When I first heard that AOMG, a Korean hip hop label, was launching a girl group, I was honestly surprised, but also excited. Since they’re a company that has specialized in hip hop and rap for years and has been home to some of Korea’s most respected rappers, I expected both the music and the members’ skills to be solid. At the same time, I felt it might be bad news for a group like Young Posse, which also bases its identity around hip hop. This might sound harsh, but I felt the members’ rap skills were lacking compared to established rappers. I wondered whether they could really compete if a group doing “real” hip hop came along. I’m not saying they’re lacking as idols. I just don’t think they’re at the level where you would say they’re truly specialized as rappers in the same way professional rappers are. (For example, one of the members, Jeong Sunhye, received criticism from Korean hip hop fans after an underwhelming performance on Show Me the Money last year.)
But after Keyveatz started releasing music and I listened to their album, that opinion completely changed. As expected, the members’ rap performances were solid, and I thought the songs were very well made. At the same time, I realized they simply didn’t feel very K-pop to me. Young Posse also builds its identity around hip hop, and personally I still think rapping is their weaker point. Even so, their music and overall aura still have something that feels distinctly K-pop. That made me realize there’s a certain K-pop quality that can’t simply be explained by specific musical elements alone. It’s something I don’t really feel from Keyveatz, but I do feel from Young Posse, and I think that’s one of their biggest strengths.
It’s difficult for me to explain exactly what that quality is. It almost feels like Keyveatz’s music, style, and overall presentation were recreated without really going through the process of being adapted into K-pop. That’s the closest I can come to describing it. I’m curious whether anyone else had a similar reaction, and I’d also like to hear from people who disagree.
submitted by /u/Wonderful-Expert8084
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