One Hip-Hop Festival cranks up heat at KINTEX

CJ E&M certainly wanted its tribute to hip-hop to be big. In addition to bringing in foreign acts Tyga and Nelly, One Hip-Hop Festival ran from 2 p.m. to nearly 5 a.m. at KINTEX in Ilsan, just outside of Seoul, on one of the biggest hip-hop stages in the country.

The long hours made it possible for Korean hip-hop’s heavy hitters to take the stage. Everyone from rookies to top hip-hop agencies Hi-Lite Records, Illionaire, Brand New Music and Standart Music Group performed, with Jay Park even stopping by.

KINTEX’s Hall 9 was packed with hip-hop fans sporting snapbacks once they made it through the doors. Lines to enter began forming in the morning and continued to grow through the afternoon as fans were first allowed inside in groups to avoid crowding.

The view of the stage was fairly good from any spot, though concertgoers were forced to stand the whole time unless they didn’t mind the floor or had dished out for one of the VIP tables lining the walls.

The festival opened with “Show Me the Money” season two contestants DinDin, J’Kyun, Mad Clown and Zizo, and then quickly moved into some of the more established groups. Duo Garion, made up of MC Meta and Nachaal, showed that after 15 years they can still command a room from the stage.

The artists of Hi-Lite Records then burst on stage in a flurry of energy and powered through a mix of old and new tracks, while rappers from Standart Music Group followed, seamlessly weaving in and out of each others’ songs. Noise Mob, Eluphant, R-EST and Soul Dive kept the crowd on its feet all the way until their closing number, Soul Dive’s latest single, “The Night is Young.”

But the highlights of the festival were definitely Tyga and Nelly.

Tyga turned KINTEX into the hottest hip-hop club in Korea as he performed hits such as “Faded,” “Deuces” and “Molly.” At one point, the 23-year-old invited 20 women from the audience to dance on stage, though many were more focused on snapping pictures with the star.

American rapper Nelly then took everyone back to the early 2000s by performing old hits such as “Air Force,” “Hot in Here” and “Ride Wit Me.” Toward the end of the set he showcased a few newer songs while announcing his upcoming album release on Sept. 30.

For those hip-hop heads with boundless energy, the show continued on with M.I.B., DOK2, Beenzino and other groups going on stage until 4:30 a.m. Shuttle buses departed for Seoul every 30 minutes until 5:30 a.m.

English teacher Stella Park said she really enjoyed the festival and hoped it becomes an annual event, like Ansan Valley Rock Festival or Pentaport.

“I went looking forward to some of my favorite Korean artists but Nelly stole the show for me. (He) brought me back to my high school and college days. No matter how much time has passed, his performances are just as great,” she said.

“Also I really liked Beenzino and DOK2. They make a great pair when performing together, always keeping the crowd jumping,” Park continued. A feat no doubt, considering the two went on at 2:15 a.m.

By Emma Kalka (ekalka@heraldcorp.com)