RAP STAR

Chapter 126 [verse 21. Transformation]

The 3rd round battle of Hip Hop The Vibe 2, which was filmed on November 27th, was broadcasted as scheduled on December 2nd. Even in the previously criticized Hip Hop The Vibe 1, rap battles were always a hot topic, so it's needless to say that Hip Hop The Vibe 2, which is currently receiving public attention, brought even more hype.

After a period of silence, numerous love calls poured in from both the agency and music distribution companies. It got to the point where Sanghyun seriously considered changing his phone number. Despite the perception that the Korean music market has become accustomed to free content, there was still revenue to be made for distribution companies. Hits songs generated significant revenue through various channels, even as background music on platforms like Naver blogs or Cyworld.

However, 888 Crew remained firm in their refusals, leading to speculation in the showbiz industry about Sanghyun and the crew's intentions. Even though 888 Crew's music began to be illegally shared on P2P sites, distribution companies saw no risk in starting to distribute their music. However, it was understandable that they couldn't comprehend 888 Crew's, or Sanghyun's, intentions without knowing the future.

Sanghyun planned to release a regular album and start distribution through foreign music companies once he had enough songs accumulated. He was considering iTunes Store as the primary platform for his launch, especially with the increasing popularity of iPods and iPhones in Korea.

Sanghyun remembered a conversation he had with Junhyung in the past about streaming revenue. Junhyung mentioned how even with a million streams, the revenue was shockingly low, indicating the harsh reality of the streaming structure in the Korean music industry.

Sanghyun's decision to delay music distribution was based on the belief that he needed to establish a stronger presence before entering the international market. Despite acknowledging the imperfections of platforms like iTunes Store, Sanghyun saw it as the most viable option. Sanghyun had already registered three songs with a foreign distribution company, with the help of Standard, and one of them was the Eight, Eight, Eight remix.

As Sanghyun was contemplating his plans, his sister Sangmi entered the studio, interrupting his thoughts.

For a while, Sangmi, who had been rummaging through the stack of comic books next to the bed, soon lost interest and started humming a song. It was an Official Bootleg song.

"Daydream?" Sanghyun asked.

"Yeah. I like this song," Sangmi replied.

Sanghyun descended from the computer chair and sat on the bed, patting Sangmi's head.

"It's been a while since we had a quiet moment."

"What do you mean? Just a few hours ago, it was bustling," Sangmi reminded him.

"True. But still, it feels awkward to have no one around at this hour, especially after preparing for the shoot every day until late."

Originally scheduled for December 2nd, the Korean Unified Cable Channel Awards ceremony was postponed to December 9th. As a result, the final episode of Hip Hop The Vibe Episode 1 was delayed by a week.

While viewers were outraged by the rescheduling from December 2nd to the 9th due to the cancellation of an unrelated event, the Korean Unified Cable Channel Awards were an important event that cable broadcasters could not resist.

Thanks to this, 888 Crew and Stars Records were given a week of sweet rest. However, it wasn't truly a break, as they had to catch up on pending tasks and prepare for the final showdown with Stars Records.

"By the way, are you preparing the webtoon manuscript well?" Sanghyun inquired.

"Yeah. As you suggested, I've been serializing one episode per week, so there's plenty in reserve," Sangmi confidently replied. As a non-musician member of the crew, Sangmi didn't have much to do while the others worked. However, her conversations often provided musical inspiration, and she offered fresh perspectives on lyrics. She also assisted with live monitoring and provided a non-expert viewpoint, making her a valuable member.