When Crush released the double single “NAPPA” at the end of August, it was definitely a reminder of why he’s the best in the game.
The Vocal Genius of DEAN: “Howlin’ 404” Acoustic
When DEAN unexpectedly dropped the acoustic version of “Howlin’ 404,” he reintroduced fans to the power and subtle genius of his voice.
“BewhY GOTTASADAE!” How a Man Builds His Kingdom
“GOTTASADAE.” First of all, BewhY… ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS VIDEO?! How does one articulate the mastery of one of the most brilliant pieces of visual art to come out of South Korea? There are so many avenues. So many theories. However, one thing stuck out to me in about a dozen different ways. The ego of man. “GOTTASADAE” seems to be the perfect visual representation of a man constructing a kingdom unto himself. BewhY and director Hobin have expressed that with form, color, and references, all of which blew my mind.
The Brilliance & Whimsy of CIRRRCLE’s “Talkin to Watashi”
On Monday, August 5, trio CIRRRCLE released their collaboration with FLANNEL ALBERT and LATE LEE. “Talkin to Watashi” is a whimsical summer tune about summer flings and their potential to become something more by summer’s end.
Making Something Timeless: An Interview with Metaphaurus
I can’t tell you how much of a blessing it is to be able to talk to an artist who’s constantly working to improve himself. Josh Kim, best known by the hip-hop pseudonym Metaphaurus Raps, is an artist who strives for more than just a moment in the spotlight. His music is a means to open himself up and reflect. Dissect his past and push himself toward a brighter future.
Metaphaurus took some time to revisit HiphopKR and answer some questions two years after our first conversation.
A Pre-Release Review of Amismyk’s “Dead Rockstar”
After officially debuting as a rapper in 2018, Sima Kim reveals the sophomore EP of his alter ego Amismyk. He fashions himself a darker persona that talks brazenly about his fascination with female genitalia and distaste for personal relationships. As far as debuts go, it’s… well, it’s an interesting one.
Dead Rockstar
Let’s just get it out of the way with the first track. Amismyk’s production is bananas! That almost goes without saying. So much of who he is is wrapped up in his ability to make sounds rub against each other in unexpected and downright uncomfortable ways. No matter what he does, his music is never going to let you down as an adventurous listener. In terms of the actual rapping itself, opening number “Dead Rockstar” isn’t exactly a good indication of his skills up to this point. Him pretty much droning on about how he’s a dead rockstar while letting the music take point.
Nobody
The first time we actually hear him flex his muscles as a rapper comes with the next track, “Nobody.” This is when the EP starts in earnest. Lyrically, there’s not much to hold onto here. It’s a lament that’s easily identifiable — realizing the person you thought you wanted was a complete waste of your time and emotions. Then devolving into bouts of overexaggerated machismo.
Lyrics like, “I don’t like you just like your pussy” and “All little bitches crush on me” do very little to endear the MC persona to me. While there’s some universal meaning there, “Nobody” isn’t the track one would listen to for its actual content. Rather, the droning of the almost metallic delivery coupled with the thick atmospheric production does the work of making this song palatable.
One of a Kind
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately depending on your focus) this is a trend throughout the entire EP. Lyrics that fall short of anything either interesting or impressionable. “One of a Kind” is the most effective as a legitimate “turn up” song. That is a track that would find its place in a club where twerking was the imitation of the day. But again, this has more to do with the overall mastery of Amismyk’s production. Though we’ll have to agree to disagree about his uniqueness as an MC, I can’t deny his musicality is a rarity.
Without Feathers
Then we move on to “Without Feathers,” his duet with rapper Leni. This is by far the album’s most emotionally weighty track. It’s the first notion that Amismyk might actually be taking the craft seriously, if only for the few moments of its running time. There’s something really poignant in the push and pull of the music. As if the composition dragged the song out of Amismyk by force. It’s sluggish, but not lazy. A real emotive bit of sound nestled between work that’s seemingly more superficial.
Swaying
“Swaying” ends the album on something playful. Just as with the track that opened the album, there aren’t many actual lyrics to judge it by. I’ll give the song full marks for being a bright spot on the album amidst a lot of heavy, dark, and gritty.
Unplugged
Bonus track “Unplugged” is another glimpse into the emotional musician that is Sima Kim. As Amismyk, he uses more of his abrasive and oftentimes cartoonish lyricism to actually express a cloudy bit of ennui on his part. Declaring, “I’m over it,” he seems to be pulling back the veneer of a wholly unserious rapper to implore us to realize this is all a sham. That he only removes his guards for someone special (“You know who I am”; “You are my everything”). Another surprising track that hints that there might be something more meaningful in his future.
“Amismyk” the MC
Let’s just make something plain, Sima (under his alter ego Amismyk) is not a rapper. If the interview we had last year holds true, he doesn’t even seem to want to be. His goal is to “have fun and make money.” He certainly appears to be taking the piss. Basking in what most consider the simplicity of rapping.
His past work, at least, suggests that he’s done the same thing. Then we get “Dead Rockstar,” which seems to indicate that he might be learning how to craft something out of his nonchalance with the genre. While it would still be a stretch to call him a rapper, I will concede that with “Dead Rockstar” Amismyk has found an amicable relationship between his very intricate production and half-serious delivery and lyricism.
His style of MC is derivative, mostly uninteresting. Those stalwart of the genre could almost be insulted. But perhaps that’s the ultimate point. In style he’s pointing out and making light of the laziness of current rap trends (what many might label “anti-rap”) perpetuated by those who, like him, claim to only want to have fun and make money. Setting himself up as an example of where hip-hop could end up under its recent title as “most popular” genre.
Overall Concept
Listening with my eyes closed, I see a vivid image. A robot chasing his human master through the crowded streets of Tokyo. The overarching theme here is he is an animated bit of AI that has lived so long among the humans he wants to be them. He acquires/practices the language of the flesh bags. Their slang, the affected and exaggerated masques of blackness. (Something they’ve not so surreptitiously dubbed “internet language.”) He clings desperately to the hope that if he copies them enough he will eventually become one of them.
Amismyk is the robot giving chase. He wears rap at the surface like a costume. His ultimate goal is to appear to be human even as his digital mimicry of the craft glitches, rags, and stutters along. AI that’s decided it wants the feeling of being “real,” with all the flaws and seeming material reward of those who created him.
Conclusion
In the long run, “Dead Rockstar” is forgettable lyrically. BUT (and, yes, this is a huge “but”) you couldn’t in any good consciousness deny the innovations in composition, production, and the ability to use those innovations with a chopped, screwed, and feedback-gritty delivery. One could almost forgive the mostly stream-of-conscious but wholly derivative lyricism because the music itself is just so damn good.
Almost.
For me, an album must be the full package. This almost quadruples in my mind when it comes to any of the many avenues of hip-hop. Lyricism is God in the world of an MC. However, perhaps Amismyk is attempting to make the music the focal point, throwing it all the way back to the early ’80s when the MC was almost an afterthought. I don’t know if he’s that versed in hip-hop’s history. If I were to force myself to give him a pass when it comes to the lackluster verbiage, that would be it. Otherwise, just bow down and weep at his feet for the compositional work he put together here.
“Dead Rockstar” officially releases June 15. To pre-order the album go to Sima Kim’s Bandcamp page.
Life Is Short, Life Is Complex: An Interview with AYEKAY
When it comes to hip-hop, it’s hard to sift through the dregs to find someone genuine. Someone who keeps the spirit of the genre and its history nestled closely to their own understanding of the craft. LA-based rapper AYEKAY was a risk for me. Going through his discography, however, kept me intrigued long enough to really want to get to know him.
Following the release of his latest effort, “Mo Sex,” he took some time to answer a few questions for us and introduce himself to our readers.
Who is AYEKAY?
Could you please introduce yourselves for those who might not know you?
Hi, my name is AYEKAY. I rap. I like to have fun and appreciate shit.
What made you want to start creating music? Why hip-hop in particular?
I’ve always had an appreciation and intrigue for music. I’ve also always had a huge interest in words and speech, which is why I started writing poetry to myself in like sixth grade. Once I got more into hip-hop itself I realized that rapping was basically just poetry to a tempo. So I decided to try it out. It was all downhill from there.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
I like to learn about any new artist and try to take something away from them. But as far as general cliché hip-hop top 5, probably dudes like Kanye [West], Hov [Jay-Z], OutKast, both members, not just 3Stacks [Andre 3000], Lupe [Fiasco], Tupac, Eminem, Kendrick [Lamar], Drake, just off top. Nowadays I’m really fucking with Freddie Gibbs, Earl [Sweatshirt], Playboi Carti, and Kodak Black.
As far as outside of hip-hop, I’d say my biggest influences are The Beatles, Prince, [David] Bowie, and Sade. Of course, Frank Ocean nowadays as well. I’m a huge songwriting guy, so I really love artists with a resonating pen game that know how to say more with less.
What outside of music influences your craft?
My other huge hobby outside of music is martial arts. It’s been a while since I partook myself, but I’m a huge fan of MMA and watch the sport pretty religiously. Other than that I love to watch movies and am generally appreciative of any medium of art. I love to learn about different cultures and people in general.
Connecting with History
I was lurking through your reddit. I found you mentioned you’ve been reading sociology and “racial” history (I’m assuming you mean black and Latinx history). Why is this important to you?
Oh damn, I had no idea people were reading my comments. I better watch what I say on there, hahaha. Nah, but yeah, I’m very intrigued in sociological studies and basically the history of the world in general. I am a firm believer that everyone should know the history of how the world came to be, what it is, today so we can have a better understanding of all things.
Yes, you were right to assume Black and Latinx history as well. I believe in studying all sides and perspectives, but as an active participant in hip-hop culture I believe it is my duty to educate myself more on the history of the Black community in this country and throughout the world. Aside from that I just find all cultures to be fascinating, so I genuinely enjoy learning these things.
Has this influenced the way you make your music?
Definitely. I try to look at one thing and try to view it through the lens of different people to try and imagine how they would feel if they saw such a thing. I put empathy pretty high on my list of virtues, so trying to learn about other cultures makes me feel like my perspective is broadened.
Authenticity
You’re very vocal about authenticity. What do you think makes an artist “authentic”? Do you believe it’s harder for Asian/Asian-American rappers to be authentic in hip-hop?
That’s a good question. I think there are different ways to try and define the word authentic, but to me personally I think it’s just being yourself and being true to the emotions that you feel. Not trying to conjure up some fake emotions to make a fabricated story of yourself. I don’t think authenticity always has to refer to street credibility or how “hard” one is, but rather just being true to your own feelings.
I think that it may be harder to translate the Asian/Asian-American experience to hip-hop because it’s so foreign to a lot of people that aren’t Asian, and no one has really laid the blueprint yet in a sense. I wouldn’t call it harder, but it may be trickier to navigate the social climate without having a keen sense of oneself and place in the overarching culture and society. Personally, I think that art reflects life and vice versa, and the more that Asians around the globe evolve and mentally awaken it will reflect through the art as well. I believe our community is in a huge awakening phase, and I’m excited for the future.
Mo Sex
You changed up your style a bit for parts of “Mo Sex” (a bit more Drake/autotune with some trap thrown in). Was this a conscious decision for the theme of the album?
The theme of the album sort of fell into place as we were making the music, but the direction was definitely a conscious decision. I wanted to experiment more with just free flowing and not writing as much, so I actually freestyled a lot of the album, just punching in as I go. I kind of look at this album as a way of adding more tools to my toolkit and sharpening up other things I may have been neglecting. I’m looking forward to putting it all together for you guys in the coming future.
“Malcolm” is one of the more emotional songs on Mo Sex. What’s the story behind it?
I was just writing from the perspective of someone who was losing/lost a loved one. During the process of making this album my grandfather had been in the hospital recovering from a surgery for some time, but his recovery wasn’t going well and we knew the end of his life was near. I came to the studio one day with a heavy heart. While we were making this song we got news of Mac Miller’s passing, and that just inspired me to name the song Malcolm. The song itself is a tribute to the loved ones of anyone that may have passed, but I had my grandfather and Mac Miller in mind while we were making it.
You have a lot of gun bars in your music. Can you tell us a bit about why that’s such a big aspect of your lyricism?
I’ve always wrote bars about guns just because my name is AYEKAY and I thought I was being clever when I was younger, hahaha. Nah, but I don’t really have a particular reason. I don’t really believe in violence, but I definitely believe in defending ones well-being with any means necessary. So I guess my philosophy bleeds into my writing in that sense. But to keep it real with you, I just think that shit sounds dope.
Also just as a side bar, I do believe that Asians in America should think more about their place in the hierarchy of America and definitely consider arming themselves if they feel they are living in danger of hate-fueled crimes.
Identity
“In Appear To Be,” you say, “When I look into the mirror, I feel like I’m not what I appear to be.” Do you often have those feelings of lost identity? How do you fight those feelings?
Definitely. I don’t want to speak for everybody, but I feel like most Asian people that were born in America have felt this in some way or another throughout their lives. A lot of people in general, but I stress Asians because I feel that Asians and Hispanic people in America just try to fit along the spectrum of Black and White. A lot of us don’t really know how to identify, so we choose between the two sides, in a sense.
I fight those feelings by studying. Studying more about my culture, different cultures, and the history of the world. I try to find out why these stereotypes of each ethnicity are so prevalent today and where everything stems from. That truly gives me a sense of confidence because if you know where things come from and how things happened, then you can slowly start putting the pieces together.
What’s the most important thing you want people to take away from your music?
Man… Hopefully just not to take anything too seriously. Life is short. Way too short to be spending it not appreciating more people and things. Life is also complex with many different emotions, so appreciate the good and appreciate the bad. Even though the bad can suck, it builds character!
What song of yours best defines you as an artist? As a man?
That’s honestly a really tough question. I’m not even gonna say this is accurate at all, but I’ll pick one off the album. I think “Lone Ranger” is a good representation of me. I’m kind of elusive and stubborn, so I think the hook is basically my mantra at times, haha. I’ll think about this question more. I definitely haven’t made the song that defines me yet.
Plans for the Future
What can people look forward to from you in the future?
Well, hopefully if everything goes as planned you can expect more dope music and the product of whatever artist endeavors I get myself tangled into. I’m not really an established artist or anything yet, so as far as baby steps go, I’m just trying to make a name for myself so I can spread this love, baby.
Do you have any final thoughts you want to share?
Kids. Don’t stay in school if you don’t think it’s for you. No one knows you better than you, but also be conscious of the fact that you may not be your fully developed self yet. Take all things into consideration, nothing is off the table.
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MKIT RAIN Closes the ERR;OR Showcase with a Bang
There was a lot of expectation for the ERR;OR Showcase. With the lineup it was easy to believe it was going to be quite a spectacle. Some of the performances were just that: exciting, tantalizing, outrageous. Others… not so much. When it came time for MKIT RAIN to hit the stage, there was a tangible anxiousness in the crowd. As it turned out, the crew was the perfect way to close the evening.
Colde Invites Us to His WAVY World at SXSW
There are few artists who live up to the mystery they project on camera. I can say unequivocally Colde is such an artist. It’s more than just the signature cap he pulls over his head (a seeming trend among artists of this new wave of R&B crooners from Korea).
He’s completely wrapped up in the persona. His aura is tinged blue, thus the deep purple hue he emits under the harsh red stage lights. As the third act of ERR;OR NYC’s showcase at SXSW, the mood of the night changed completely when he stepped up to the mic.
Enigmatic Energy
Colde is one of the least insistant artists I’ve ever seen perform live. That is to say he comes on to the stage quietly, without much fanfare. He slides up to the microphone, gripping it in one hand while he uses the other to anchor himself to the stand. As understated as his entrance, his voice is even less insistent. His is a cool tone, something as heavy doused in blue as the man himself. So when he begins to sing, the smoothness of “Shhh” lulls the audience into a dreamlike trance.
Of course, this wouldn’t be the case for the entirety of his set. But then that’s the whole point of who he is, isn’t it? This artistic duality. He enters into your psyche like a whisper on the breeze. A memory flickering in your mind of something warm and comfortable. But everything changes when he removes his jacket.
Revealing what appears to be a pink-ish velvet shirt underneath, things start to literally heat up (probably as much for Colde as for his captive audience). He launches into more of his rap-focused fare.
Colde & KHAKII
He brings on to the stage a young man by the name of KHAKII, one of the hypest of hype men I’ve ever actually seen from South Korea. He’s totally invested in the audience, perhaps slightly more so than the man he’s there to support. Of course, Colde can’t just let that slide. He gets more involved with the music, the audience, the entire experience as his set progresses. Thus KHAKII did his job: hyped everyone up, including the main act.
For 40 minutes, Colde and KHAKII exchange lyrics like they’re having their own cypher right there on stage. They dance like they’re out on a Saturday night at one of Itaewon’s hottest clubs. While they don’t really stop too long between songs to have much of a rapport with the crowd, that doesn’t take away from just how energetic everyone is throughout their entire set. After all, the point of the show is the music, not having long conversations with the crowd, right?
When they get to my favorite song from his “WAVE” EP, “SPACE,” the audience are beside themselves with the thunderous energy Colde and KHAKII have brought out in each other.
It’s All About the Music
The music is the driving force this night. Though Colde’s set starts with the softness of a lover’s caress, it ends with the stage rocking. The speakers vibrate with the residual bass still left lingering long after they leave the stage.
Colde seems to be more at home on stage nowadays than he perhaps was just a couple years ago. There’s a confidence there that has nothing to do with ego. It’s all about knowing that he is enough as an artist. The audience is with him. It will follow him wherever he goes, and he doesn’t have to look over his shoulder to make sure someone’s there. The way he handled the stage during the ERR;OR showcase there’s no doubt fans will follow him to the ends of the earth and back.
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Dear Epik High, Thank You
As someone who writes a lot of critique, there are times when you just don’t know what to say. Words quite literally fail you. This is especially true for moments when an experience leaves you so utterly awe-inspired, so emotionally moved the prim professionalism of a music journalist seems petty. This is what happened to me following Epik High’s Austin stop of their North American tour. At times like these there’s really only one thing to say:
Thank you.