Rising K-hip-hop star YS Block whose fun, party-based music aims to evoke energy within us and get us grooving along continues to entice people of all ages and background while remaining rooted to his own cultural roots.
Having first gained widespread attention by overwhelmingly securing the top spot among contestants in Modern Arts Society’s P2P competition, YS went on to made a strong impression with debut EP, [YS BLOCK Ver.1], in 2021. Led by a musical style that is heavily influenced by Southern American music, framed by refreshing and lively vibes, YS Block continues to craft a solid space for himself in hip-hop both within and beyond Korea.
In a quick fire Q&A with Earmilk, the rapper takes us through his musical journey so far, his influences, career highlights and what's next for him.
- For someone who is discovering your music for the first time? What three words would best describe your sound and style?
Lil jon because I got the most energy and felt wild. My three things are energy, stupid, and exciting - How would you say your craft has evolved over time and where do you see it going from here?
At first, I searched for beats on YouTube and studied the sound, but it definitely evolved due to the company of my friends and colleagues who helped me, and the next step is to take an artist-like step rather than a rapper - Take us through your musical journey so far. When did your love for music begin?
When I was 14 years old, when I first saw a hip-hop performance, I mistook the sound of the bass for the sound of my heart, so I thought hip-hop music was absolute to me. After that, I came all the way here by writing lyrics, making rap names, and making songs - Who/what inspires or influences your music?
I think the inspiration for music was key Glock, Duke deuse these days, simple wordplay, strong bass, and exciting beats made me happy. - What would you say has been the most surreal moment in your career so far?
As I kept listening to my songs before releasing my second album, I felt that these songs would be my business card, and at the same time, I was surprised that my favorite rappers knew me when I was young.
- What’s next for you? Anything exciting in the works?
The next step is for the fans to be surprised, because they are going back a little more to the past and making exciting, primitive sounds than the stimulating hip-hop music they have ever done, and they will be artists centred on hip-hop rather than rappers who do hip-hop music.
