (20.93%)
Third place: Dynamic Duo – 만루홈런 (Feat. Supreme Team, DJ Friz) (13.06%)

The Collaboration of the Year title goes out to Ugly Duck, Zico and Crush, who dropped a remix of an original track by Gaeko of Dynamic Duo.

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Mixtape of the Year: Crucial Star – [Drawing #2: A Better Man]

First place: Crucial Star – [Drawing #2: Better Man] (28.02%)
Second place: C.Jamm – [Go So Yello] (26.05%)
Third place: New Champ – [전시의 밤] (18.50%)

Taking the title with 28% of the votes, Crucial Star’s mixtape features a total of fifteen tracks and artists including Ollti, Fana, and Donut Man.

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Concert of the Year: HIPHOPPLAYA 2013

First place: HIPHOPPLAYA SHOW 2013 (23.87%)
Second place: ONE HIPHOP FESTIVAL (12.21%)
Third place: Huckleberry P – Concert (10.81%)

Without a doubt, the HIPHOPPLAYA SHOW 2013 was one of the largest Korean hiphop concerts in the recent years. HIPHOPPLAYA also features a VLOG series following each of the groups behind-the-scenes in the concert, so be sure to check that out below:

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Album Cover of the Year: Dali, Van, Picasso

First place: Beenzino – Dali, Van, Picasso (11.51%)
Second place: Fana – FANAttitude (10.93%)
Third place: Zion.T – Red Light (6.99%)

Featuring fashion model Kim Wonjoong, the album cover is said to have costed over $30,000 of accessories, clothing, and makeup preparations. The featured necklace (featuring painters Dali, Van and Picasso) is an accessory purchased for this jacket cover.

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Verse of the Year: Swings

First place: “Ayo Jeong Kisuk (Simon D) should I rip off your nuts?” – Swings – Hwang Jungmin (Control) (5.55%)
Second place: If you punch me once, I’ll repay with four times as much, it’s a difference of three // Get it? You young bastard? It’s our generation gap – Swings – Bulldozer (5.05%)
Third place: Bring it on you motherfuckers!!! – Swings – Hwang Jungmin (Control) (3.03%)

Without a doubt artist Swings takes the throne for the Verse of the Year title, all thanks to the Control uproar that occurred in Korea last summer.

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Label of the Year: HI-LITE Records

First place: HI-LITE Records (34.88%)

It was the year of HI-LITE RECORDS. The compilation, merchandising establishment, concerts during 2013 are prime examples of why they deserve the Label of the Year title.

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Fashion Style of the Year: Beenzino