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Rapper Don Malik, who released a diss track a few days ago, has now explained his reasons in an interview with Korean webzine HiphopLE.

Three days ago, rapper Don Malik of daze alive released a diss track in which he targeted Xitsuh, P-type, and VMC. (Deepflow already responded to it.)
As many were wondering where this sudden dissing was coming from, Don Malik explained himself in a video interview with the Korean webzine HiphopLE.
Find the video above and a rough translation of it below.

 

Q1: Why did you suddenly release a diss track?

People probably expect me to name a good reason like “protecting the underground,” but I’m not flattering myself with reasons like this. The reason why I released it is simply because I wanted to express the things I found shitty and uncool. I was sad because all I had in my career was anger. I wanted to finally get rid of that in order to move on and do the next thing. So I decided to finally call out all those people whose names I hadn’t mentioned so far and state my opinion.

Q2: Is there a special reason why you mentioned names?

People I used to like a lot went “backwards.” What I mean is, if someone I don’t care about participates in SMTM, I’m just like “Aha,” but as for Xitsuh-hyung … After he participated in SMTM, he said this at the showcase for a compilation album: “Rappers these days, all they do is play video games, they’re f*cking lazy.” I was close to that hyung, I’ve played a lot of video games with him. And I’ve heard from others that he’s still playing a lot of video games even now. So that [what he said] doesn’t make sense. That hyung has released only one mixtape. Thus, that he said those things [at the showcase] felt very strange to me. It felt out of place.

As for VMC, I thought that their songs, like the ones I added at the end of my diss track, ‘NFS‘ and ‘Lookin’ Good‘, don’t match with the activities of some of their artists, they’re contradicting.

In the case of P-type-hyung, it’s like this: I had listened to ‘Street Poetry‘ and thought, “This is f*cking good, this is a f*cking masterpiece.” And suddenly I got sad, thinking, “This is messed up.”

So, basically, I was a fan of all the people I mentioned. I still know all of their lyrics. They lost their coolness to me and I felt empty, but I didn’t like that whole atmosphere of just accepting that. The feeling of regret was the greatest [reason].

Q3: Do you have doubts about the person whose name you censored?

First of all, it’s not Rhythm Power, that’s all I’ll say.
There was quite a long period between writing the track and releasing it. My feelings toward that person cooled off after those five months. Everyone whose name I mentioned I still feel angry and disappointed at, but in the case of this person those feelings just disappeared.

[omitted Q4]

Q5: How did the people around you react to you wanting to release that diss track?

At first, they all tried to stop me. When I was about to release it, I only told Jerry.k-hyung, not my team mates.
When I was making the track, I let many people listen to it, those who I wanted to show it to. However, the more I listened to the track, the more doubts I had about releasing it. After clearing my head I listened to it again and then just wanted to release it. Thus, I didn’t listen to anyone’s advice but just released it.

Q6: Do you have new music coming up?

I’ve got a single coming out on November 17. (laughs) Yes, it was noise marketing. (laughs) No, I’ve actually risked too much [with the diss track] for this to just be noise marketing. I’d never risk my life [as an artist] for marketing one mere single. I simply wanted to wrap up those feelings inside of me as soon as possible, that’s why I released the diss track.
I’m also preparing a full-length album for the end of next year. In that album I didn’t want to rap about these things [I mentioned in the diss track].

Q7: Would you like to say anything about SMTM?

The reason why I personally don’t really like SMTM is that I find it sickening that one single business has a hold over the entire scene. People ask, “How do you start rapping without participating in SMTM?” You just do it! SMTM has become everything, it’s no different from preparing for the SAT. Those standardized mechanisms make people think, “How can I appear on SMTM and sell myself well?” rather than: “How can I create new music?”
It is not the people’s fault for thinking that way, I think it is the fault of those who make people think that way. And that is CJ, that is SMTM to me.
Even after all these years I cannot believe that everyone just went along with this trend. I’d like people to be aware of this.

Finally, say something to those who dislike you!

Just talk bad about me and dislike me if you dislike me. I’d like to show [everyone] that such words do not faze me anymore.

 

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Reactions

Korean fans reacted very positively to this interview, calling Don Malik “cool:” “Don Malik and Deepflow fought each other greatly,” “This is a good interview, someone has to say these things,” “He’s just f*cking cool,” “I’m a fan of VMC and didn’t like this but as it turns out he’s really cool, I’m supporting him,” “I like that he’s so honest.”

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Source: HiphopLE