One of life’s greatest joys, and also it’s rarest, is to discover something at its root. To stumble upon the humble origins of something great. Finding artists right at the dawn of their careers is even more of a blessing. I relish the occasions when I get those emails from artists hoping to find an outlet that will give them a chance. Such was the case with DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia)-area hip-hop crew Dream Chasing.
Two of its founding members, JJ and David (stage name TAE) join me on a phone call to talk about who they are, their musical journey, and their dreams for the future.
Introductions to Dream Chasing
As always, introductions are humble.
“My name’s JJ. I’m in a crew called Dream Chasing. We rap with the motto of ‘More than just fame.’ That’s the motto we write our lyrics and make our songs by. And we’re also from the DC area. I guess that also contributes to our name too.”
“My real name is David. My stage name is TAE. JJ is the owner of the mixtape. He did all the work. I’m just here to support him, just to kind of be a contact. And yeah, we’re just excited to be here with HiphopKR.”
Within the first few minutes it’s easy to tell the tone of the conversation. With these young men, there’s an overwhelming air of humility. Of green eagerness and ambition. Dream Chasing instantly piqued my interest for more personal reasons. My father’s from DC. “Oh, nice,” TAE says warmly.
How We Started Dream Chasing
As far as humble beginnings, JJ and TAE’s personal journeys to making music are the first things to unravel. How they got started and what made them want to pursue music.
“Personally,” JJ begins, “I just got started rapping karaoke with my friends. They said, ‘Oh, you’re not bad at rapping.’ I guess that’s where it started from. Officially there was a Show Me the Money DMV version. That was the first time I wrote my own lyrics. I went on there, and from my memory I got third in that competition. So I was kind of surprised. I was like, dang!” This is the kind of energy and charm that both JJ and TAE effuse the interview with from start to finish. “After that,” he continues, “I just started writing lyrics, and I started making music with my brother. Then a couple more people started joining. That’s how we started up with this crew.”
TAE takes a moment to jump in. “For me,” he says, “I was actually just chilling with JJ’s brother. So he, me, and another crew member, Joe, we’re just chillin’ at their apartment. That’s when they started to rap as well. We [were] just kinda messin’ around, making up lyrics to some beats. It started to sound pretty good.
“After that we were just kind of testing out the waters, going on talent shows at the University of Maryland. The reaction was pretty good. From there we were very fortunate. We decided to come together and perform at other Korean festivals in the East Coast area. Maryland, Virginia, we went to Jersey, and we continued to get a lot of invites. That’s where, fortunately, and very humbly we began to place in first place a lot of time.
“And that’s where we are right now. I know with COVID and a lot of the stuff that’s going on now, things have been very rocky. But we’re still making music, still listening to music. I think also one of our members, Stevie J, he was very briefly on Show Me the Money last year. Yeah, I think that’s something that would be a great opportunity. But with how things are, we don’t know how we’ll be able to get to Korea for that. But yeah.”
Legendary Inspirations
That’s quite a story. A variety of experiences that led these young men coming together under a unified vision. So what drew them to hip hop in particular? They’re both very generous with who gets the spotlight first. At this point, JJ insists that TAE take the question.
“I think a lot of Show Me the Money influence,” he admits. “A lot of Korean rappers that are coming up, making their own music, especially in the hip-hop industry. I feel like hip hop was always around in the Korean-American and the Korean community as well, but it just wasn’t as big. Especially compared to the States. In the States, that’s where it originated from, that’s where it’s at. After listening to music, growing up with that music and listening to other Korean rappers come up, it was just such a big inspiration for us. And how everything transitioned so fast in the past few years.
“I feel like the past six, seven years since Show Me 3 the transition from the hip hop then and now has been very fast. We’re just loving it, we’re kind of in it, we want to be like it. And we just want to create our own stuff related to it. Creating our own color.”
“I also think that hip hop is just a genre where you just need a beat and that’s it,” JJ adds. “I feel like it’s very simple to just start off. And just being able to express yourself through rap lyrics and hip hop is I think what drew us.
“Did you always have love for hip hop?”
“Yeah, yeah definitely,” JJ says. “I definitely grew up listening to a lot of hip hop and rap.”
Certainly their musical influences give insight into their vision and personal ambitions.
“In Korea it’s not been that long since hip hop developed,” JJ says. “But definitely I grew up listening more to Korean rap than American hip hop.”
“For me,” TAE begins, “I’d say it’s a lot of BewhY. I know he’s really moving in the scene right now. One thing we really admire about him is his faith. All of us have similar faith to BewhY. That’s something we hold true to in our lyrics and in our hip hop. Seeing him make it in the mainstream while still not being afraid to show his faith is something we really look up to. We want to represent as well. He’s a big inspiration to us.”
Dream Chasing & BewhY
In an older interview with InWave during the Maryland Korea Festival, the whole crew expressed this same admiration for BewhY. Of course, that’s not surprising. All one has to say is “GOTTASADAE.” ’Nuff said. What about him as an artist really appeals to the guys?
After a few moments in which they try to decide who should answer first, TAE begins, “I would say it’s his flow, his rhythm, even the way he produces his own albums, makes his own beats. He’s very unique, has his own style. He’s different but still mainstream Korean hip hop. He has his own color. He has something that no one else can mimic, that no one else can portray while still holding true to his message. And that’s something that I think is just really admirable.”
He passes the question smoothly off to JJ like the natural leader he presents himself as.
“I also think he’s very bold on what he wants to say,” JJ adds. “He’s not afraid to go against the waves. Whenever he writes his lyrics, I feel like he does his own thing and doesn’t really care much about what other people would oppose. So I think that’s definitely something that we try to do.”
“Oh, also!” TAE interjects, “When we saw him live, because he came to the DMV area, he was also very humble and not afraid to admit his faults or what kind of things he went through himself. Some of the ups and downs of the hip-hop industry. He succumbed to some things that he was not, I guess, pleased with. And he came back from that.”
BewhY is certainly an inspiring figure for Korean rappers. We share a moment where we just go mad over the man. We talk about Drunken Tiger and his influence especially for b-boys in the States. J Groove, another member of the DC crew, mentioned loving BewhY’s tone and style and mentioned that CHANGMO was an inspiration. All these legendary artists from South Korea. It’s certainly no surprise that budding artists gain inspiration from them. What about BewhY and CHANGMO in particular do the guys take away from their artistry?
“I think it’s definitely, just being new, BewhY’s style of rap and the message he delivers started a trend in Korea,” JJ begins. “That’s why I like CHANGMO as well. CHANGMO brought the autotune and melody rap and diversified it in the Korean hip-hop scene. So I think they’re both definitely the first ones to start what they’re doing. That’s one of the main focuses I take away from them.”
TAE adds, “I think it’s also the confidence. No fear. Willingness to do whatever they want, whatever they please, and just kinda going with it. They produce their own things as well. They start from scratch. People want them to be featured on their albums, or if you’re featured on one of their albums, that’s a big deal. But it’s just kinda getting to that level on their own. Self-made men, you know.
Dream Chasers Chasing Dreams
A shared love of legendary South Korean hip hop. Wildly ambitious, their history together as a group is certainly one to dig into.
TAE and JJ are very contemplative. They both take great crea not to talk over one another. So it takes them a few seconds to both recall their origins and choose who begins. TAE takes the helm. As I said, a natural leader.“It started out from the apartment, when I first started rapping with JJ’s brother, J GROOVE. So it’s J GROOVE and JBAE. I know we’re a lot of Js,” he says with a laugh. “So J GROOVE, JBAE, and me were together. Then we decided to collab with JJ.
“JJ was actually solo performing and doing solo performances with other rappers. But he decided to collab with us four. Then there’s a fifth one, the youngest one, the mangnae. That’s STZY J. I think they all go to church together. He also has a talent for the music scene. He has a lot of theater experience as well. When he started rapping he was a natural talent. So we all just came together, started practicing and collaborating. And that’s how we became Dream Chasing.”
TAE 
JJ 
STZY J 
JBAE 
J GROOVE
“We’re basically scattered across Maryland,” JJ adds. “We also have a beatboxer in our group. His name’s Chip and he lives in Virginia. So I guess none of us actually live in DC, just around there.
Now that they’ve decided to come together as a team, it’s time for the Maryland Korea Fest.
“When we first went out to the Maryland Korea Fest,” JJ begins, “we just went in with the thought of ‘Let’s try it. I don’t think we’re gonna get anything.’ And it was just fun. After that, we performed in Virginia. Then we went to other places. It was very new. At first it was rough because that was actually our first time performing as a crew. Before that we performed in solos or duos, but that was the first time we started performing as Dream Chasing.”
“As we started that festival and other festivals and our popularity started to gain a little bit of interest,” TAE adds, “it was very surreal, very odd. But also very humbling. It was just a new experience for us. We’re just taking it in, still trying to improve, wondering what we can do better. And just kind of lifting each other up as teammates, as group members. Knowing that it’s not just us. We definitely give all our credit to God.”
Dream Chasing on the Festival Circuit
The camaraderie among them is admirable. It’s clear even without the other members on the call, Dream Chasing has a bond that connects them not just in art. They are brothers in faith and vision. It’s amazing to see that kind of connection among artists.
The festival circuit obviously strengthened that bond. “It’s just fun to go up on stage and do our thing,” TAE says. “It makes you create that stage presence a little more every time you go on. Every time you hear the crowd get a little bit louder, supporting you, that whole experience is just exhilarating. Gets your adrenaline pumping, and you get this high when you’re on stage. Knowing that you’re performing for not only yourself, but sending this message for your fans, for the audience. Seeing them enjoy it with you and just kinda all grooving with you, all having fun together. And I think that’s what hip hop’s about.”
“I definitely think it made us feel the chemistry of how it feels to perform as one group,” JJ adds. “So I think that’s when our group started to take off. And it was like dang. It’s really performing with the four or five of us. I think it just showed us how good it is to have a hip-hop crew.”
An experience like that must leave a lasting impression. Among all the cities on the festival tour, however, one certainly stuck out for them.
“I gotta say my favorite, and I think that David will think the same, was North Carolina. When we performed at North Carolina, everyone was so great, they were so supportive. How they just cheered us on and gave us feedback afterwards. It was just awesome.”
“More Than Just the Money and Fame”
But the crew has made it clear. This is about more than fame. Their motto and battlecry. But what was it, exactly, that prompted that to be their group’s unified vision? TAE passes the question to JJ with a small nod and a soft, “You got it.”
“I think when we first started rapping, an agreement we had was…” JJ pauses only for a moment. Again, they’re very thoughtful and use their words with great conviction. “I guess there’s a trend in rapping about having a lot of money, or bragging about that, and having a lot of fame. So we decided we wanted to pursue music on something different. That was about our faith and chasing our dreams. So that’s how we came up with Dream Chasing. We want to keep that motto, ‘More than just the fame’ to remind ourselves about what our foundation is and keep on striving for that.”
Guided By Faith
A trend I’ve noticed among the Korean-American artists I’ve interviewed is this idea of faith. Many, if not all, of them are Christian. That being said, most of them don’t make it an explicit part of their music. The only one I can think of who does is Uzuhan. At one point pH-1 was the same way. As Dream Chasing seem very vocal about their faith, I wonder if incorporating that aspect of themselves in their music is something they’re interested in? Or do they not necessarily need to talk about it so plainly?
“Well at least for me,” JJ begins, “in every verse I try to incorporate something about God. So I guess in my lyrics there’s always something about that. That’s pretty straightforward in the lyrics we write.”
“Yeah, me too,” TAE agrees. “I try to kind of thread in a lot of lyrics related to God as well. I know that sometimes the pronunciations in performances can’t always be heard that well. But it’s definitely something we want to thread in here and there. And we try to make it a point to not rap about flexing too much on money, flexing too much on more secular things, in a sense. We also never curse in any of our songs. Not that we have anything against it. We know it’s a form of expression, that artists do it. But us personally, that’s something we try to refrain from and try to make it our own hip hop.”
So this is an interesting distinction that many artists of faith make. The difference between being a Christian rapper or a rapper that just happens to be Christian.
“I think I would classify us as a hip-hop group. But since we are all Christian, that is something that carries on with us. I would say we’re Christian rappers doing hip hop,” JJ offers.
“So more Chance the Rapper than Lecrae?”
TAE laughs at the comparison. “Yeah, yeah. I’d say that’s a really good example. More like Chance, less like Lecrae. Both are amazing.”
This does bring up an interesting point, though. One I wonder if they have an opinion on. In the Korean-American community faith is a subject that translates to so many of Korean-American hip-hop artists.
“This is just my personal view,” JJ begins. “I feel that because a lot of Koreans immigrated to the US, they needed a place where they congregated and socialized. That happened to be being in Korean churches. I feel like many Korean Americans grew up in church, and that’s why they would state their faith in their music.”
“Just to add on to that,” TAE says. “I think their faith also becomes a part of their identity. Who they are and shapes them throughout their years, especially their younger years. And because it has an impact on them, whether it’s positive or negative, usually more positive, it comes out in their music.”
Heritage
Converse to that, I don’t hear many rappers of the Korean diaspora use Korean so explicitly in their music when they live in the States. One I can think of is LATE LEE. Perhaps YEAR OF THE OX and more and more Dumbfoundead. Why is it important to incorporate the Korean language into their music?
“I feel like being Korean is part of our identity,” JJ says. “I don’t think we try to be like, ‘Oh we need to use Korean.’ It just comes out naturally since we’re all interested in Korean hip hop. That’s an advantage we all have since we’re all bilingual. That’s also what makes our music special.”
TAE adds, “The two different languages, Korean and English, they have such different flows. So when you rap in Korean and English there are different flows that come out when you hit the beat as well. And when you can combine these two or go back and forth it adds more options and versatility.”
This notion of heritage and pride is certainly a point of contention for those who make and love hip hop. There has been tension between the Black and Latinx communities and the Asian community when it comes to hip hop. Things have improved for the better half of a decade. But have these young men experienced any lingering pushback?
“Fortunately, no we have not,” TAE says. “At least I don’t think so. I don’t think we’ve had any pushback. It’s all been support and love. I know there’s historically been some tensions here and there.
“I think it’s getting better personally. Just coming together under one hip-hop umbrella. Yes, there’s so many different styles and it can all be appreciated in its own different ways. I think that’s what hip hop’s about. Just appreciating and respecting one another.”
Possible Opportunities
This is, of course, great to hear. But it’s also true that many Korean-American artists went back to Korea to make a career (e.g. Jay Park, Tasha, Tablo, Flowisk to a certain extent, Junoflo).
“I think it’s a step-by-step process,” JJ says. “That’s something I personally have had in mind. But I think it’s easier said than done. I think it’s just a step-by-step.”
“I also think it’s a step-by-step process, a slow and steady process,” TAE adds. “If bigger and better opportunities had come our way for some of us, then that could’ve become a very realistic option. But we’re all in the US and we’re all studying or have our jobs or careers here that we’re all very passionate about. It’s something I think we’re all comfortable with just starting fresh and new in the DMV area. But who knows? If there is an opportunity it’s something to consider. I don’t know what the other members would say.”
JJ did mention doing the DMV SMTM. The opinion of these reality competition shows is mixed for the Korean public. But many Korean-American artists in the States have a more positive outlook on the prospect.
JJ offers, “I think if the opportunity comes we’d definitely be open to it. I don’t think we’re on the side of, oh we need SMTM to continue doing music or we need SMTM to become popular. I don’t think we’re too stuck on that. But I think most of us would be open to the opportunity if we could take off time from our jobs.”
“I think I’m in agreement,” TAE says. “If the opportunity came for Show Me, it would be a very interesting chance for all of us. Or even SignHere. As a crew I think we’d maybe even try out for SignHere if given the opportunity. We know it’s very selective as well, but I think maybe we’d be interested.”
Label vs. Independent
There is an interesting contrast between the kids hustling in Hongdae and those who sign with labels. It’s a fascinating conversation to have, particularly with independent artists in Korea. If, say, Jay Park started scouting and found DC for AOMG or H1GHR MUSIC, would they go for it?
They both laugh and without even a second thought, “Yeah, sign where?” But even with that in mind, is it important to have that sort of label backing? Is it still viable to do music independently?
“I think it is definitely viable,” TAE says. “But having a label at your back and they’re supportive and there every step of the way, producing the music to the marketing and PR. I think it’s extremely valuable. A huge asset. It’s something that can be very beneficial. Nevertheless, we’re small, independent artists. I think it’s still possible. But we just have a lot of extra work to do as individuals to make the bigger picture become a whole.”
JJ adds, “I would say that having a label’s great, but that’s not really why we do music. That’s not really what we’re going for. So just because we don’t have a label doesn’t mean we would stop performing or stop making music. I think having one is great. But being independent, I think it has its own positives too.”
But, let’s be real, if Jay Park rolled in here right now and said, “Sign here…”
We all share another laugh.
Started from the BASEMENT
At this point it’s definitely important to delve into JJ’s own musical journey. When TAE first reached out to HiphopKR to listen to JJ’s solo project, I noticed the tag on the end of it: “Second mixtape.” Some digging led back to JJ’s SoundCloud page. There sat a little mixtape called “BASEMENT.” From the first note the project is incredibly impressive. So this is the kind of thing he’s capable of? Oh, we have to dig more into this kid’s process.
JJ’s exuberance is blinding. “First of all that’s really cool how you found my first mixtape,” he says with an infectious smile. “I think if you hear the two mixtapes there’s a big difference in music quality, first of all. Just overall sound quality. In my first mixtape I focused on the musical style I really wanted to do and the musical style I thought I was good at. The lyrics tend to be more on the serious side. The second mixtape I focused on diversifying my style and showing what I could. I tried to match a lot of those songs with the styles that I thought people in the crew were good at. So it also had a collaboration thing for the second one.”
What’s so striking about “BASEMENT” is just how melodic it is, how smooth. It’s sparse in musical detail. Therefore emotion and lyrical weight shine with so much more brilliance. The first song, “꽃” (meaning “flower”) instantly struck a chord, taking my breath away almost the moment it came through my headphones.
“When I was writing ‘꽃,’ I wanted to compare my life to a flower. So what I did is I compared other people to a flower and the world trying to knock you down as the weeds. Then I compared the farmer and all the resources it provides to God. That’s the contrast I tried to make. What I’m trying to express is every flower has its own uniqueness. Just because you’re a little bit slow growing doesn’t mean you’re not special. I also mentioned sometimes there can be flooding, and sometimes there can be famine. But eventually God, or the farmer, is going to take care of the flower and make sure it grows beautifully. Everyone’s just beautiful in their own way. So that’s the message I had for that.
“It just drew the start to my musical career,” he continues. “I’m still always never satisfied with the music I publish. But I was like, ‘I need to start somewhere.’ ‘BASEMENT’ was solely based on my thoughts at the time and just what I wanted to show. It was mainly focused on the styles I was confident in.”
TAE comes in with a little tidbit that makes the exploration of JJ’s first release all the more interesting. “Actually, JJ recorded that in the basement of his home. And it’s kind of a metaphor for starting from the bottom.” Which begs the question, what actually pushed him to take that next step? How did he get from the basement to the first level?
The Next Level
“I definitely think I’m always constantly doing music,” JJ begins. “I didn’t think, ‘Since we’re done with “BASEMENT” let’s work on “LEVEL 1.”’ It was just naturally I started making more music and started developing. But I guess the main thought was I just made a few songs and I wanted to produce for the other crew members. And I was like, ‘What if I make one song and I feature each rapper in what I think will fit their style?’ That’s how five of the songs came up. Then the last song is one with all the crew members, one solo one, and stuff like that. Just wanted to do a collaborative album as well as showing my development.
“‘LEVEL 1’ just represents that I’m leveling up. If I had a third, it would probably be ‘LEVEL 2.’ On the album cover, you see me just clicking level one on the elevator. The color of my first album ‘BASEMENT’ was very dark. If you go on the second album, the color of the letters in ‘LEVEL 1’ are yellow. That’s just to show a little bit of brightness when you move up to the next floor in a house, for example. So that’s the vision I had with making ‘LEVEL 1.’”
There are definite glimmers of Kanye West’s “College” series. You begin with one mood and aesthetic at the bottom. Each step explores another evolution in sound and message until you reach the apex. I’m quite excited to see the highs JJ reaches. One has to wonder if like Kanye, who has always visualized his next musical evolution, JJ has a vision for his next level.
“Definitely,” JJ says. “For my next album I really want to start making my own beats and then publish it as something on iTunes or Spotify. So I think definitely improving my producing skills is something I’m looking forward to. And just constantly developing as an artist. As long as there’s a message I want to put in my music, I’ll continue making new songs.”
Continued Evolution
As he continues to evolve, continues to explore the reaches of his artistic depth, I wonder at this moment who he believes he is as an artist. What track on “LEVEL 1” truly expresses where he is musically right now?
“I think that ‘Better’ is something that represents me really well. Basically, the theme with ‘Better’ is I feel that when I’m just living my daily life I always think I can do something better. Whether that be my relationship with God, relationship with my friends or with anyone around me. I always go with the mindset that I can improve on this, or I can be better at this. That’s what sort of inspired me to make ‘Better.’ And that’s sort of the motto I’ve been constantly living with. That definitely represents me right now.
One can see the distinction between “BASEMENT” and “LEVEL 1.” The former has a heavier tone. A darker core that permeates outward and leaves shadows hovering around its edges. In contrast, “LEVEL 1” is brighter, more hopeful. As JJ said, even the lettering is a shot of brightness in an otherwise gray palette. Is this a natural side effect of working collaboratively? Or is it deeper? Did he feel lighter and thus create music that was inherently the same?
JJ does take a moment to consider this question. To go back to the moment of inspiration. “I think it kind of naturally happened,” he begins. “But at the same time I was trying to make my music a little bit lighter. I got some feedback that the first one…” He gives a slight giggle. “Some people enjoyed it. But some people were like, ‘Dang, yo. Are you kinda depressed, man?’ So I think I definitely did brighten up during ‘LEVEL 1.’ But I also kind of thought about that, about how to diversify and show various sides of me. I’m not just an artist who does heavy music. I can do a variety.”
Uncertain Times, New Future
So as JJ levels up, as the group dynamic becomes stronger, what does the future hold for them? Certainly the worldwide pandemic has made things a bit ticklish in terms of what artists can do creatively.
“I believe we did actually have another performance lined up for North Carolina,” he says. “That was supposed to happen at the end of March.”
“There was one in Virginia,” JJ adds.
“Another one in Virginia. Another one in New York at FIT where we were invited. And the Korea festival is coming up in the DMV area as well. But it is what it is right now.” TAE doesn’t say this with any regret or anger. His energy is always even going with the flow.
The fact remains, the future is now, whether we’re ready for it or not. Artists have been resourceful in what they have to reach their audience. Instagram and Facebook’s live features. Even using online multiplayer gaming platforms to reach millions of people. Speaking of chasing dreams, is that something these young men have considered?
“Since everything’s happened and with jobs and schooling, I think we’ve been more busy with just buckling down other priorities. But it’s definitely an idea that we could think about,” TAE says.
Goals & Ambitions
It’s definitely a distressing time to be an artist. Really difficult to think about the future when the future is just so unsure. But that shouldn’t suggest that there’s not a way to keep one eye looking in the distance.
JJ offers, “Definitely in the short-term, I know that all the members are working on music and want to release their mixtapes. So hopefully maybe next year they’ll have their own mixtapes. And hopefully after that we can get our music on iTunes or Spotify.
This does leave so much open for them as far as opportunities. Goals in this time can shift, even become loftier.
“Definitely completing one mixtape,” TAE says with a laugh. “I don’t know how my musical talents compare to the other guys. They’re just all so very gifted, and I respect that and appreciate that about them so much. They definitely helped me along the way.” TAE’s adoration for his crew members is such a profound part of his character. Whether or not he considers himself as such, he has the true markings of a leader. Someone who cares for the well-being of his members at all times. That same passion would certainly translate to his own work.
“Hopefully that first mixtape,” he reiterates. “Then once the situation gets a bit better everywhere, hopefully we’ll be able to perform and just kind of get our music a bit more known. At least in the DMV area and the East Coast in the US, maybe a little in Korea if possible. I think that’s something we would at least be satisfied with. A goal of ours.”
JJ adds, “I think that currently we’re just enjoying music so much. We like making it, we like performing. I feel like as long as that continues, we’ll continue making music. So I guess long-term we’d just stop if we stop enjoying it or run out of ideas. But I don’t think that’s for a long time to come.”
Dream Collaborations
Their spirit of teamwork and support of each other simply oozes through the call. There’s so much love in this house. That being said, every artist has that dream collab. That one artist that they’d absolutely love to work with if just to be in their presence and learn.
“For me personally Swings, CHANGMO, and C JAMM are three artists I really enjoy and would love to collaborate with,” JJ says.
“Actually in JJ’s ‘LEVEL 1,’ there’s two or three other features who are not from DC crew. DAE actually went on Show Me the Money too, and he made it to round three. He’s doing music in Korea. And I can’t say who, but I know STZY J has other artists that are on his mixtape as well. They’re probably a bit better known or producing in Korea as well.
“With that said, I guess if I had a dream feature, or if I could feature for someone…” I can tell he’s letting the energy and excitement of just the possibility get to him. His smile, which has been effervescent throughout the entire interview, is utterly exploding with light at this point. “I definitely like HAON and BewhY. I would say those two are my top two choices.”
If we step outside the realm of hip hop, I wonder if they have the same energy.
JJ says, “Well they’re featured on my album, so I guess I can give a shout out to them. DAE’s also working as an artist in Korea. Isaac, he’s in a group called Soul Red. They just released their first album. So I think those are the two artists I keep looking out for.”
“If we’re talking more about a dream collab, I guess BOLBBALGAN4,” TAE says with a laugh. “I love their style. I know it’s a bit more cutesy, but yeah I think if you add in a little bit of rap it could be a little unique.”
Words of Gratitude
As we begin to wind down, it’s time to think about their musical thumbprint. This notion of legacy, what people will remember them for as artists. Particularly JJ as he’s the only one in the crew who’s released multiple mixtapes.
“I think first I just want them to enjoy it. That’s the most important aspect of my music, just enjoy it and keep on listening to it. I just have words of thank you for those who listen to my album. I’m always open to feedback whether it be positive or negative. I’m most open to improving. So just thank you to everyone who listens to my music.”
Their humility is disarming. TAE expresses that he could tell that JJ was touched that I’d listened to his first album. It was genuinely a pleasure. Even as we say our last goodbyes, these gentlemen show gratitude, and it’s really just heartwarming.
“Thank you for offering to interview us,” JJ says. “This is, like, so completely unexpected. So we’re really thankful for that.”
TAE adds, “Definitely thank you so much. This is an opportunity we don’t take for granted and we appreciate it. And just keep looking out for DC, our crew members coming up.”
Dream Chasing is just in their infancy. However, if TAE and JJ are any indication, their drive and ambition will push them for greatness. More importantly, that unshakeable team spirit and their faith propels them forward. Certainly be on the lookout for these young men.
Thank you CY!!