Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| Drunken Tiger, better known as Tiger JK, performs "Mantra" at a press conference marking the release of his 10th and final album, "X: Rebirth of Tiger JK," in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap |
Korea's hip-hip legend lauds BTS's RM for his musical talent
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Nineteen years after debut, Drunken Tiger unveiled his 10th and final studio album, "X: Rebirth of Tiger JK," a compilation of his music delivered through thoughtful execution with a handful of collaborating artists.
Drunken Tiger originally referred to Korea's first-generation hip-hop duo of Tiger JK and DJ Shine that debuted in 1999. Since then, it has been acclaimed for taking the then unexplored genre into the mainstream.
After DJ Shine left in 2005, Tiger JK continued to release tracks under the name Drunken Tiger. But the hip-hop pioneer said he would retire the stage name with the latest album.
The album, released Wednesday, has two 15-track CDs. While the first disk mainly features the boom bap genre, the second covers a wider range such as jazz, EDM and reggae.
Soon after release, the track "Timeless," featuring RM, topped the iTunes song charts in 18 countries, including Sweden, Egypt, Romania, Saudi Arabia and Peru. It debuted in the top 10 of iTunes charts in over 40 countries and ranked No. 1 on the iTunes hip-hop chart in the U.S.
 |
| The cover of "X: Rebirth of Tiger JK" Courtesy of Feel Ghood Music |
"RM was the first musician I reached out to for a collaboration," the rapper said. "Due to BTS's hectic touring schedule, we had to work on the track via email and telephone, but it turned out great. RM also offered advice on the overall album."
The legendary rapper lauded RM's progression to superstardom, and "well-deserved" success in the music industry. "I actually had a prejudice against RM when Bang Si-hyuk, the CEO of Big Hit Entertainment, first introduced him to me. But after we met and exchanged thoughts on music, I could feel his passion and sincerity toward music. The way he writes lyrics and interprets the song also reminded me of my old days as an underground rapper."
Besides RM of BTS, the star-studded list of featured artists includes Vernon of SEVENTEEN, Dok2, Junoflo, Kim Jong-kook, HaHa, SUPERBEE and myunDO.
What Drunken Tiger accomplished in 30 tracks fronted by the title track "Mantra" is a cinematic last act. The music video is worth watching for its late-1990s vibes and traditional Korean musical elements.
The hip-hop guru also shared some of the major changes he felt for nearly two decades.
"Becoming a father was an eye-opening event in my life," he said. "I started to feel bad about my songs deemed inappropriate and using profanity. In that sense, I think the track Beautiful, whose lyrics tell a story about fatherhood, best represents the theme of this album."
