The “Korean Tiger” Interview with K-Hip-hop Star C.Swag

Hello, readers and fans! Today, I had the opportunity and pleasure to interview K-Hip-hop star, C.Swag and talk about his music and a little bit about his experience in the K-Hip-hop world as an artist.

If you didn’t know who C.Swag was, C.Swag is a K-Hip-hop artist who has had years of experience in the underground K-Hip-Hop scene and also has incredible lyricism, flows, and charisma that truly captures the heart of fans of hip-hop. He also produces and composes songs that embody his message and how he carries himself as an artist.

C.Swag has worked with artists and producers like Jack&White, Link, Zesty, Slick O’Domar, GimGabb, Glorify, Woo Chan Yang, Colord, Bruno Champman, Beaver, Boitello, Scary’P, Unfair, Na Aram, D Tiz, RPQ, G-Fu, Takuwa, Sikboy, 1Kyne, Flatfish, Yumewanaii, Bustabomb, Cosh, Flower Kim, DJ Kendrickx, Paxy, $electo, Yooryeong, Flower Kim, and the hip-hop team Sailors.

He has a very diverse discography that really showcases his growth as an artist, his music has many sub-genres of Hip-hop and other genres that are shown well through his production and the beats that he mixes in the studio. Each of the songs that he has released tells his story through his lyrics from sentimental songs like “No Regrets”, “To Mama”, “Calling”, and “Beautiful Tomorrow” to more upbeat and aggressive songs like “Testify”, “Bust Down”, “Summer Breeze”, and “Survival”.

C.Swag recently released his newest single, “Korean Tiger” that was released on February 2nd, 2024 that is the main theme and nickname for UFC fighter Jeong Yeong Lee and truly captures the energy and spirit of the UFC fighting world.

I personally was very honored to talk to C.Swag as not only a fan of his music, but I was also excited to talk to him about his career. Here is our interview.

1. From your discography, I noticed you have a lot of different stories and lyrics that have showcased your rap style, can you talk about your writing process when putting together a song?

C.Swag: “There are various ways when I put together a song. Most of the time, I usually either receive a beat from a producer or make a beat of my own and then see if my flow can blend with it. After that, I write lyrics that match with the beat. Another way is I decide on a subject, and make a beat that blends with the lyrics. In other words, the beat is the most important for me when making a song.”

2. Who would you say was your biggest inspiration for pursuing music?

C.Swag: “Myself. I lived in the US for almost 10 years and came back to Korea for 20 years. In Korea, when you have a specialty in a field, most people tend to make a living with it. But for me (English Language), that was not the case. Teaching or working at an office was not my thing and I wanted to make a living with a job that I truly wanted to do. Rather than making money out of something I didn’t want to do, I chose to live a happy lifestyle by entering the music industry and making an impact on many lives through my music.”

3. If you could describe your music to someone just finding you, how would you describe it?

C.Swag: “East Coast, Aggressive tone, and go with the flow.”

4. How did you come up with your current stage name and were there any other names that you picked out?

C.Swag: “My original name is Chadol Song and I took my initials (C.S) and changed my last name to Swag. I personally liked the word “Swag” at the time so, that’s how I got the name C.Swag.”

5. When you were first starting as an artist, what were some of the things you have struggled with and have you been able to overcome those struggles since then?

C.Swag: “Money. In Korea, it is very difficult to succeed in the music business because there are so many rappers in the industry trying to make a name for themselves and most of them have a side job to make money for making and promoting their music. I was definitely one of those artists and started teaching English, worked at a restaurant, and made music after I got off of work. After 10 years in the industry, I quit my job as a restaurant manager and started working full-time as a musician.”

6. What is your favorite part of making music and what gets you excited to make the songs that you release?

C.Swag: “The process itself. Like most musicians, the lyrical process can be very intense and stressful but for me, the process is very entertaining. If I put all my energy and effort into a song, I have no regrets and am fully satisfied with the result, regardless of the feedback that I get.”

7. You recently released the song, “Korean Tiger”, can you talk about the song and what it means to you?

C.Swag: “Korean Tiger” is the main entrance theme and nickname for UFC fighter, Jeong Yeong Lee. I watched and analyzed the fighter’s matches and energy when making the song and his recent win with Blake Bilder as his debut match so, that means a lot to me. Shout out to Korean Tiger.”

8. Who are some of your favorite people that you have collaborated with and do you have any dream collaborations?

C.Swag: “One of the favorite people that I have collaborated with was a female artist named Yumewnaii. Yumewnaii is popular for her unique tone in the Korean underground scene and she was featured in one of my songs called “Bust Down”. “Bust Down” is one of my popular songs, and her tone really captured the listeners’ attention. There are many dream collaborations I am hoping to have, such as Drunken Tiger, Gaeko from Dynamic Duo, Dok2, just to name a few.”

9. What is something about the Hip-hop scene that you like and don’t like currently?

C.Swag: “What I like about the Hip-hop scene is there are many artists that capture my ears and inspire me to hustle harder. Rather than not like, I wish there were more MCs, that influence and inspire the listeners through their lyrics and less rappers. Also, I wish all musicians (rappers, producers, beatmakers, etc) get the royalty they deserve because a lot of them are not getting the royalty they deserve.”

10. What song from your discography do you think showcases your rap style and why?

C.Swag: “Testify (feat Takuwa). This song basically showcases everything about not only my rap style but my music type as well: Aggressiveness, flow, lyrics, beat, etc.”

11. What songs would you recommend to a new fan of your music?

C.Swag: “Beautiful Tomorrow, Bust Down, and Testify”.

12. When you were growing up, what were some of the albums or songs that you loved listening to?

C.Swag: “Eminem’s “Eminem Show” was one of my favorite albums and I loved listening to all of his songs because of his aggressive rap style and his flow techniques were flawless, still to this day.”

13. When you are recording in the studio, what is the first thing you need to feel that the track is ready to release?

C.Swag: “After recording, I usually arrange the rhythm of the beat to match the flows, so to me, the arrangement quality is the most important part.”

14. Is there a style of music that you have wanted to collaborate on or make in the future?

C.Swag: “I have always wanted to add singing rap on jazz boombap beats but never had the opportunity so, I am planning to make a couple of songs in the future.”

15. What do you think your music says about you as an artist?

C.Swag: “My lyrics are basically about my thoughts and my life. When it comes to music, I have no boundaries so I like to challenge myself by making various kinds of music with my rap style.”

16. Do you have a message for your fans and any updates or shoutouts that you would like to make about your music?

C.Swag: “Korean Tiger is out now, so hope you check it out and enjoy! I am working on my first official album at the moment, so I will keep you all updated on it. And last of all, shout out to my team, Sailors.”

Thank you so much to C.Swag for your time and consideration for interviewing with me and I hope for your continued success as a MC. If you would like to listen to C.Swag’s music, C.Swag’s music is available on all streaming platforms! You can also follow his Instagram, cswagofficial for updates on his music and other things that he is doing. Also, make sure to follow his team Sailors Instagram, sailors_official for what he and his team are up to as well!

See you guys in the next interview and make sure to check out my guide on C.Swag that is featured on here.

The “Adorkable” Interview with Roydo

Hello, readers and fans! Today, I recently had the opportunity to interview the incredible R&B Artist and composer, Roydo.

Roydo also known as Ho-young Yoon is an independent R&B singer-songwriter and also works as a composer under 153/Joombas Music Group. He has worked in the music industry for 10 years and has gotten the opportunity to work with some incredible artists like B.A.P, Onlyoneof, The Boyz, Monsta X, and many other incredible acts on top of his already beautiful discography.

Roydo’s music has a variety of different styles and moods in the R&B Genre from upbeat songs like “Face”, “Eternal”, and “Deja Vu” to sentimental tracks like “Adorkable”, “CRZY”, and “Little Flower”. Roydo has music for every kind of listener with his vocals conveying lots of passion and emotion drawing in people that listen to his music.

So, I got the opportunity to ask him some questions about his career as well as his solo music. So, let’s get into these questions.

Questions

1. From looking at your producing discography, I see that you have worked with a variety of different artists and genres, can you talk about your music process when putting together a track?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “First of all, I’m not a track maker but a top liner, so first I choose a track that suits me and I can do well among the tracks that have been commissioned to me, and continue to make a line. When the draft comes out, it is sent to the track maker for confirmation, and when it is confirmed, it is recorded properly and completed again.”

2. Do you have any artists that you would love to collaborate with?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “As a composer, I would love to collaborate with JUNNY, and as a singer, I would love to collaborate with Jay Park, Paul Blanco, and Leellamarz.”

3. From your personal discography, I see that you like to experiment with different musical styles and production, is there a style or genre of music you would like to try in the future?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “I really want to try the UK Garage genre properly.”

4.  If you could recommend one of your songs to someone who is your new fan, what would you recommend and why?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “CRZY”, “Drip”, and “Congratulations”. All three of these songs are personal favorites, so I’d like to recommend them. I feel I like these the most.”

5. To you, what makes a good song?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “A simple yet addictive song. And since I’m the one who makes the song, I think a good song is a song that doesn’t have anything to point out when I listen to it.”

6. If you could describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be?

Roydo: “K-Pop, Singer, Songwriter.”

7. How did you get started in producing?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “It was a coincidence. I made a mixtape, but the agency officials who heard it contacted me, so I started composing.”

8. What are some of the biggest challenges that you face day-to-day?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “Laziness. People think I’m diligent and hard-working, but personally, I’m still lacking. I feel lazy myself.”

9. What is your biggest goal as an artist and producer?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “As an artist, I want to reach #1 on the charts. Singing a hit song that everyone knows. As a composer, I want to become a composer that is like a guaranteed check that keeps selling well.”

10. What did you struggle with at the start of your career and how have you overcome it?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “Ignorance was the biggest difficulty, and I kept bumping into it. I have also experienced many failures. I’m still going through failures, so I can’t say I’ve overcome them yet. There are so many things I don’t know yet.”

11. What are some of your hobbies that you like to do outside of music?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “Resting while watching cartoons, movies, or YouTube. And these days, weight training is fun, so I’m steadily doing it.”

12. What do you think your music says about you as an artist?

Roydo (Translated from Korean): “I think of myself as a person called Roydo. When I do my own music, I just transfer what radiates from within me into the music.”

13. How do you approach the sensitive task of asking about changes or rearrangements with artists that you work with?

Roydo (Translated From Korean): “When I work as a composer when a fix comes to me, I immediately start fixing it. It’s an issue that doesn’t concern me at all. Real professional composers take it for granted that such things are so obvious that they modify them casually.”

14. When you were growing up, what was the song or album that made you interested in pursuing music?

Roydo (Translated From Korean): “It started off with the music of Ne-yo and Usher. Their music is at my roots.”

15. When you are recording a track for your music, what is the first thing that you have to have in order to make sure that the track sounds great to you?

Roydo (Translated From Korean): ” An Awesome voice and good ideas.”

16. Do you have a message for your fans and what can we look forward to with your music?

Roydo (Translated From Korean): “I am preparing a new EP album. About 4 songs will be recorded, and this title song in particular is the most me-like song and will be the song I cherish the most among all the music that has been released so far. It’s good to look forward to it.”

Thank you again to Roydo for doing this interview with me, it was great to get to know you as an artist and I can’t wait for all the incredible releases that you will come out with and I hope that all your dreams will come true!

If you would like to follow Roydo on his musical journey, here are his social media handles, and make sure to stream all his music on all streaming platforms!

Instagram: roydoyoun

YouTube: RoydoYoon

Soundcloud: Roydo

Spotify: Roydo

Summer Wave Interview with Lae

Hello readers and fans, in collaboration with Shinjuku K-Pop International (SKI), I am excited to be interviewing an incredible artist named Lae!

Lae is a soloist and former member of the group G-Blaze, VX and, he is currently promoting himself as an incredible performer and artist in Japan with a beautiful smile and an incredible passion for music.

I am very honored to have been able to get to interview him for the first time as not only a fan of his but to also learn more about him as a person and artist in the music world.

Interview Intro

(Nia & Jessica SKI) “Hello everyone, Thank you for joining us today for our first-ever artist interview. Welcome to SKI, we are your K-pop besties. I’m Nia. I’m Jessica. And our guest today is Lae! Let’s get started!”

Nia: “Okay, Lae, please tell us a little bit about yourself.”

Lae: “Hi Everyone, my name is Lae, I am Korean and a solo artist. Thank you.”

Nia: “Thank you for that, you gotta a lot of good questions from your international fans at SKI, are you ready?”

Lae: “I’m ready”.

Questions from Nia of SKI

1. What is your favorite childhood memory?

Lae: “I went to the park with my family as a child, a long time ago, I remember that. The first time with my father and mother together and walking and eating together.”

2. What is your favorite part about being an artist?

Lae: ” First, to perform for the fans and communicate with them, and in my show and looking at the audience, makes me really happy. Second, I like to practice my singing and dancing, I really, really like it. It’s good to perform and show the fans.”

3. Would you like to tour in America one day?

Lae: “Of course, I really, really want to go to America. I have a dream to have a world concert one day. But not yet, I am studying but in my dreams, I am going to America.”

4. What is your favorite memory from working at Showbox?

Lae: “I started watching various teams, with many, many people, and viewing and studying their shows. From watching the shows that I get to work and practicing myself, I can prepare better performances for my shows.”

5. What musical artist or group inspires you the most at the moment?

Lae: “My favorite singer is Michael Jackson and in Korea, I really like Big Bang. I really, really, like them a lot. It’s my dream to be like them.”

My Questions

1. What are some trends that you can’t do?

Lae: “I think I don’t know, I never thought about it. I think whatever it is I can do it.”

2. What are your favorite snacks and what food would you recommend your fans to try?

Lae: “I like sour cream Pringles and sour cream sauce together, and I also like non-braised porkbelly in a lettuce wrap.”

3. What are some items that are must-haves that you have to take with you everywhere?

Lae: “My music, haha, fans, and water.”

4. Where is one place that you would like to visit in the next 5 years?

Lae: “5 years, 5 years, L.A. I am going to work hard so that I can go to L.A. Wait for me.”

5. What is a song you recommend your fans to listen to?

Lae: “I want to recommend my song, but I don’t have a song out yet but I am going to release a new song and practice dancing, as well as release a mini album. I want to do that soon.”

Questions from Jessica of SKI

1. Who influenced your decision to become an idol?

Lae: “Maybe, Michael Jackson and I saw him for the first time in middle school in a video with my friends together, watching his dancing, it made me go “OMG”, “Wow”, Who is this? I really want to be like him.”

2. What is your favorite part about being an idol?

Lae: “First, communicating with my fans and with you, Second, in my show, I like practicing my singing and dancing, I really, really like that, and it makes me really happy.”

3. What is one thing that you want to try one day?

Lae: “I would like to travel around the world on a tour, it’s my dream.”

4. What do you like to do when you are on a break?

Lae: “Nothing, haha, I don’t want to do anything but stay home at my house with my cat and clean, and feed my cat. You have to feed the cat.”

5. What is a song that brings you a lot of comfort?

Lae: “In Korea, the singer Park Won, I can relate to this person’s songs the most. So, all of Park Won’s songs, are really really good. I really relate to the lyrics and search them.”

“So, now that we got to learn a little bit about you, is there any message you would like to give your fans? “

Lae’s message: “Thank you for supporting me like this, I will be a singer who will be waiting for you, and I hope to see you someday and I want to be together.”

Jessica: “I would like to thank everyone for their questions for this interview, don’t forget to follow Lae on his socials, and give SKI and Kpopisforeveryone on our platforms, see you next time, bye.”

Here are the socials of Lae, SKI, and myself if you would like to follow us on our socials.

Lae

Instagram: lae_official

Twitter: H_J_H1005

SKI

Instagram: s.ki_official

Twitter: SKI_Official_

Facebook: Shinjuku KPOP International

Kpopisforeveryone Author Socials

Instagram: bgirlcoralreef

Twitter: teamcoralrose

Thank you to Lae for letting SKI and I interview you, it was such an honor to be able to get to know you as an artist and person, I can’t wait for all the great things that you do in the future! I hope you have continued success in your career and get many opportunities.

The Moment Interview with Yeon

Hello readers and fellow fans, I recently had the opportunity to interview a new Punk artist who is rising up in both Korea and Japan named Yeon.

Yeon experiments with different genres of punk music and has been playing the bass guitar, piano, and drums since he was 15 years old. He has been currently doing shows at Showbox in Japan and has collaborated with the K-rock band Fistbump as well as released his own music.

He has two original songs out currently on his official YouTube channel called “Moment” and “I Am.” He also has a couple of covers on his channel, including his collaboration with Fistbump on the song “Rock N’ Roll Baby. ”

So, let’s get started with the questions.

1. Who influenced you the most in music?

Yeon: “My Chemical Romance, The Used, Sum41, and many other Japanese rockers, and also My Father.”

2. What are some hobbies that you like to do outside of music?

Yeon: “I like to make robots and ride motorcycles, but I couldn’t renew my license because I can’t go back to Korea because of Corona.”

3. Have you always been a solo artist?

Yeon: “No, about 10 years ago, I was in a band back in Korea.”

4. Who would you want to do a collaboration with?

Yeon: “I usually play solo because my music is very emotional, but any friend who is a close friend I would collaborate with.”

5. What is a song you could recommend your fans to listen to?

Yeon: “Man with Mission- Dead End in Tokyo”.

6. What is a trend that you can’t get behind?

Yeon: “I can’t adjust to the trend of K-pop even though I am Korean”.

7. What do you want your music to say about you as an artist?

Yeon: “That I am someone who has really cool guitar and vocal skills.”

8. Is there something you would like to improve in yourself?

Yeon: “I want to be able to speak many languages”.

9. What is an essential item that you can’t live without?

Yeon: “My Macbook”.

10. What is your go-to comfort food?

Yeon: “I eat all the food that I can eat, I don’t care what kind.”

Thank you to Yeon for taking the time to answer all these questions, I really enjoyed learning about you as an artist and a person. If you would like to follow Yeon on his musical journey, here are his social media handles!

Instagram: yeon_coma

Twitter: tokyocoma44

YouTube: YEON 燃

Apple Music: YEON 燃

Spotify: YEON 燃

Dancing in the Moonlight: Awura Interview

Photo, Copyright of IK Entertainment

Photo , Copyright of IK Entertainment

Hello readers! I recently had the opportunity to interview one of my favorite artists AWURA, aka DOE. DOE was really sweet and kind enough to answer some questions about his music and also some fun questions that I added in as well.

DOE is currently preparing to go on a World Tour this March to December to 6 continents. (2023 WORLD TOUR “MOONLIGHT”) He also releases new music constantly with all different kinds of genres which I personally feel can vibe with any audience.

He currently has 6 songs out on all music platforms which are “Esta Noche”, “OMG (@DA PARTY)”, “Voce”, “Oh! (5!)”, “Huha”, and “Cocktail”. Make sure to search for “AWURA” to find the songs.

So, let’s get to the questions.

1. From listening to your music, I notice that there are a lot of unique tones and beats, can you talk about what inspires you when you are making a song in the studio?

DOE: “I am inspired by every situation, such as eating, working, talking with fans, performing, etc. And usually, I start making songs after making a short storyline based on inspired situations. I think it’s because I’m a person who tries to learn in all situations”.

2. What keeps you motivated during hard times?

DOE: “I work hard while looking at my family who loves me, the employees who work hard in this scene, and of course, my fans who support me generously. I also work harder for the next generation of artists and for someone who will work in this scene, watching the nonsense situations that are happening around me and behind the entertainment scene”.

3. How do you want your music to affect your audience?

DOE: ” I want people to listen to my music and shake off negative emotions such as stress, sadness, and pressure, feel the rhythm, and relax your mind”.

4. What is a language you would like to learn and why?

DOE: “I can speak Korean, English, and Chinese. These days, I’m trying to learn Spanish and French. I don’t know why… I think something in both languages suits me haha, And I think my skills are improving very fast. Personally, I love learning languages. Because there are so many advantages. First of all, I have the advantage of being able to communicate in the language that my fans use. And usually, when I study language, I study the history and culture of the country together. After doing that, I feel closer to the fans living in that country when I perform and do events. Most of all… the fans liked it. What’s happier than this? Haha”

5. What particular genre would you like to try in the future?

DOE: “Excluding the songs that have already been released and are scheduled to be released, I wanted to do Afro beat. I’m really into CKAY’s Love Nwantiti”.

6. What other hobbies do you like to do outside of music?

DOE: “I’m working as a musician, model, designer, and director. So, except this… I love watching movies and going to exhibitions. Also, I love making accessories and touring cafes to enjoy different types of coffees”.

7. Who are your biggest musical influences?

DOE: “If I went back a few years and was asked this question, I would have said the name of the musician. But my biggest musical influence right now is definitely my fans. In order to understand the culture of the country where fans live, I find and listen to more music genres. While talking with them, I learn which songs they listen to these days, and through it, I study more musically. And because they give me unconditional support, it makes me hustle. Where is the greater musical impact? I am always thankful for my fandom “Dodo” and I love them so much”.

8. What are your go-to restaurants in Korea?

DOE: “I’m a huge homebody, so I tend to use delivery apps more than going to restaurants. But if I have to choose a restaurant, I like “새마을 식당 (Saemaeul Restaurant)” very much. This restaurant is a K BBQ restaurant and I love meat”.

9. What song would you recommend to new fans?

DOE: “Of course my songs!!! Search “AWURA”. It’s on all global music platforms. But if you are under 18 then don’t think about strange things when you listen to my songs. I don’t want to have a bad influence on you babies ~”.

10. What are your favorite cities to visit?

DOE: “I love all countries and cities. Every country and city has its own culture that is beautiful and interesting. I love to watch it and enjoy it. But the best place is my home. Especially my bed Haha”.

11. Would you consider acting in the future?

DOE: “Yes. If I have a chance, I will play the role passionately, and I plan to prepare step by step while waiting for that opportunity”.

12. Would you want to do any collaborations in the future, if so with who?

DOE: “There are so many artists who I want to collaborate with: Tyga, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, G Dragon, Becky G, Jay Park, Ne Yo, Chris Brown, Rhianna, etc. I am open with all collaboration. I love collaboration because I can learn from the other artists if they have good personality haha”.

13. Do you have any dream video projects you would like to do in the future?

DOE: “I don’t actually have… Umm. I want to make my Metaverse videos?”

14. Is there something you would like to improve in yourself?

DOE: “I want to get out of the compulsion I make myself. Because of the compulsion I create, I’m always working and I get a lot of stress on the location of things and the cleanliness of places. I want to mentally develop the ability to separate working time from resting time and being more chill”.

15. Is there a particular country you would like to live in one day?

DOE: “Rather than wanting to live in a particular country, if I could, I would buy a house in every country in the world and live on the move whenever I want, but to do that, I would have to be very rich right? Haha”.

Thank you to DOE for answering these questions, it was great to get to know you as not only an artist but as a person. If you are interested in following DOE’s musical journey, follow him at these social media handles.

Instagrams: @_king.doe (OFFICIAL),@ _iam.doe (DAILY), @_awesome.aura (AWURA), @_mix.allblue (MIXXBLU), @_modeldoe (MODEL),@ _actor.doe (ACTOR), @_doegrapher (ARTIST)

Tiktok: @doeisdoe

YouTube: @DOEISDOE

Music Platforms: “AWURA”