I feel like the members of Rhythm Power are some of the more underestimated Korean hip-hop artists out there. Mind you this is primarily a perception that I have gained from watching each member in their seasons of SMTM (where they were first brought to my attention). It really seemed like no one really expected much from them when they entered the competition and honestly it doesn't seem like they've gotten that much more attention since they started competing in (and in Hangzoo's case, winning) SMTM.
But to be honest, I don't really understand it.
The moment they started rapping on the show I knew they were being underestimated at the start (especially Hangzoo in SMTM 6) and the proof is in the pudding since all of them made it to at least the top 10 of the show once.
The only reason that I can think of is that maybe their vibe isn't really appreciated that much. Their sound is quite different from the current sound that is popular in K-hiphop nowadays as their music tends to be more reminiscent of an older school of hip-hop from what I have seen. The songs themselves are not outdated sounding, though, as they do put a bit of a current twist on the them.
This is something I love about them, though. Being able to enjoy a nostalgic sound with a modern feel makes the songs easy to enjoy among a broader audience. The songs may not make me want to go clubbing but they still have me groovin' all the same.
And this week's VOW is no exception. The song is quite light-hearted in its vibe and the music video is also unique with its simplistic animation.
The raps and chorus are solid and, as they are an actual group, they balance each other out quite nicely--they're distinctive but no one overshadows the others (though admittedly SMTM 6 gave me a bit of a bias towards Hangzoo over Boi B and Geegooin so his part especially caught my attention).
Additionally you have two hit makers involved in the song with Crush featuring and GroovyRoom on the beat so it's an all-around solid track.
The only thing that makes me sad about this song is it is rather short and the end feels somewhat abrupt like I'm not getting to hear the entire thing. Other than that I'd say I have no complaints. As usual, though, don't just take my word for it. Take a look for yourself:
동성로 (Dongseong-ro) by 리듬파워 (Rhythm Power) feat. Crush (크러쉬)
Take it easy,