Daily Non-K-pop Spotlight: “Born Hater” by Epik High
By Epik High
Ok, to address the inevitable controversy before it starts, yes we know that the discourse of whether Epik High is considered K-pop is a highly touchy subject. This article isn’t meant to take a side in the kinds of debates that fans have spent years going back and forth about, it’s just about sharing cool music. This track in particular carries a lot more influence from hip-hop than it does from pop, and it works for the purposes of this section, which is exposing fans to a wider breadth of Korean artists.
Genre classifications aside, this song slaps. Is there anything quite as satisfying as clapping back at the haters? Alongside Beenzino, Verbal Jint, BOBBY, and B.I, the members of Epik High set out to dismantle all the people who have come for their careers and personal lives. Each rapper brings their own unique style and flow to the track, though the distorted bassline remains the constant through the whole track, only switching up twice. And boy, that first switchup during Mithra Jin’s verse absolutely sends the track to the next level and hits like a truck. You don’t need to speak Korean to hear the vitriol and frustration dripping from the track, and it’s sure to give you a swagger to your step for the rest of your day.