[OSEN Focus] WINNER and Rapper, SONG MIN HO’s Double-Sided Talents
[OSEN=최나영 기자] For SONG MIN HO, Mnet’s “Show Me the Money 4” is a turning point. It may be too early to judge after just 2 episodes, but SONG MIN HO is already said to be the strongest candidate.
We are not just saying it because one of the candidates, Black Nut, once rapped that “SONG MIN HO will win anyway.” SONG MIN HO even shaved his head to show the determination to unveil himself as a rapper rather than a member of WINNER. People did not pay much attention to him until episode 2. It can be safe to say that they would have actually been really impressed.
Powerful mid-tone voice and rapping with natural gestures emanate charisma, and the relaxed attitude that can control his emotion. He is sharp but witty when rapping, and he dominates any viewers, whether they be the judges, candidates or the viewers.
Black Nut’s lyrics have surely been sarcastic. But he had to raise his thumbs up as well. It is not surprising that the viewers want to see SONG MIN HO against Black Nut in the 1:1 Battle Matchup. There are many different ways to determine one’s rapping talent, but SONG MIN HO is indeed in the top 2.
SONG sent a poignant message to those candidates who talk about major and underground artists. “People are cautious of me. That ain’t work on me. I don’t eat meat. You talk about major and underground, and the more than half the judges here are major rappers.” With a bit of profanity he lectured those who stay vigilant of him just because he is a mainstream artist.
SONG MIN HO is an idol rapper. He raps for the group WINNER. He wasn’t an idol to begin with, but he is now one. “Show Me the Money” was criticized for having too many idols on the show. And SONG was in the center of it.
SONG is basically the symbol of all this hype. Every word of his rapping can affect the entire idol group. Last year BOBBY, the then trainee of YG Entertainment, changed this image in a much more positive way by becoming the champion of the season. Now SONG is here to abolish that barrier that divides mainstream rappers and underground ones.
The interesting part is that SONG is an idol that went through the underground period. Mino was his name as an underground artist, and he released a number of mixed tapes. He was getting ready to debut as one of Block.B members but for personal reasons he had to part of a ballad group. He failed many auditions and after many years of ordeal he finally joined YG. But still then he had to compete against Team B on a survival program called “WIN.” Only after then was he able to make a debut as WINNER.
Back then he said, “For this I wait for 3, 4 years. With worn-down t-shirt I still take the victory sword. Bottom’s up. One hand in the air. I stir the high-rising clouds. My vision is clearer than my sight. My head is filled with the scream of hundreds of people.”
His solo track “I’m Him” from WINNER’s first full album “WINNER 2014 S/S” spotlighted his talent as a rapper. “Rap in YG’s kitchen. You hungry MC’s just eat. You like this song you swallow it. But I’m raw. Flip it.” If you flip the word “raw” backwards, it’s “war.”
He is an idol rapper that cut across both mainstream and underground as a hip-hopper. This double-sided identity of SONG eliminates all the criticism for idol rappers. You can’t diss him so easily. Even if he doesn’t go through until the end, he will fill the void with his powerful rapper presence.
2015. 7. 9.
