In the late 1990s, the “bard of Korean hip-hop” shook up the music scene with lyrics about society.

Considered one of Korea’s first-generation rappers, MC Sniper is now exploring a different, less aggressive side to his music, one which is easier on both the artist and the listeners.

“In the past, (my music) was very ‘heavy’ and aggressive. This is quite energy-consuming. I think I’m now at that stage where I can expand my view (in music), as opposed to what I’ve been done in the past,” he said. 

MC Sniper last month released his latest album “Scope Music,” for which the 36-year-old played as a member of band for the first time in his career.

He said he hoped the new songs were not “too serious.” The songs by the Scope Band indeed reflect a more personal side of MC sniper, including the main track “She Loves Me,” which is a tribute to his mother.

“It’s my favorite one, and I think it came out all right. It’s my own story, and it’s not too heavy,” he said.

“Inspirations for my music always came from my personal life, but now the difference is that I get to build on it with my bandmates. Sometimes the idea is formed during a jam, other times while we’re having fun. I don’t want to seperate work from playing.”

The rapper has seen changes in both his life and music in the course of his 20 year career, which he says is only natural as music always goes through changes in trend. The most notable change came with the birth of his son in 2015.

“I’ve became more ... gentle. So instead of making aggressive-sounding tracks, I tend to make songs that are easy to listen to,” he said.

This, however, does not mean that the rapper has stopped talking about pressing social issues.

“There are songs that I’ve written concerning the current social affairs. But I feel that these types of songs should be written naturally, not because I feel compelled to say something,” he said. “In some ways, music is a form of politics and contributing to society via music is an enjoyable thing. But if that doesn’t happen, so be it.”

This year, MC Sniper is performing at a music festival abroad for the first time ever. He is one of the four teams slated to appear at the Korea Creative Content Agency’s “K-Pop Night Out” held at The Great Escape in Brighton, England, in May.

“I’m really looking forward to working with other artists and experiencing different genres of music. Particularly showcasing Korean music to fans in other countries.”


By Yoon Min-sik
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)