It was a painstaking 12 months for B.A.P’s B.A.B.Y’s world wide, but all the frowns were turned upside down when the K-pop group announced their official comeback for November 15th. Fans were on massive pins and needles waiting as teasers were dropped weeks before “Young, Wild & Free” was released. Was the grueling anticipation all worth it? Let’s find out!
Meaning
Even if the sun sets and the darkness comes, keep running til the end.
What’s your goal in life? Happiness? Success? Love? Whatever it may be, there’s no reason as to why you can’t achieve it, that’s what B.A.P is telling us. Maybe you’ll get it right in just one try or maybe you’ll fail 99 times before finally succeeding on the 100th try. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how you get there; the most important thing is that you get there. Don’t let your past failures cast shade on your potentially brighter future. Even if you feel like all the doors of opportunity have closed, just keep knocking because sooner or later one will open up and that’ll be that one that’ll lead you right to where you should be. Read more
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/bap.png369736Tam Huynhhttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-11-17 12:52:022015-11-18 13:10:34B.A.P’s ‘Young, Wild & Free’ Music Video & Song Review
B.A.B.Y’s worldwide can finally rejoice because B.A.P’s long awaited comeback is finally underway! After a turbulent and what felt like a never ending 12 months, the guys are finally back and is set to release their latest music video for “Young, Wild & Free” on November 15th. In order to properly prep you for this overdue comeback, here are six songs to get you ready for it!
[Disclaimer: As a B.A.B.Y myself, I suggest you seclude yourself in a room with a box (or two) of tissue, seeing as you’re about to experience some serious “feels” with these songs.]
1. “Warrior”
B.A.P sure knows how to make an entrance! They set the tone for the rest of the 2012’s rookie groups the moment they released their debut music video and track, “Warrior.” Most people’s first impressions were probably something along the lines of, “who are these six blonde newbies?” Sure, it was probably hard to tell them apart in this music video, considering all the uniformed outfits and non stop choreography that prevented the viewers a chance to take a peek at their faces. But that was it! There was something about all of that that reeled potential fans in.
During the time of B.A.P’s debut, it was beyond uncommon to see Korean boy bands or “idol” groups in general tampering with hip hop as much as they did. This song came out during a time where other boy bands were all about that flower boy image and cute concepts, whereas “Warrior” was the polar opposite. It showed strength, determination, and power; it was refreshing and completely unexpected. Not only did B.A.P set the bar high with their debut for the rookies that followed, but “Warrior” was a way of them setting their own standards, raising the bar sky high for their own comebacks. Read more
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2013-10-22-at-8.50.19-PM.png515796Tam Huynhhttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-11-13 11:50:382015-11-13 14:08:246 Songs to Get You Ready For B.A.P’s Comeback
Are you ready for yet another installment of our Best of the K-Pop B Tracks series? It’s been almost a year since our last article, but no worries; we’re back with a fresh and manly list, consisting of some older and newer songs for the latest installment of our series!
Artist: GOT7 Album: “Just Right” Song: “Nice”
It can easily be said that 80 percent of GOT7’s albums usually consist of dance tracks. They’re young guys bursting at the seams with explosive energy, so why not, right? Straight from the get-go, “Nice” had a hypnotic beat with semi sensual lyrics. Not only have the members of GOT7 grown physically, but their voices have also matured a great deal since debut, with member Youngjae being the most noticeable with his honey-like voice. With the release of each mini album, there always seems to be that one track — how should I put this? — that puts you in the mood, makes you feel some sort of way, and “Nice” just so happens to be that particular song.
“Nice” is filled with what has a sophisticated level of ecstasy and has a contagious chorus and yet I can’t seem to wipe off this smile from my face, unable to take them seriously because I’m already so used to them acting like silly kids. I wonder what it’s like having these guys in the recording studio; it’s hard trying to image their level of seriousness when they’re always acting so goofy. Am I the only one that feels this way about GOT7? Regardless of all that, take a listen and I promise you’ll be singing bam bam bam bi dam bi da bi dam bam for the remainder of the day. Read more
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/B-Tracks.jpg7681024Tam Huynhhttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-09-02 15:55:482015-09-02 16:17:06Best Of The K-Pop B Tracks Pt. 4
Bang Yongguk of B.A.P teased fans with a 15 second clip on Instagram on March 26th, 2015 of what was to eventually become a music video titled AM 4:44, which was later released on April 3rd. This sudden announcement had a lot of fans in a sudden state of shock and excitement.
For those who may not be aware, B.A.P filed a lawsuit back in November of 2014 against their label TS Entertainment to nullify their contract due to unfair conditions and profit distribution. It’s been an on going battle between the two parties; TS Entertainment refuting the claims made, stating that “there have been neither such maltreatments to the artists nor unfair clauses in the contract,” basically brushing off any claims of them creating slave contracts for the members.
via krnmusick @ tumblr
There have always been talks behind closed doors of Korean companies creating “slave contracts” for their trainees, a contract which basically locks them into long exclusive deals, with no wiggle room or control of musical creativity, and little financial reward. It was only in 2014 that a number of members from various K-pop groups, Kris and Luhan from EXO-M and Moon Junyoung of ZE:A started to come forward to attest these claims. B.A.P shortly followed.
There were rumors and a lot of speculation going around weeks before B.A.P filed their lawsuit that something was terribly wrong; fans were convinced that it wasn’t a problem within the group and that whatever it was that was going on was hugely based on the fact that TS was strenuously overworking the members. In the weeks prior to TS cancelling B.A.P’s South American leg of their Live on Earth Tour, there were photos of the members looking weary and clearly worn out from their nonstop schedules. There were reports of members fainting and being rushed to the hospital, but only to be pulled back out by TS staff, so that they could go on to perform. Their health was quickly declining and there were multiple visits to the clinics with documentation to prove of their deteriorating health, and some of the member’s parents even made their way to TS Entertainment’s office to try and resolve these recurring issues.
Even with all that at hand, TS was not going to let health issues be an excuse as to why they’d have to lose out on money just because their income earners weren’t feeling well. Clearly, as entertainers, you’re not allowed to be sick and feel unwell, because once you sign that contract, you’re no longer considered a human being. With tickets sold, venues set, and thousands of fans awaiting B.A.P’s stops in Latin and South America, you can only imagine how the disappointment when they found out the bad news. TS tried to explain that the cancellation of the tour was all due to their concern over B.A.P’s health, and how the artist condition is the top priority. Did TS already sense that something was brewing and was about to erupt from B.A.P? Were they trying to walk away from the situation as heroes because they cancelled the tour before B.A.P’s health worsened?
You’d question where and how one would store all these feelings, fury, rage and resentment; but after the lawsuit, this was probably the best opportunity for Yongguk to put it all into a song and present it to world.
As the fearless yet soft spoken leader of B.A.P, Yongguk is notorious for his deep and insightful way of thinking. AM 4:44 is a prime example of him trying to convey an unspoken message. The music video starts off by showing a hand watch. A watch can symbolize many things; a clear and simple meaning would be time doesn’t stop; no matter what you’re going through, you’ve got to keep fighting your way through those obstacles to make it out onto the other side. In Yongguk’s case, he’s fighting with his inner thoughts and emotions along with all the negativity that’s been building up inside him.
Nobody would know how scary the mask I wear is.
via mybutterflyfact @ tumblr
To be in this kind of industry, it’s like the three wise monkeys: you see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. No matter how many crazy things you see and encounter, as an artist under an agency, you just have to bite your tongue and act like nothing ever happened. It’s a never-ending cycle, at least not until you’re completely free from the company. And even then, there’ll still be things that come around that’ll try and haunt you. No one’s going to protect you; you have to fend for yourself. To continue with the theme, Yongguk’s face is never fully shown in the music video, rather we were just given his silhouette and quick glimpses of his profile. It’s almost as if he’s shielding himself with whatever it is that he has left to protect himself with.
via its-happycherry @ tumblr
He goes back and forth a lot throughout the song and he questions a few things here and there; how could it be that something that started off as a passion all of a sudden turn into a spiraling dark hole? for what am I insisting on trying so hard for to keep on running? Rather than this being considered a rap, it’s more like story telling. Yongguk is laying it all out there in the open for the world to hear and as for the audience; you can interpret it however you want.
The a**holes who ruined this are living with their bellies full Just as they don’t pay attention to the victim mentality they have left behind.
To say that this is just true is a complete understatement. Not only does this apply to the industry in Korea, but it also happens in the music industry across the board in any given country and any franchise, big or small. There’ll always be the big guys who will forever step all over the little guys, until they get to not just the top but the very tip top of the chain. It doesn’t matter how they do it or how long it takes them to do so because it’ll just be a matter of time before they’re able to push their way up to where they think they belong, to live a lavish life and what not, while you’re stuck doing the dirty work. Yongguk didn’t hold back in AM 4:44 and I’m more than positive that he could’ve said so much more but that’ll probably be for another track.
When you’re feeling the loneliest and having a hard time from this world, I will pat your shoulder you can lean into me then.
One of the worst feelings one can experience in life is loneliness; the feeling of emptiness and abandonment. There are those who can be in a room filled with people, whether it’s friends or family, but rather yet, feel like they’re surrounded by strangers, and feel like they’re the only ones who exist, or there are those who literally have no one, those with absolutely no shoulder to turn to and cry on. Even though Yongguk is filled with anger, his arms are still wide open. He’s thinking about those around him; those people who have stuck around, whether it’s his B.A.P members, his family, the fans, or just people who care enough, in general. Yongguk wants to break this cycle; he’s dealt with a few bad apples in his life and if possible he’d like to help someone else who’s been dealt a bad deck of cards if he can.
I for one am a BABY and I’ve followed B.A.P since the beginning. And as BABY and as appreciative as I am of all their constant comebacks, World Tour’s, and all the hard work, time and labor that these guys put it, much like many other groups out there, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t expect for all of this to happen one day. It’s unfortunate that it happened, but I’m glad the members decided to file the lawsuit as a group. I guess you can say that AM 4:44 was a sudden treat to the BABYZ, but it’s also a song that is jammed back with extremely powerful messages.
I am just doing my thing, everything is going to be alright.
What are your thoughts on Bang Yongguk’s AM 4:44? Do you think everything’s going to be all right? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/BYG-AM-444.jpg337599Tam Huynhhttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-04-08 18:04:022015-04-10 16:51:52Bang Yongguk Wants You To Know That Everything’s Going To Be All Right
TS Entertainment’s latest girl group, Sonamoo, debuted at the end of 2014, with the song Deja Vu. There was some controversy around TS debuting a new group amidst contract issues with TS popular idol group, B.A.P, and also concerns that Sonamoo’s official color is too similar to that of SM Entertainment’s SHINee. Despite the issues have with how TS Entertainment handled Sonamoo’s debut, it’s hard to deny that Deja Vu is a stellar debut song.
Song
The song is catchy and the members appear to be able to sing well (although some of their debut stages leaves room for argument). The song has powerful beats and EDM elements that wouldn’t be out of place in a club, but Déjà Vu just isn’t really memorable. It’s just another dance track with a powerful beat. Sonamoo tries really hard, but the debut song seems like just another dance song with some interesting beats dropped every once in a while in an attempt to make the song give off a more powerful vibe.
Credit: TS Entertainment
One of the major problems is that the seven girls have voices that don’t really match up with the hip-hop elements. Some higher pitched voices simply don’t seem to fit amidst deeper, rougher voices like those of the rappers. The two rappers, D.ana and New Sun, dominate the entire performance with their stage presence and stellar attempts at rapping. But transitioning from rap to a sweet sound comes off as sudden and I personally feel that it ruins the momentum.
Credit: TS Entertainment
Another problem I have with the song is that I really wish that they had gone with more meaningful lyrics rather than just singing about how love is like fate that has happened over and over again. If I didn’t know what Sonamoo was singing about, but heard the song and saw the performance, I’d honestly probably think that the seven were singing a song about female empowerment. The music video looks like it would be more about the awesomeness of girl power along the lines of Beyonce’s Run The World, but Déjà Vu doesn’t deliver that.
Music Video
The video’s sets were really cool, even though some of it reminded me a lot of B.A.P’s debut music video for Warrior. Nothing wrong with reusing sets, though, especially when the set is remade to look like the inside of an industrial factory with a chandelier. The dance stage, where the seven members of Sonamoo danced amidst scaffolding, looked really cool and futuristic, but differed a bit from the rest of the video’s style (the outfits that I take problem with also made their appearances during that part).
Credit: TS Entertainment
Moreover, the plot is a bit nonexistent. With a title like Déjà Vu it would seem that the music video would be about Sonamoo seeing things over and over again. Instead, it’s about the members looking for something and turning on the power, literally, and seeing a stream of energy flit about the place without any clear interpretation.
Style
The video started out really strong conceptually, rocking the hip-hop styled sporty outfits. Sports bras, loose harem pants, athletic jerseys, leather jackets… They all made appearances. But then the black and white tight fitting outfits appeared and I was less impressed that TS Entertainment chose to put the fiercer outfits aside for traditionally sexy, skin-fitting clothes. The individual style for each girl, with unique hairstyles and personalized outfits, were a nice touch.
Credit: TS Entertainment
Dance
Sonamoo’s strength is definitely its dance. The body popping and locking that several of the dancers use is rare to see in K-pop girl group’s songs, although the twerking, now a commonly seen dance move in K-pop, isn’t super exciting and kind of diminishes the powerful dance moves. Even so, Sonamoo’s dancers are really good performers, performing splits and never seeming out of synchrony. The random hand-game that the rappers perform seems kind of silly and doesn’t really add to the song, though, so I can’t really say the dance is flawless.
Credit: TS Entertainment
Rating
It’s a really good attempt at a style of girl group that’s rare– tough rather than cute or sexy, but the song, while catchy, doesn’t really seem so memorable. The vocals are good but have a long way to go, and Sonamoo’s saving grace is really the dancing.
