Show me the money
Korea makes the best music shows. Most of them are competitions because it seems Koreans are still at war with everything, not just North Korea. (Fun facts : first rank education system in the world. First rank in students suicides too. And second to last productivity wise when they live the dream and get to work in a soulless company like Samsung. Yep, something is very wrong with this society). Oh shit, major sidetracking here…
WELL, back to music shows: Show me the Money (4th edition this year) is all about K-Rap / K-Hiphop. Usually the purpose of that kind of show is to find new talents but the TV ranking pressure says otherwise. So you have someone like Minho (aka Mino, Tagoon, Hugeboy Mino) in the cast, already successful as a member of Winner… a YG group formed… through a competition TV Show… (but the losers got to form iKon, YG is too good at recruiting trainees…).
So, for the semi-finals we have Minho, who’s rapping on lyrics he wrote himself, on music composed by Zico (Block B) – already a “star” himself – and featuring Taeyang, who already reached “god-like” status (at least in Asia) as a solo artist or as part of Bigbang. We’re quite far from discovering any new talent here. The result though, is pretty good. And that’s the point ➜ having at least one killer performance per episode. Well, they got two, since Basick, the main opponent, while “almost” truly an underground artist, invited Mamamoo on his perf. The hottest girl group since 2014 and the best at performing live these days, while SPICA is slacking…
I don’t know the results, I don’t give a shit about the show anyway, but I did hit replay quite a few times. Enjoy.
Song Minho (Winner) – Fear (Feat. Taeyang)
- Check the lyrics at the end of this post. You’ll understand that Minho didn’t get his breakthrough easily and the performance is much more meaningful.
- At 2min06, Taeyang (Bigbang) starts the slaying as the kids say these days… And stays back not to overshadow Minho’s perf. Smart stage planning.
- Very nice “I love you dad” moment @ 3min04
- Tablo goes “It’s a HIT” @ 3:42 – and he knows when it’s a hit… Mino was already featured in Tablo’s Epik High song “Born Hater”.
- Taeyang put the light on Minho again at the end, because it’s his job and he wants that kid to win.
(You can also watch a cut of this video with just the perf and no retarded “beeeeep” or a “studio” version.)
Basick & Mamamoo – Stand Up
The woman getting a lot of screen time is Basick’s wife.
You can find other videos of this perf like this studio recording version.
Black Nut & Jessi
Again, not really underground: Black Nut is part of San E and Verbal Jint’s team, who are already very successful. His (boring) rap is about the struggles of a rapper / artist. Classic shit. But damn that rap flow… Meh.
Anyway, that show already reached the Lee Hyori point, it’s pretty clear they aim for audience. It’s TV after all…
Fear’s Lyrics (source)
When I looked back I had come farther than I thought
I was all alone, and all of a sudden I feared
When I looked at myself, I didn’t know that I was exhausted
I was all alone, and all of a sudden I feared
You’re doing well
When you become confused, just like you’ve done so far, just go
Just do yourself, you know yourself
You practiced around a few thousand times
Broke down once or twice, now it’s nothing
Opportunity has always meant (you know it) standing up again at life’s crisis
You said you’re going on a trip to heaven, Quickly pack your suitcase
Don’t stop, you still have lots of work to do
Look at the photo of your parents who look after you
You’re your dongsaeng’s mirror as well as your family’s star
I musn’t sleep so that they can sleep comfortably
Hey you rtard, don’t be so obvious
Stand strong, I know, even if you’re lonely
You need to endure this
Are your tears falling, you bstard
Stop crying and raise it again, your responsibility
Eh when I didn’t want to see anything
I forced my eyes open because I just feared
It was because I suddenly became afraid eh oh
When I didn’t want to speak at all,
I purposedly raised my voice because
There is no other reason
I fear, I fear
I said it like a habit
“I always trust myself”
“There is no opponent”
But enemy was in my mirror
I must’ve lost my mind because of the continuous fight
I killed myself
My mom has become wary of me
To receive the attention of the public eh, to live inside a CCTV eh
I dug at one place to the point of death
The fact that this might become my grave scare me
Father, if you’re looking at me
Tell me the answer
I’m much too young and fragile to be an adult
I still don’t know the way
I know now that it hurts too much to keep hitting myself over something
Maybe it’s too late now
To just keep stupidly whipping
There are too many wounds that won’t close
Eh when I didn’t want to see anything
I forced my eyes open because I just feared
It was because I suddenly became afraid eh oh
When I didn’t want to speak at all,
I purposedly raised my voice because
There is no other reason
I fear, I fear
I keep getting afraid
I’m thankful for everything
Ignoring my religion
From the corrupted directors who tried to use this boy 6 years ago
To my current agency that rescued me
For the numerous contestants who allowed this stage
For my uncle in heaven who taught me how men live
For my family, my shoulders
Even my members who are like brothers
I’ll receive consolation just until today and
From tomorrow, I’ll be mature instead of being a coward
Love ya
Eh when I didn’t want to see anything
I forced my eyes open because I just feared
It was because I suddenly became afraid eh oh
When I didn’t want to speak at all,
I purposedly raised my voice because
There is no other reason
I fear, I fear
I keep getting afraid