AOMG: How this South Korean hip-hop label founded by Jay Park signed GOT7’s Yugyeom

WHAT DOES KOREAN HIP-HOP BRING TO THE GLOBAL HIP-HOP SCENE?

Honestly, we used to think that we were just imitating American hip-hop, but now I believe that K-hip-hop is leading the way. Beyond K-hip-hop, there’s also K-fashion and freedom and I believe the biggest contribution is the fusion of K-idol music and K-hip-hop.

RECENTLY, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN K-POP ARTISTES AND K-HIP-HOP ARTISTES. WHAT DO YOU FORESEE FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS TREND?

I think it’s a good thing. I see both idols and hip-hop rappers as musicians. Since there’s mutual respect, this kind of fusion is happening. We plan to continue collaborating with idol groups and hip-hop musicians moving forward.

SOME BELIEVE THAT K-POP IDOLS WHO RAP AREN’T TRUE RAPPERS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS?

Oh, not all of them. Some are really good, and some are not as good. Even for the talented ones, when they have to follow the direction set by the company, it can feel a bit manufactured. Personally, I think the distinction between ‘rap’ and ‘hip-hop’ has disappeared nowadays. So, I appreciate the freedom they have to express themselves.

HOW DOES K-HIP-HOP INFLUENCE K-POP? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE IMPACT THAT ORIGINALLY HIP-HOP-FOCUSED ARTISTES SUCH AS BTS AND BIGBANG HAVE HAD ON K-POP?

It’s an essential element. Regardless of whether it’s a five-member or four-member idol group, I feel that without rap, the music lacks a certain level of completeness. So, some people who were doing hip-hop also auditioned for idol groups and ended up joining them.

Also, it’s about “coolness,” you know?

Hip-hop has that “coolness” that comes from fashion and freedom. The fact that rappers became idols also contributed to the growth of K-pop. Without that aspect, K-pop wouldn’t have grown as much.

ARE THERE PLANS TO PRODUCE MORE REALITY SHOWS? HAS SIGNHERE HELPED IN DISCOVERING NEW ARTISTES?

The reason we did [Signhere] wasn’t just for AOMG to scout talent. We created the programme to provide more opportunities for people. We signed the winner, Sogumm, but that wasn’t the main goal. It was actually about furthering the development of hip-hop culture. We did it because we wanted to broaden this culture.