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Reasons why hip-hop music is popular

Posted August. 28, 2015 07:11,   

한국어

Hip-hop is the 21st century’s rock. Young music fans discussed about overseas rock bands, such as Pink Floyd, Metallica and Nirvana, in the 20th century’s elementary, middle and high schools. But young generations in the 21st century are talking about rappers such as Kendrick Lamar, Beenzino and Black Nut. Instead of electric guitars and amplifiers, they want big headphones, a turntable and a microphone.

How has hip-hop become the mainstream of music for young generation? Do the next generations have deep thirst that cannot be quenched by even powerful rock music? Pop music critic Seojeong Min-gap named texture and speed of the hip-hop music sound, which are in line with the 21st century society’s characteristics, as the first reason. “Young generations have different sense for the sound. The electric sound produced by a DJ in hip-hop music suits the taste of youngsters who got used to computer games’ background music or smartphones’ digital sound. This is the texture that rock or folk music cannot produce. Speed is another important factor for young people living in the era of gigabit Internet where enormous information is transmitted and viewed in an instant,” said the critic.

Korean hip-hop duo Garion’s member MC Meta was a "rock kid." “When I attended high school, I talked about the world’s top three guitarists with my friends. But when I first listened to hip-hop music, it opened a new world to me,” said MC Meta. “Some critics say hip-hop music originated from the poverty and resistance. But in fact, hip-hop was a new and cool music, full of swag, which could attract hearts of young people when it was born."

“In the 1980s and 90s, rock music was the only genre consumed by young music fans in Korea. Now, every idol group has one or two rappers and mass media deals with rappers. It is also convenient for rappers to perform as what they need to perform are only pre-recorded instrumental music CD and a microphone. When you see a list of performers for a university festival, rappers have replaced rock bands,” said MC Meta.

“Rap expresses anger and desires in the candid language," Seojeong Min-gap said. "Popularity of some rap songs with extremely destructive lyrics may reflect that our society is in a hysterical status where desires are not realized or achieved in a normal way.”



imi@donga.com