5.26.2009

Korean Music Awards 2008-2009 (part 4)

최우수 힙합(앨범) Best Hip Hop(Album)
버벌진트 [누명]
Verbal Jint [Imputation]

: Since he released his debut EP in 2000, Verbal Jint(VJ) has built his reputation in Korean Hip Hop scene with his extraordinary talent. Yet his straightfoward lyrics were controversial and created lots of anti-VJ fans. Ironically, these opponents contributed VJ's best album in 2008. As to say, VJ saw the criticism of him as an 'imputation' and he used his anger, frustration and despair as an artistic inspiration and made an art piece,
Imputation. It is organically constructed with constant narration and plot and based on analogue sound from live performance rather than strong hip hop sound. VJ sometimes spits out harsh criticism to 'rookies' of korean hip hop and sometimes he reveals his affection for hip hop in this album. He sounds convincing since his words are rational and at the same time emotional. Following his self-reflective lyrics, hip hop under the imputation is no longer a 'hip hop' but becoming a 'music'. With this album, VJ takes off imputation not only on himself but also on Korean hip hop.

최우수 힙합(노래) Best Hip Hop(Song)
다이나믹듀오 '어머니의 된장국(Ft.Ra.D)'
DynamicDuo 'Mother's Bean-paste soup(Ft.Ra.D)'

: Super rookies have appeared with brilliant rap skills and lyrics in Korean hip hop scene, yet still they cannot compete with DynamicDuo(DD): the ability to catch the theme from daily life and transform it into clever rhyme. These brilliant two have proved that with Korean language they can rap rhythmically sonce they were part of CB Mass. They have made lyrics with various topics such as their faith in hip hop, social issues, our daily lives and love between man and woman. DD overcame a slump and made their fourth album [Last Days]. A track from this album '
Mother's Bean-paste soup' consists of DD's strength points. As a grownup, if you've ever had a hartime in your life, you could easily sympathize with this song. Additionally, Ra.D's minimalistic composition and sampling of food-cutting and soup-boiling sound add fun and completeness of the song. Especially, DD solved usual problem of Korean hip hop which is lack of simple and catchy chorus lines.

최우수 알앤비&소울(음반) Best R&B & Soul(Album)
태양 [Hot]
TaeYang [Hot]

: Big Bang's arrival was sensational. (Big Bang is a Korean pop idol) People expected them as a 'Black music idol' since they called their music style as hip hop and R&B. Yet, with mega hit track 'Lies', their music has sounded less and less black and listeners started to miss their original black sound. Regarding this circumstances, TaeYang was the first one among Big Bang members to release solo albumt. He was thought to be musically and physically most close to black music and he fulfilled this view with his album filled with black music satisfying listeners. The strength of this album is that 'well-done re-appropriation of mainstream American R&B'. Some might question the value of reproduction. Yet if you realize that we cannot ignore western music, you would appreciate the re-appropriation based on sincere understanding of R&B not just copying. TaeYang proved his passion and effort for black music with this album.

최우수 알앤비&소울(노래) Best R&B & Soul(Song)
태양 '나만 바라봐'
TaeYang 'Look Only at Me'

: Not many people can question the winner of the Best R&B song, 'Look Only at Me'. The success of Look Only at Me is not only based on Tae Yang's fame as an idol singer, but its clever mixture of well-refined flow from mainstream American R&B and familiar Korean pop tune. Look Only at Me was a song targeted public and trend. Its popularity among public and critics results from overcoming the inferiority complex of Korean R&B and approaching to R&B as a pop.

Best Jazz and Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture or Television will follow in part 5!

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