Zion.T

Crush

Jazz is the Root of Everything: A SXSW Interview with Crush

Since his debut in 2014, Crush has been an artist in demand. During his first visit to SXSW, HiphopKR had the opportunity to chat with the artist about his musical influences and his future.

One of the more rewarding aspects of my job is being able to crack open the artistry of those I interview. The origins of an artist’s passion, what compels him to drive his craft forward, is truly fascinating. When you pick apart the pieces of someone’s musical history, you begin to understand and dissect the intricacies of their sound, giving each listen of their discography new dimension and insight.

Crush is an artist whom I’ve wanted to sit down and chat with for the past few years. Since his debut album, 2014’s “Crush On You”, he’s been an artist in demand. Not only does his vocal color attract the masses, his unique approach to his music, backed by a lifetime of musical theory and appreciation, has made him one of the more respected producers in the business. High-profile friends/collaborators with the likes of DEAN, ZICO, and Zion.T have certainly amplified his visibility. With his first visit to SXSW in 2018’s Korea Spotlight, it’s obvious that his popularity sees no signs of diminishing.

“I think a cultural festival like this is quite good, and it would be great to have a similar cultural music festival in Korea as well,” he says of his first Southby experience. Something you notice as soon as you meet him, he’s incredibly unassuming. Though he’s all flirtatious bravado when he’s on stage, in person Crush brandishes humility almost like a suit of armor. This isn’t what I suspect could be years of culture and upbringing. The man is dedicated to his music and making it speak for him.

His time in Austin and its renowned festival is short-lived. He laments not being able to see any artists during his stay because of the quick turnaround he has to make right after his performance: “I have to leave tomorrow morning. Yesterday I didn’t see anyone because I was sleeping the whole day due to jet lag. I wanted to see Khalid but couldn’t.” Adjusting to the time difference can be quite jarring, especially if the very next day you’re slated to put on a show. It’s no wonder his expression at first is subconsciously guarded–not trying to keep anyone out, but trying to keep himself present.

He carries a serious look in our first few moments of introduction, speaking almost exclusively in Korean (though he does understand English quite well). But something in him sparks to life when we begin to truly delve into what makes him who he is. When we peel back the layers of the Crush persona–a moniker he admits to have adorned because it was cooler than his birth name–and dig deep within the musical narrative of Shin Hyo-seob.

During his Crush On You Tour (2016), he got the chance to perform at NYC’s legendary Birdland Jazz Club, home to performances from the likes of Miles Davis, Count Basie, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, and of course Charlie “Bird” Parker. Being able to step foot on stage, walking in the tracks of legends, must have been a humbling and exhilarating experience for the young jazz-head.

“At that time, I actually had nothing scheduled at Birdland. It was no official performance that day. The thing is, I like Chet Baker a lot. I love jazz, and I heard that Birdland was the first venue Chet Baker performed at. That’s why I went to check it out, and it turned out to be open mic that day. So I spontaneously jammed to Chet Baker’s ‘I’ve Never Been In Love Before.’ I was very happy and proud. There were no Koreans in the crowd. Everyone was just there to hang out, and the experience inspired me a lot.”

Crush’s musical knowledge is frightening. He has the sort of history with music that makes the scope of what he does simply staggering. All one need do is take a quick perusal of his SoundCloud to see that. More particularly, his relationship with jazz informs his musicianship. When we begin to explore his love affair of the genre, suddenly his entire visage changes, his posture becomes more relaxed, and there’s so much brightness in his baritone.

“Originally, I was inspired by neo soul music: Donny Hathaway, Maxwell, D’Angelo, Raphael Saadiq. I got into jazz when I was around twenty years old. I started out playing the jazz piano. The more I knew, the more I began to think that jazz was the ultimate form of music, it was the root of everything. When I was feeling down and having a hard time, jazz comforted me greatly. It healed my soul. So I [listen to it] a lot recently.

“Especially, I love West Coast jazz, Cool Jazz. You know, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane. I especially like their music.”

Anyone who frequents his Instagram will notice his deep affinity for Chet Baker. It’s something like a long-distance musical relationship. Just mentioning his name and what the legendary artist does for him elicits a deep sigh. “First of all, I love his voice. His voice is already very captivating, and on top of that he plays the trumpet. There are many other jazz trumpet players, but something about Chet Baker set him apart from them and drew me to him.

“So these days I’m even looking into his life. I’m going to visit LA soon, and there I’ll visit the neighborhood he lived in, I think it’s Glendale, and I heard that he is buried in Inglewood. I plan to go there too.” Crush’s desire to get in touch with the artist of his greatest adulation extends to his own musical education: “I am also thinking of learning the trumpet soon.” As I have a brother who plays the saxophone and has taught himself pretty much every brass instrument, this knowledge makes me especially giddy.

Crush has an ear for the genre that suffuses every aspect of his own music. From the elegant signature changes in “Woo-Ah” (reminiscent of Dave Brubeck’s narrative layering), to the more traditionally composed tracks from “Wonderlust“, Crush explores the twists, turns, and unexpected energy of jazz. He makes intricate usage of improvisation and intelligent experimentation, which speaks volumes to his jazz education. “That’s right, exactly,” he says with an easy, natural smile. It may be something that people miss in his more popular R&B-focused tracks.

There’s such heavy jazz inspiration in his music, especially his most recent releases, I’m curious to know if this is a path he intends to follow in the future. “I am going to have that [jazz] feeling more often from now on. However, these days I also enjoy using the original R&B and Soul I like as a base. I want to see how all these genres work together, how they ‘mix and match’.”

“So basically, I wanna see collaborations with Maxwell, Jazmine Sullivan,” I say, only halfway kidding. He laughs along, but it’s easy to see his mind racing with the possibilities. Someone as fascinated with fusing genres as he is must always be thinking in terms of the next avenue for his creativity. (So if you’re reading this, Maxwell or Jazmine, there’s a Korean artist out there who’d love to work with you.)

It’s this musicality that I fell in love with. His attention to detail and his intellect as a musician stopped me in my tracks. “Crush On You” dropped very early on in my exploration of Korean music, so I wasn’t expecting to come face-to-face, so to speak, with bits of my own childhood. Creeping in toward the tail-end of the album “Friday? (Friday-yah)” goes into what I assumed was an improvised riff of the Earth, Wind & Fire sleeper classic “Beijo (Brazilian Rhyme)”. Having a father whose existence at one point was wrapped up in the jazz-funk genius of this legendary band, I was shocked. The vocal sample quite literally knocked the wind out of me. It was at that time that I knew I had to talk to him. To find out what made this man tick.

Crush is a student of music, the quintessential artist’s artist. Though he’s still working on getting his degree in music composition, even taking a moment to lament the fact he’s not been able to focus as fully as he’d like on the pursuit, it’s his own work with the medium that propels him rather than his studies. “Yes, actually, on my own, in high school I read up a lot [on music], listened to a lot [of music] and practiced the piano. That helped me much more [than university].” He uses everything he’s ever learned and applies it to his craft, creating a discography that’s as layered and nuanced as the man himself. But, of course, what else would one expect from a man who very liberally uses rare grooves and interludes from Earth, Wind & Fire as the foundation for his music?

It’s an interesting dichotomy, going to school for something you’ve always loved, something that’s enriched your life from childhood, versus allowing your history with a certain medium dictate your growth. Coming from a background in poetry, I was constantly confronted with that question of whether or not classes stifled one’s creativity rather than enhanced it. It’s a question Crush finds intriguing as well. But we don’t dwell on it. (We only have thirty minutes together, after all.)

At this point in our conversation, I can’t help but wonder what artists he’s always dreamed of working with. Obviously his list of collaborators is rich and extensive, a who’s who of Korean talent who’ve shaped and molded his sound and given fans much to pine after.

He’s a part of several collectives himself, most prominent among these club eskimo (with DEAN, producer Millic, vocalists MISO and Rad Museum, and group offonoff) and Fanxy Child (also with DEAN and Millic, and including rappers ZICO and Penomeco). Fans often still wonder about his work with VV:D, a group of kindred musical spirits that includes rapper LOCO, R&B artist Elo, and long-time friend Zion.T: “Everyone’s doing good, everyone’s busy. We’re not seeing much of each other. Everything’s cool [though].” However, at the moment there aren’t any projects in the works.

More recently, he was pictured with producer/artists Pharrell Williams and Tyler the Creator. Fans were all aquiver with the prospect. Though the trio did meet at Williams’s studio in LA, he’s hesitant to disclose if there’s a potential project brewing there as well. “I don’t know yet. It was a great opportunity and we had a good talk.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeKYBxjnMVw/?taken-by=crush9244

Even with his seemingly endless list of musical acquaintances and friends, it’s interesting to hear him talk about the artists he’s always dreamed of working with. Once I take Chet Baker off the table, the question becomes a bit more complicated. “There are quite many,” he says after a moment’s hesitation. He’s lost in thought, the possibilities dancing like stars in front of his eyes. His interpreter hands him a lifeline, telling him to choose three. After another couple seconds Crush says, “You know PJ Morton?” The answer is an emphatic yes, and much like he was trapped in a fantasy, so do I begin to imagine the power behind that collaboration.

He pauses once more, then, “Robert Glasper.” I almost weep at the idea. Just then a bit of that on-stage tease reveals itself, because he smirks at my elation. (I wear my emotions openly when it comes to music, so it’s actually quite easy to get a reaction from me.)

He then goes in for the kill: “Quincy Jones.” I clutch at imaginary pearls and applaud. I’ve got to hand it to him. If I wasn’t sure of his musical pedigree, I’d certainly be convinced in this moment. There’s more Jazz Man in him than the R&B maven he’s made himself out to be.

He’s all smiles at this point. “You seem to know a lot about me,” he says. To my surprise he asks me who my favorite jazz artists are. Just like his fight to choose a select few, I too struggle. I posit, “New- or old-school?” There’s almost a challenge in his eye, as if he’s trying to really test me to see if my love of the genre is all talk. I rattle off a few names: Al Jarreau, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Coltrane, Ella, Sarah Vaughan. I delve into newer proponents of the genre: Amy Winehouse (to which both he and his interpreter breathe out a sigh rich in both admiration and a ubiquitous loss that fans of the songstress still feel years after her passing); Robert Glasper. I question whether he knows an artist named José James.

“Oh,” he proclaims, a baritone note that comes from a place of deep respect for a fellow artist. “Promise in Love!” he says with a clap of recognition, again his smile is honest and bright. “I’m actually getting in touch with José James these days,” he reveals.

I then mention KING, and it takes him a moment. After a few seconds of sorting out what I’m actually saying, his eyes come alive, “Oh yeah! The three girls?” More of that enchanting smile. More of that open and honest excitement. He mentions their song “Hey,” to which we share a couple seconds where we both sing the chorus.

He seems to share my inability to keep emotions stifled when excited. There’s pure elation on his face, a smile that’s been ever-present since beginning on the road of revealing our favorite artists. He’s spoken more English than I’m sure he even realizes, affording us the chance to have an honest-to-goodness conversation about the journey he’s taken with his craft and its destination.

Alas, even the most inspiring conversations must eventually come to an end. Crush is, however, quite generous. He shares plans for his music and his upcoming releases. “A single will come out in May [2018]. It will contain songs with jazzy vibes and many songs influenced by ’90s R&B music.” Though he doesn’t reveal who, he hints at possible collaborations.

We end our conversation with Crush giving a few words to his adoring fans:

“Hello! First of all, I’m here at a wonderful concert, a great stage, a great place, and it’s an honor to greet the readers of HiphopKR. Please look forward to my upcoming album!”

We’ve come full circle. What first got me truly intrigued with Crush and his vast musical knowledge finds its way into one of his latest singles, “be by my side”. He’s more directly and concretely incorporated his jazz inclinations into his own music: adding Band Wonderlust to his team; composing music with a closer link to the classical jazz of his upbringing. We’ve ended our interview the same way it began–a shy smile and a handshake.

 

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Interview conducted by Andrew, Cy
Written by Cy
Edited by Lena

Producer performances (screenshots)

Show Me the Money 5 – HiphopKR Recap (Episode 5)

Check out our exclusive recap of “Show Me the Money 5” Episode 4: Revival (aired on June 10)… Warning: Spoilers ahead!


After the completion of round 3 preliminary auditions (1 vs. 1 battle), the producers reflect on the matches. Producers discuss their disappointment in certain contestants who were dropped from the round:

  • Dok2: Junoflo (“It’s too bad that he was eliminated immediately after he flew to Korea from LA”)
  • Zion.T & Kush: Woo Taewoon (scene cuts to Woo Taewoon asking if there is a revival round)

There is an anticipation (almost an expectation) by contestants that Season 5 will have a revival round for those who were eliminated in round 3.  However, both the producers and MNET staff reiterates that there is no revival rounds this season.


Rapper Shim Hyeji is selected to choose her opponent for the 1 vs. 1 battle.  Initially, she wanted to choose a “powerful” opponent, but changed her mind when she found out about Miss LA who agreed to fly from Los Angeles last minute (due to Legendary TeMo dropping out of the show – see our Episode 3 recap for more information).

ep5-1Producer Simon Dominic asks contestant Shim Hyeji if she had any trouble preparing for this round with Miss LA.  We soon find out that this is the case due to the obvious language barrier between the two.  The two contestants use Dok2’s beat ‘Still On My Way‘ for their battle.  Following the performance, the producers immediately praise Miss LA for her natural performance (Dok2: “What if Miss LA wins first place on Show Me the Money 5?“).  Kush compares this rap battle (American vs. Non-American) with the Korean martial art Tae Kwon-Do (how Koreans are “naturally” better at Tae Kwon-Do)…  Kush further clarifies that Miss LA’s rhythm and power in her verse triumphed the Korean contestant.  Miss LA makes it to the next round.


The next battle is between Donutman and Bray.  Once again, the producer team jokes about Donutman resembling a Wing Chun martial artist (see our Episode 2 recap for more information).  The producers are impressed with Donutman’s effortless and clean performance.  Donutman makes it to the next round.

ep5-2


The third pair featured on this episode was selected by producer The Quiett during round 1 preliminary auditions: Kim Hyo-eun and Kim Tae-jung.  As Kim Hyo-eun spits his verse, the producers complement his unique [deep] voice.  The producers appear to be unimpressed as the second contestant begins his verse with the words “I kill you.”  Producer Gil states that Kim Tae-jung’s diss verse was like “someone pretending to be good at fighting who actually doesn’t know how to fight.”  Rapper Kim Hyo-eun makes it to the next round.

ep5-3


The next segment features two of the most anticipated artists of this season: CJAMM and BewhY.  For the past 2 weeks, MNET strategically edited their clips to deceive the viewers into thinking that the two were paired up for the 1 vs. 1 battle (i.e., one of the artists will be eliminated):


However, we soon find out that CJAMM and BewhY are paired NOT with each other, but with Paek Minhyuk and JDUB.

ep5-4CJAMM notes that he met BewhY back in their first year of high-school (back when BewhY “didn’t even know what rhyme meant”).  CJAMM confidently states that he could beat BewhY in a rap battle.  BewhY mentions that he wants to meet and battle CJAMM during the final rounds of Show Me the Money 5.

You can check out their (uncut, unedited) cypher battles below:


BEWHY vs. JDUB


CJAMM vs. PAEK MINHYUK


Following their performances, the producers continue to state that “[CJAMM and BewhY] are not contestants, but are hiphop artists that are just having fun on the show.”  Zion.T notes that he was impressed with CJAMM’s humorous performance, specifically when he fell on his back (showing that he doesn’t conform to the standards, and that he is so skilled as a rapper that he can perform just as good on his back).  Mad Clown states that BewhY’s performance was “shocking” and was the best verse out of the entire roster of round 3 contestants.  Bewhy and CJAMM makes it to the next round.ep5-5


At this point, there are 21 (out of ~9000 contestants) remaining in the preliminary auditions.  This episode focuses on the producer performances by the following teams:

  • Team 1LLIONAIRE (Dok2 & The Quiett)
  • Team AOMG (Simon Dominic & GRAY)
  • Team YG (Zion.T & Kush)
  • Team ??? (Gil, Mad Clown)

Following these performances, the contestants can place their vote and rank the performances (from best to worst).  To put it simply, the contestants become the judges and the producers become the contestants.ep5-6


During the rehearsals, The Quiett and Dok2 commends Team AOMG for their preparation for their performance (notably the Simon Dominic cash).

dok2 eye infection

The Quiett mentions that they didn’t prepare anything special for the show and that they will perform as they always have been in the past.  Dok2 states, “the contestants can join our team if they like our rap.”  The only special equipment the duo brings to the stage is their signature white microphone that they use during their performances:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGe-iKRlejL/?taken-by=thequiett


On the other hand, Team GIL and Mad Clown are nervous about their stage performance.  Gil states that he is envious of Team Illionaire: “They’ve always performed together.  This will be the first time Mad Clown and I will be on stage as a duo.”  The rehearsal shows that they invited Heize [and later on, Jung-in] to join their performance.    The Quiett adds that “Mad Clown is a huge fan of LEESSANG (Gil’s hip-hop group). The “clown” in Mad Clown stems from the LEESSANG track ‘광대 (CLOWN)’:


Zion.T mentions that Gil and Mad Clown’s performance is a medley of hit tracks.  In contrast, Team YG will be performing a series of unreleased, brand new songs.  The duo invites fellow YG member and previous Show Me the Money contestant MINO as a featured artist.

ep5-8


Check out their FULL and UNCUT performances:

Zion.T & Kush:


Dok2 & The Quiett:


Simon Dominic & GRAY:


Gil & Mad Clown:


Following the producer stage performances, the contestants meet back at the headquarters to continue the program.  They are told that, unlike the previous seasons, the team selection process is completely different: both the contestant and producer(s) must select each other (i.e., stand behind the door) in order to be “matched” as a team. If the two parties do not match, the contestant will not be able to join the producer team.

ep5-9 final


Before the team selection process, the producer teams are shown the results for their performance:

  1. Zion.T and Kush (9 out of 21 votes) (=10 chances)
  2. Gil and Mad Clown (6 votes) (=8 chances)
  3. Dok2 and The Quiett (4 votes) (=6 chances)
  4. Simon Dominic and GRAY (2 votes) (=4 chances)

Based on the above ranking, the producer team will have a certain number of chances to “match” with the contestant in question.  Refer to the following list for the results:

  • CJAMM
    • Chose Team YG
    • Chosen by Team YG and Team Gil/Mad Clown
    • = matched with Team YG
  • Flowsik
    • Chose Team Illionaire
    • Chosen by Team Illionaire
    • = matched with Team Illionaire
  • Seo Chul Goo
    • Chose Team YG
    • Was NOT chosen by any team
    • Match failed
  • Sanchez
    • Chose Team Illionaire
    • Was NOT chosen by any team
    • Match failed
  • Miss LA
    • Chose Team Illionaire
    • Was NOT chosen by any team
    • Match failed
  • Donutman
    • Chose Team Illionaire
    • Was NOT chosen by any team
    • Match failed
  • Hash Swan
    • Chose Team YG
    • Chosen by Team AOMG
    • Match failed
  • Boy B
    • Chose Team Mad Clown & Gil
    • Chosen by Team Mad Clown & Gil
    • = matched with Team Mad Clown & Gil
  • G2
    • Chose Team AOMG
    • Chosen by Team AOMG and Team YG
    • = matched with Team AOMG
  • Superbee
    • Chose Team Illionaire
    • Chosen by Team Illionaire
    • = matched with Team Illionaire
  • Kim Hyo-eun
    • Chose Team Illionaire
    • Chosen by Team Illionaire
    • = matched with Team Illionaire
  • ONE
    • Chose Team AOMG
    • Chosen by Team YG
    • Match failed
  • Sharp Gun
    • Matched with Gil & Mad Clown
  • Day Day (David Kim)
    • Matched with Team AOMG
  • Reddy
    • Chose Team YG
    • Chosen by Team YG
  • Killagramz
    • Chose Team YG
    • Chosen by Team YG
    • Matched with Team YG
  • myunDo
    • Matched with Team Illionaire
  • BewhY
    • To be continued in the next episode!

In summary:

  • Team Illionaire: Kim Hyo-eun, Superbee, MyunDo and Flowsik
  • Team AOMG: G2 and David Kim
  • Team Gill & Mad Clown: Boy B and Sharp Gun
  • Team YG: Reddy and CJAMM

ep5-10


Did you enjoy reading our weekly recap of Show Me the Money 5? Please let us know on our social media channels for us to determine whether we should continue the series or not. Thank you!

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