Korean hiphop sensations DPR LIVE and DPR IAN delivered a standout performance at Coachella 2023, showcasing their unique blend of Western and Korean influences and solidifying their place as leaders in the global music scene.
My first experience at the KB RapBeat Festival was certainly a stark example of expectation vs. reality. Let’s just say it was a bitter pill to swallow.
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.
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.
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.
There’s a certain amount of pride in seeing artists you’ve watched grow get the recognition they deserve, even in small ways. XXX debuted at SXSW performing at the ScratcHouse, a medium-sized venue that houses a stage big enough for a DJ table and a back patio. Fast forward two years. They’ve matured in both sound and musical vision. Their growth doesn’t go unnoticed by the organizers. They land a spot on the largest stage for any Korean act at the festival: the Korean Spotlight hosted by Austin City Limits at the Moody Theater.
On May 4, hiphop label H1GHR MUSIC held their US Tour at 333 Live in Los Angeles. Read our concert review written by guest writer Yasamine (of Pixeletry).
pH-1 captivated the crowd at SXSW’s H1GHR MUSIC Showcase last month. HiphopKR was there–relive the event with us!
Also known as: the time Cy almost died at SXSW.
To be fair, that’s not pH-1’s fault. On the contrary, the first half of the show was a thing of beauty. Honestly, all one needed before entering that show was respect for Jay Park’s vision and an honest-to-goodness appreciation of music. The premise itself was simple: keep an open mind. However, neither the organizers of SXSW nor the company that sponsored the event could’ve predicted what was about to happen at the Main on March 17.
Though this is a look back at a particular performance, I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the show’s host. Jay Park has such an immense vision. Love or hate his music, there’s no way you can deny that his heart’s so incredibly entrenched in music. He has a mind for it like almost no one, an eye and ear for talent that’s enviable. With his lifelong partner in crime, Cha Cha Malone, he’s created a home for untapped potential and underrepresented talent in their global record label H1GHR MUSIC. Being Jay’s second enterprise, it’s safe to say that he certainly knows what he’s doing when it comes to exploring the edges of music’s periphery and bringing some of its lesser known acts to light.
Thus we have pH-1. Though not exactly unknown, his visibility was relegated to longtime fans and followers of the relative underground of Korea’s hip-hop scene. He’d already been spoken of with reverence among and had high-profile collaborations with artists such as Owen Ovadoz and, of course, Jay Park. His signing to Park’s H1GHR MUSIC last year comes as no surprise to those who know him musically.
His reputation far preceded his performance at SXSW. Before even entering the venue, the line rounded two corners, from the east and west, all those in attendance waiting with bated breath for the chance to see some of their favorite artists–among those pH-1. In fact, prior to doors open, the showcase’s artists and hosts made it a point to come out and tease the crowd with a glimpse. Park, Malone, Ted Park, and pH-1 all made small appearances, reveling in the controlled chaos of fans doing what they do best: fangirling.
We come to the opening of the show. Obviously fans are already in an uproar as soon as Park and Malone make their introductions. These two young men certainly have a palpable passion for what they’re doing. Despite Park’s star power, there’s a level of surprise coloring his tone when he realizes the magnitude of the showcase of his label’s namesake. As each artist makes his way to the stage, the energy has an enormous spike. This tremor of excitement reaches a peak once pH-1 begins his set.
In speaking with him, it’s clear just how passionate this man is about his music, about his message. As soon as he alights, he is a marvel. His message is positivity, a vision contrary to the typical subject matter of almost all of hip-hop’s most popular. There’s nothing shy or wilting about the man, let’s be frank. However, his dedication to giving hip-hop a different color, an alternative outlook, could seem to compete with the raunch and raucous of a rap showcase.
Let the record show pH-1 isn’t shy of a little turn-up. In fact, from the first note it’s clear he favors quite heavy turn-up should the occasion call for it. Most certainly, the H1GHR MUSIC Showcase definitely called for it. He ascends from backstage, mic in hand like a hammer, and he goes to town. There’s not a moment of quiet, a moment of the zen chill one expects from someone so dedicated to his message of positivity. He’s all piss and vinegar, this one. A side of snark and a hell of a lot of the flirtatious troublemaker we saw when he made his brief appearance outside the venue, what we have here is a man who knows how to manipulate a crowd.
The crowd isn’t complaining, believe me.
When he goes into some of his more popular hits, the crowd is practically inconsolable. pH-1 certainly has a style that speaks to an audience, a message that resonates. His set at the H1GHR MUSIC Showcase has all the energy and power of his peers. So infectious is his stage presence, Jay Park finds his way on stage during pH-1’s last song of the night, the indisputable bop “Donut.” Their chemistry is amazing, making the stage a playground. Their smiles are so genuine. pH-1 donned a toothy grin from the moment the music started.
I suppose you’re wondering about the whole near-death experience I alluded to at the beginning of this write-up. As I said, not pH-1’s fault. As I also stated, organizers weren’t prepared for just how raucous a crowd of very devoted Korean hip-hop fans are (even considering the diversity of the lineup). Things got out of hand. But not before I got to see just how much control pH-1 has over a captive audience. That is the takeaway from this showcase: pH-1 is a Class A performer.
Edited by Lena
Uzuhan lights up the Kollaboration stage at SXSW. He’s everything you’d want in a rapper and more because so much of who he is is displayed without reservation when the lights are on him and the crowd is at his mercy.
On April 6th, Mad Clown & San E made their second stop at the Highline Ballroom, New York, as part of their month-long “We Want You” Tour.