Don Mills

Don Mills - MEERAE (album cover)

Don Mills releases first full-length album and MV ‘MEERAE’

VMC‘s one and only Don Mills has released his first full-length album today. ‘미래 (MEERAE)’ (Future) presents the next generation a new future.

When saying that “Don Mills is a rapper who clearly has his own style!” is there anyone who would not agree?
In the last few years, the trend of trap beats, the repetition of single words (where opinions diverge) and one-dimensional rap have spread throughout the world-wide hiphop scenes. Within, Don Mills has shown a distinct difference to other rappers who are busy trying to copy Don Mills’ unique explosive energy and rough voice as well as his melodic hooks.

Also, Don Mills clearly knows his expressions and grammar.
His punchlines like “The wheel of fortune turns, Kim Yuna,” are one-dimensional but sharp and have created hit songs like ‘88‘, ‘강백호 (Kang Baek Ho)‘. From zero to hero, he featured on tracks of the crème de la crème in the Korean hiphop scene like Beenzino, Zico, and Gary, and has become an icon. Don Mills’ wit is not only audible in his music but also when he moderates the Hiphop Playa Radio show with Nucksal.

How does the future that Don Mills brings you look like?
In this album, he roughly and straightforwardly spreads out the future he pictures. The title track ‘MEERAE‘ was daringly placed at the very beginning of the album and starts by revealing Don Mills’ aspirations for the future, his certainty about succeeding, his confidence as a rapper, his values regarding music, reminisces of the past, and more. His very own ‘blueprint’ and life are packed into twelve tracks.
Not only Don Mills’ VMC labelmates Deepflow, Nucksal, and ODEE, but also Dok2 and BewhY who can both currently be seen on SMTM5, Just Music’s “First of Fury” VASCO, captain of the 27 pirates Buckwilds’ JTONG, and son of Deokso CHANGMO all participated in describing Don Mills’ vision of the future.
One charm of the album that you should especially not miss out on is Don Mills’ rap technique that has been relatively devaluated. He tries himself at new aspects of the rap spectrum, like irregular rhythm and tongue twisters. Due to his image of being a refreshing character and the trap-specific repetitive lyrics and flow, this album will win over Korean hiphop fans’ favor.

Since Show Me The Money, countless rappers have knocked on the doors of TV stations for the sake of fame. While fellow rappers either succeed or fail in the show and prepare for a new try, Don Mills has patiently cultivated his skills of making music and albums, waiting for the right time.

His first full-length album ‘미래 (MEERAE)’ is the fruit of the silent efforts he has been making since his debut and it will be remembered as the hot summerly present to all the hiphop fans who had been waiting for an outstanding rookie’s well-made album.

Don Mills’ full-length album ‘MEERAE’ is available on iTunes.

Track List and Credits:
  1. 미래 (MEERAE) (Future) TITLE
    Produced and arranged by Ian Ka$h | Lyrics by Don Mills | MV directed by HDR Sparkle Design
    [x_video_embed type=”16:9″][/x_video_embed]
    [x_blockquote type=”left”]I see the road ahead better than Giriboy((The name ‘Giriboy’ is taken from the Korean ‘길이 보이(다)’ (giriboi(da) ) which means ‘to see the way/path/road [ahead]’.)) | I’m way smarter than Nochang((Nochang’s Korean artist name is lit. ‘Genius Nochang’)) | I’m way more of a nutjob than Swings and JTONG | I’m as deep as Sang-goo((Deepflow’s real name)) | I haven’t participated in Show Me The Money even once but I’m far ahead of Show Me The Money’s producers | I haven’t participated in Show Me The Money even once but my future is far ahead of Show Me The Money’s producers[/x_blockquote]
  2. Ye I Need (Feat. Nucksal, ODEE)
    Produced and arranged by TK | Lyrics by Don Mills, Nucksal, ODEE
  3. 2.0 (Feat. BewhY)
    Produced and arranged by TK | Lyrics by Don Mills, BewhY
  4. 머리 안의 콩팥 (Kidney Inside My Head)
    Produced and arranged by TK | Lyrics by Don Mills | MV directed by Deepflow
    [x_video_embed type=”16:9″][/x_video_embed]
  5. (Rice) (Feat. JTONG)
    Produced and arranged by Ian Ka$h | Lyrics by Don Mills, JTONG
  6. 드렁큰던밀스 (Drunken Don Mills)
    Produced and arranged by Buggy | Lyrics by Don Mills
  7. E.D.L. (Feat. VASCO)
    Produced and arranged by Zesty | Lyrics by Don Mills, VASCO
  8. All Age (Feat. Dok2, Deepflow) TITLE
    Produced and arranged by TK | Lyrics by Don Mills, Dok2, Deepflow
  9. That Shit
    Produced and arranged by Ian Ka$h | Lyrics by Don Mills
  10. Fetish
    Produced and arranged by TK | Lyrics by Don Mills
  11. 안겨줘 (Feat. CHANGMO)
    Produced and arranged by TK | Lyrics by Don Mills, CHANGMO
  12. Air Canada
    Produced and arranged by Zesty | Lyrics by Don Mills

Executive producers: Don Mills, TK, Deepflow, Suk ChanwooCo-Producer: VMC
Production/A&R: VMC, STONESHIP
Recording Engineer: Don Mills @ Bulgama Studio
Mixing & Mastering Engineer : nahzam sue @ 쑥고개 Ⅲ Studio
A&R Director: Suk Chanwoo
A&R Management: Lim Heejung
A&R Assistants: Park Sungjin, Lee Poonghyun, Sin Dukmoon
Artist Management: Suk Chanwoo, Lim Heejung
Styling: BassHammer
Photographer: Boobagraphy
Art Director: Row Digga

Related Links:

Don Mills  [icon type=”facebook”]   [icon type=”instagram”]   [icon type=”music”]


Source: Mnet

Don Mills - Mee:rae upcoming album

Don Mills pre-releases MV ‘머리 안의 콩팥’ off upcoming first full-length album

Don Mills just pre-released the music video for ‘머리 안의 콩팥’ (Kidney Inside My Head) off his upcoming first full-length album ‘미래 (MEE:RAE)’ which translates to ‘future’.

The album is set for release at midnight from Thursday, July 7, to Friday, July 8 KST.

While the music video seems to have been filmed in Texas, the coordinates shown at the beginning and end of the video lead to a certain building in Guro-dong, Seoul.

Credits:

Produced by TK
Lyrics by Don Mills
MV directed by Deepflow

Related Links:

Don Mills  [icon type=”facebook”]   [icon type=”instagram”]   [icon type=”music”]

Microdot Vancouver Exclusive Interview

Microdot – Exclusive Interview

On April 23, I sat down with independent artist Microdot for an exclusive video interview.  We discussed topics such as his music career after Show Me the Money 4, his upcoming album (and the featured artists), his international tour experience, the globalization of “Downbad.” movement, and his upcoming projects.  A special shoutout to Astro Vancity for inviting me to Microdot’s Vancouver show.  You can check out the exclusive interview and concert footage here!



HiphopKR: Good to see you again Microdot! Why don’t you introduce yourself to your international fans?
Microdot: My name is Microdot.  I rap and am still in the game.  I did an interview with HiphopKR last year in July.  I’m still the same me, but now I’m in Vancouver!


What’s been new with you since July?
In terms of music, I released more songs.  On Show Me the Money 4, I made it to top 10 before being eliminated.  I fell off to Black Nut, but we’re really good friends.  The show changed my whole career path.  I feel blessed to be where I’m at right now.  I pretty much did shows everywhere in Korea you could possibly think of, and recently started my [international] tour.

I remember back in July when we interviewed you, you had all these goals you wanted to achieve… and you’ve done it all!
Yeah, it’s crazy!  I don’t know how to explain it.  I always have my big goals, but those little milestones, I definitely reached them.

https://www.instagram.com/p/-TBudpCzy-/?taken-by=microdot


Since Show Me the Money 4, you released three digital singles in Korea.  On your Instagram, you mentioned you were working on an album for your international fans.  How is that going?
It’s going good!  I actually got about three tracks done now.  I’m making tracks while touring, which is going very good in terms of progress.  I’m recording about two or three more as soon as I get back to New York.  My next album is going to feature several different artists.  Every track that I’ve done, apart from one, have a featured artist.  I want to bring more people into the game.  I want to put myself out too.  For the one track I’m rapping alone, I’m shooting a music video back in New York.  I’m pretty pumped for that.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDntfg9izyA/?taken-by=microdot


I’m actually going to put a few Korean songs in the upcoming album.  There’s going to be about 10 tracks total.  In this album, I’m really pouring out my English vocabulary, and concentrating on my Korean too.  Typically, my Korean tracks have a little bit of English, but this album is the other way around –  many tracks are mostly in English with a little bit of Korean.  It’s like a different perspective.  Also, I dropped a few songs on my Soundcloud channel since Show Me the Money 4.

I’ve just been building a lot of content.  I will be releasing my upcoming single ‘Hella Trill’ with the music video in early-May.  The music video was shot in Chicago, New York, and Japan, with extra filming in Korea.  The track will have a little bit of everything – electro dub-step, bumpy, West-coast hiphop.

Have you been reaching out to more international artists than Korean artists?
I’ve been reaching out to both.  I want to reach out to my “idols” but I don’t think I’m quite there yet, you know?  I want to get to a spot where I can reach out to them directly, without a middle person.  I guess I have to keep working hard to get there.  Back in Korea, I reached out to Dok2 again.  My brother Sanchez is probably going to be on the album too.  I’ve been waiting for Beenzino, but I think it’s going to take a while since he’s so busy.  I’ve reach out to Jessi too.

I recorded a track while I was in New Zealand over the nights with my high-school friends called Times x Two, so look out for that.


You’ve done shows in Japan, Australia, the United States, and now Canada.  What has been your favorite city so far?
So far, I’d have to say the hype was crazy in Melbourne.  Chicago and Japan was memorable too – the buzz, atmosphere and vibe was quite equal to each other.  In Chicago, the venue had to change on the day of the show due to unforeseen construction.  Shout-out to University of Illinois for finding another venue so quickly that day.  Everything worked out real good.  Sydney showed a lot of love too.

In terms of your performances, how does the Korean audience compare to your international audience?
Japan was the craziest… they showed crazy love.  I performed with Hanhae, Kisum, Yookjidam, and Kanto.  The performance experience was quite different than other countries.  I find that all my international audience show crazy love.


Let’s talk about “Downbad. Movement” Back in our July interview, you explained about the culture and movement.  Over the past year, I’ve noticed a lot more support from your fans and other artists.  How’s it going in your eyes?
“Downbad. Movement” is crazy.  It started from a clothing label with the meaning of physically wearing what you believe in.  A lot of people see that in me in just the way I act and from always representing it.  “Downbad.” is not a belief or something people follow, but more like what you represent, and how you portray yourself.  Clothing-wise, I’m going to be relaunching “Downbad.” internationally at the end of May.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEV85rdp-Rq/?taken-by=downbadlimited


Any other artists supporting the movement?
Black Nut, BewhY, my brother Sanchez… but I don’t want Downbad. to be over-emphasized in front of people like a brand.  If they like it, they can cop it.  That’s the thing: you don’t want to be shoved something at you and be forced to represent or be something you’re not, you know?  I feel like is has to be natural.  It’s not the fact that I am selfish and don’t want to give them away, but it’s the fact that, to me, the value of it is different.  You nurture it, you want to portray it, you want to respect it, represent it.  When it’s forced at you, you end up wearing it once and throw it away, you know?

https://www.instagram.com/p/8r_mPhiz72/?taken-by=microdot


And now for some light-hearted questions: in the Korean hiphop scene, who would give you the biggest run for your money in an arm wrestling competition?
That’s a good question!  Maybe Snacky Chan?  He’s a big guy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/wD1zmWh0NP/?taken-by=snackchizzel


How about Don Mills?
Yeah, Don Mills is a fighter.  B-Free (of HI-LITE Records) is a boxer.  I used to train in mixed martial art a bit, until I ran out of money *laughs* It’s fun.  It’s not the fact that you’re learning to beat someone up, but it’s the art of it, like music.  Different ways you can nurture your body, and the movement of it.  It’s pretty cool, I respect that.  Anyways, yeah, Don Mills is huge.  I saw him at the gym once when he was on film for ICON TV and he was real tall.  I feel like he could kick me in the head and I’d be done!

https://www.instagram.com/p/_6HTL5Fz0I/?taken-by=donmills1988


Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to go into fitness?
Fitness is a commitment.  You have to be obsessed with it.  It sounds really weird, but if you want to be successful in life, you have to be obsessed with driving yourself to work hard towards being successful.  In a similar manner, working out is the same way.  Have a goal, stick with it.  Commit yourself and stick with it.  The best motivation is results.

https://www.instagram.com/p/6d8Nc4iz4d/?taken-by=microdot


You’ve always been an artist that expressed independence.  Do you have any plans to join a label?
Nah.  But that being said, I’m working with Culture Think.  They act as my booking agency.  They purely work on my schedule, and nothing else.  As I mentioned before, I’m an independent artist.  If there are 8 slices to a pie, Culture Think would control one of them.  Being overseas so much, I can’t even answer phone calls and e-mail responses are delayed.  It’s about professionalism.  I learned these things through my experience as an artist.  I believed that it was time to take the next step to building my foundation that could control firmer in each segments.

Culture Think organize a lot of big shows such as the Rapbeat Show.  As an independent artist, I’ve been approached by managers and labels that have peaked and boomed.  But Culture Think is an organization that had consistency in their growth.  They helped a lot of artists in the game.  They gave me a shot to do shows before I even made it to the second round of Show Me the Money last season.  We are like family and loyalty is most important to me.  Working with like-minded people and keeping our eyes on the future as much as the present, with the greed in passion and success together.


Will you be performing at the next Rapbeat SHOW & NITE?
Yep.  On May 13 at the LOTTE Hotel in Seogongdong, Seoul City.


Any closing remarks as we wrap up the interview?
I’m dropping my new single ‘Hella Trill’ along with the music video in early May.  As an artist, I’m not ready to release consistent, one-channel music.  I always want to try variety.  My new album is going to have a lot of random stuff.  It should be good.  I’m always focused on my goals.  After Vancouver, I have a Toronto show next weekend, then shows in Los Angeles and San Francisco.  Within 2 months, I’ve performed in 4 countries, 9 states/provinces, and 12 international shows.  I’ve got to meet a lot of nice people.  Honestly, it’s like a dream come true.  I’ve always said it from the start that it was my goal to make it worldwide.

I read my comments online.  I do this for my fans as much as for myself.  If you want me to come, your city has to show me love.  I cannot make a show happen because one person asked online to come to their city.  There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work involved.  I’m not trying to disrespect, but that’s just how it is.  If you want to invite me to an international show, hit me up at microdot.mgmt@gmail.com.  I check my direct messages (DM) too.  I actually had a lot of shows set up through DM.  Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Downbad is launching at the end of May.

My new album may feature artist Wise from Teriyaki Boyz.  I grew up listening to their music, especially their tracks from “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” soundtrack.

Please support my brother Sanchez (aka Fassnakuh) on Show Me the Money 5.  He’s doing good.  We’ll see how it goes.  I can’t spoil it for the camera, so watch the show next month.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAwoGGBLq-l/?taken-by=fassnakuh


I’m looking forward to the Vancouver show tonight.  Shoutout to HiphopKR – you guys supported me since Day 1, literally.  I appreciate you coming to Vancouver!


 

Follow Microdot: [icon type=”facebook”] | [icon type=”instagram”] | [icon type=”soundcloud”] | [icon type=”twitter”] | [icon type=”youtube”]

Follow Astro Vancity: [icon type=”facebook”] | [icon type=”instagram”] | [icon type=”twitter”]

Follow HiphopKR: [icon type=”facebook”] | [icon type=”instagram”] | [icon type=”soundcloud”] | [icon type=”twitter”] | [icon type=”youtube”]

Hiphopplaya logo

Hiphopplaya Radio Returns: Ep0.5 Summary

Hiphopplaya Radio has returned with the new hosts Don Mills and Nucksal from the VMC crew.

Don Mills (left, minus the hair) and Nucksal (right) have become the new hosts of the radio, replacing the widely loved old members: B-Free and Huckleberry P.

Don Mills and Nucksal
Image taken from Don Mills’ Instagram

Introduction: After jokes of alcohol (apparently VMC members are hardcore drinkers) and casual congratulations from fellow members for their new positions, the two hosts lightly begin the radio show, saying that they are nervous but are determined to try their best to bring hiphop related content in a fun and enjoyable way. They say their nervousness comes from having no official script, running the risk of rambling/going off tangent but will try their best anyway. They ask the listeners to help them vote on a radio name. Some of the name candidates are “Hwangchi and Nuckchi” (the “Hwang” from Don Mills’ last name) and another cute name of “Timon and Pumbaa.”  As of now, it seems that “Hwangchi and Nuckchi” is leading the race- the official name will be announced soon!

Don Mills’ hiphop hustle: After the intro, the subject turns to Don Mill’s upbringing to be a rapper in Korea. After being raised in Canada and attending middle school, high school, and college there, Don Mills came to Korea. With a mixtape under his belt, then known as Hwangma K, he blindly visited hip hop record labels such as Illionaire, Hi-Lite, and Amoeba Culture- but no success. No one wanted Don Mills but the rapper Deepflow gave him a chance. Don Mills said Deepflow’s first impression of him was no good (because of his intimidating looks). But after seeing Don Mills perform live ‘88,’ Deepflow asked Don Mills to join VisMajor. Don Mills claim he was so happy he cried because it was his first major accomplishment since arriving in Korea. But his part-time job continued … (This led to lots of laughs.)

Don Mills featuring in Beenzino’s track: Another major incident the radio touched up on was how Don Mills came to feature in Beenzino’s Track ‘Mitch as F*ck’ (from Beenzino’s EP on iTunes). After Beenzino heard the track ’88,’ he wanted Don Mills to feature. Don Mills recalls talking to Beenzino face to face at a fancy studio in Hongdae and how it was “such an honor.” Beenzino even offered to give Don Mills a ride back home in his luxurious car but Don Mills politely declined the offer because his feet were too dirty for the car (more laughs). When it finally came to recording the track, Don Mills made some minor adjustments to his lyrics as Beenzino asked. Don Mills reveals that the “danghyunhaji (of course)” and “thank you” Don Mills shouts in Beenzino’s verse are in fact ad libs Don Mills came up with! Overall, he reminisces that working with Beenzino was much fun and a great honor. After recording the track, he went back home and continued with his part-time job …

Those are some conversations from this Hiphoplaya radio’s episode. This episode is just in audio for now, but video is also expected to be available in the future!

 

Related links:
Don Mills’ Instagram
Nucksal’s Instagram

Wutan - Gibberish (Feat. Nucksal) cover

Wutan releases new single ‘Gibberish (Feat. Nucksal)’

VMC’s Wutan has returned after one year with the single ‘Gibberish’.

As the title implies, the song is about meaningless rap lyrics. Wutan does not deny that he himself has written that kind of lyrics before and expresses his will to improve this aspect of his music. He also addresses groundless hateful comments online and the irrational society.
The track was produced by VMC’s producer TK and not only features VMC’s Nucksal but is also peppered with ad-libs by Don Mills.

The single has been released on Korean music portals on December 24.

Credits:
Produced by TK
Lyrics by Wutan, Nucksal
Arranged by TK
Mixed & mastered by Headbang Studio
Artwork by Rowdee

 

Related links:
Wutan’s InstagramiTunes, Twitter


Source: ROKHipHop