Junoflo and The Deli
One of the highlights of SXSW was to see the plethora of hip hop artists from around the world. And this was quite a shift for SXSW considering there is usually a heavier focus on rock music or related genres. But this shift in music content for SXSW only reflects a shift in the way we listen to music in the US. And one of the cool things about the music festival this year, is that we got to hear hip hop and rap from all around the world. Previously I spoke about a group of rappers out of China. Well today, we are shifting to another part of the world. Today is all about Korean-American rapper, Junoflo.
Junoflo started out on the South Korean rap show called Show Me The Money. Now I have to admit, I think this is one of the coolest things ever. We have shows like The Voice and American Idol, which focus primarily on singing capabilities. But Show Me The Money is all about whether or not you can spit bars, and if you can, how well can you do it. Needless to say, Junoflo is a man who knows exactly what he is doing. And he has made impressive jumps in the music industry in a short time. He has worked with some of the biggest producers in South Korea, including Tiger JK, who is considered one of the founders of Korean hip hop.
His success is incredible to see, and I appreciate that part of this journey is rooted in his bilingualism. Despite growing up in the States, Junoflo still raps in both English and Korean. This concept isn't something we see from a lot of popular Western artists. The trend of bringing in native languages and mother tongues has only grown in prominence within the past few months for mainstream music. But outside of that massive spotlight and image of mainstream radio, bringing cultural elements to the music is something which is not unusual. In this track especially there is this beautiful ebb and flow which happens as Junoflo glides into one language and picks up the other. There is a balance and exceptional flow associated with the way Junoflo has written his lyrics, part of which is due to the nature of bilingual rapping.
One thing that really struck a chord with me, is the reason rap and hip hop drew him in. Jazz was one of the sparks which lit the fire for Junoflo. Rap and hip hop are two genres of music which owe much of their sound to jazz. We get to hear the lush sound of jazz all throughout Junoflo's music. It isn't enough for him to have heavy beats and thrumming bass, characteristics which are popular in modern rap. For Junoflo, there is a greater sense of artistry and a unique desire to create something which is above ordinary (AOMG shoutout!). Junoflo's EP as a whole is a magnificent work of art, as it is a transcendent message about the status of the human experience. The set of tracks associated with Junoflo's latest release, is all about describing the multiple facets of the human experience. Emotions, hardships, heartaches. The euphoria, happiness, contentment. Junoflo takes us on a journey of how he has experienced humanity. The artistic concept is simply brilliant, and there is a wonderful cleverness, even a bit cheeky at times, which comes with his music.
So let's talk about this song! From the moment the track starts, we hear that jazzy vibe set the tone. The entire musicality of the song is actually rooted in this jazz melody, with hip hop elements layering and weaving in and out of that classic sound. The main source of this hip hop influence is through the percussion, beat, and rhythm of the song. And set to this solid beat, is a free form jazz piano which brings us some smooth and effortless jazz vibes. During the interludes we even get the most necessary instrument of all- a sexy saxophone. This song brings everything we love about modern lounge jazz, and throws in a little bit of a genre spin to gives us a place to chill out while also listening to rap. Junoflo embodies that chillhop kind of sound which is gaining a lot more traction. And he performs it with complete grace and authenticity. He oozes that confidence and charm which is necessary to effectively pull off tracks like this. Not to mention, his rhymes are absolutely on point and perfectly crafted to give us a taste of both Korean and English bars.
One thing I want to point out, is that this track is one of may which Junoflo has put out. He has explored the spectrum of sounds, vibes, and moods which are associated with the specific soundscape he wants to create. There are some tracks which are more rap heavy and faster paced, and there are other tracks which have more of a slow R&B focus. Junoflo gives us the opportunity to test out his musical range and decide what we like. This is an Asian American rapper who is not only on the rise, but is helping bring down the barriers to get into the music industry. Keep watching him, because Junoflo is going to be a name everyone knows.
Today's instrumental song is along the same lines as the mood of the first song. Sometimes you need some jazz to relax and unwind. This is exactly the kind of atmosphere we get with this song by The Deli. The song itself is just so wholesome, giving us everything we could want on a relaxing night in. Whether you use it as study beats or just want something nice to hear in the background of your life, this track is just perfect. We get the jazz piano and a hip hop based drum beat. What else could we want? I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!
Junoflo started out on the South Korean rap show called Show Me The Money. Now I have to admit, I think this is one of the coolest things ever. We have shows like The Voice and American Idol, which focus primarily on singing capabilities. But Show Me The Money is all about whether or not you can spit bars, and if you can, how well can you do it. Needless to say, Junoflo is a man who knows exactly what he is doing. And he has made impressive jumps in the music industry in a short time. He has worked with some of the biggest producers in South Korea, including Tiger JK, who is considered one of the founders of Korean hip hop.
His success is incredible to see, and I appreciate that part of this journey is rooted in his bilingualism. Despite growing up in the States, Junoflo still raps in both English and Korean. This concept isn't something we see from a lot of popular Western artists. The trend of bringing in native languages and mother tongues has only grown in prominence within the past few months for mainstream music. But outside of that massive spotlight and image of mainstream radio, bringing cultural elements to the music is something which is not unusual. In this track especially there is this beautiful ebb and flow which happens as Junoflo glides into one language and picks up the other. There is a balance and exceptional flow associated with the way Junoflo has written his lyrics, part of which is due to the nature of bilingual rapping.
One thing that really struck a chord with me, is the reason rap and hip hop drew him in. Jazz was one of the sparks which lit the fire for Junoflo. Rap and hip hop are two genres of music which owe much of their sound to jazz. We get to hear the lush sound of jazz all throughout Junoflo's music. It isn't enough for him to have heavy beats and thrumming bass, characteristics which are popular in modern rap. For Junoflo, there is a greater sense of artistry and a unique desire to create something which is above ordinary (AOMG shoutout!). Junoflo's EP as a whole is a magnificent work of art, as it is a transcendent message about the status of the human experience. The set of tracks associated with Junoflo's latest release, is all about describing the multiple facets of the human experience. Emotions, hardships, heartaches. The euphoria, happiness, contentment. Junoflo takes us on a journey of how he has experienced humanity. The artistic concept is simply brilliant, and there is a wonderful cleverness, even a bit cheeky at times, which comes with his music.
So let's talk about this song! From the moment the track starts, we hear that jazzy vibe set the tone. The entire musicality of the song is actually rooted in this jazz melody, with hip hop elements layering and weaving in and out of that classic sound. The main source of this hip hop influence is through the percussion, beat, and rhythm of the song. And set to this solid beat, is a free form jazz piano which brings us some smooth and effortless jazz vibes. During the interludes we even get the most necessary instrument of all- a sexy saxophone. This song brings everything we love about modern lounge jazz, and throws in a little bit of a genre spin to gives us a place to chill out while also listening to rap. Junoflo embodies that chillhop kind of sound which is gaining a lot more traction. And he performs it with complete grace and authenticity. He oozes that confidence and charm which is necessary to effectively pull off tracks like this. Not to mention, his rhymes are absolutely on point and perfectly crafted to give us a taste of both Korean and English bars.
One thing I want to point out, is that this track is one of may which Junoflo has put out. He has explored the spectrum of sounds, vibes, and moods which are associated with the specific soundscape he wants to create. There are some tracks which are more rap heavy and faster paced, and there are other tracks which have more of a slow R&B focus. Junoflo gives us the opportunity to test out his musical range and decide what we like. This is an Asian American rapper who is not only on the rise, but is helping bring down the barriers to get into the music industry. Keep watching him, because Junoflo is going to be a name everyone knows.
Today's instrumental song is along the same lines as the mood of the first song. Sometimes you need some jazz to relax and unwind. This is exactly the kind of atmosphere we get with this song by The Deli. The song itself is just so wholesome, giving us everything we could want on a relaxing night in. Whether you use it as study beats or just want something nice to hear in the background of your life, this track is just perfect. We get the jazz piano and a hip hop based drum beat. What else could we want? I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!
Comments
Post a Comment