[Oh!SEN FOCUS] Why Yang Hyun-suk supports Tablo in going his way?
[OSEN=손남원 기자] Yang Hyun-suk, founder and main producer of YG Entertainment, reaffirmed his stance that he does not tell Table, one of YG’s artists, what do to but only supports him from behind the scene regarding Table’s independent record label, “High Ground (stylized as “HIGHGRND).” He warded off suspicion that the giant music producer YG would engage in the operation of the hip hop indie label in one form or another.
During a telephone interview with OSEN on 22nd, Mr. Yang said, “It is inappropriate to meddle in his own project. Plus, I don’t have time for that. If I decide to let him go his way, it is better to fully trust him and help him as much as I can. The strength of an independent record label is the music of highly autonomous and individual artists. HIGHGRND is launched to honor the principal.”
An employee from YG Entertainment added, “We also consider HIGHGRND as an independent body from us. I heard that they have already hired well-experienced talent to kick off. Mr. Yang in a partnership with HIGHGRND also asked us not to spare support and encouragement to help them grow into one of our greatest competitors.”
Before the interview with OSEN, Mr. Yang also reportedly said, “If I had the current environment and infrastructure when I produced Jinusean and 1TYM in 1997 and 1998, I could have had much better output. I always feel sorry for that and this is why I fully support Tablo in HIGHGRND.” In fact, YG Entertainment was born in 1997 as the very first hip hop label in Korea.
He added, “It is not only for entertainment business but also for all other businesses that first six to seven years of a business are usually laden with countless challenges due to the lack of experience or capital. Despite the continuing success of Jinusean, 1TYM and Seven, I still had to worry about if I could pay my employees every month. This is why I want to help younger artists with talent and interest in producing focus on music without having to worry about anything else and develop their own independent label. This is my goal and dream.”
In the meantime, HIGHGRND was off to a great start to sign “Band Hyukoh” who shot to stardom appearing in MBC’s most popular reality TV show “Infinite Challenge.” Band Hyukoh is made up of vocalist Oh Hyuk, bassist Im Dong-geon, guitarist Im Hyun-je and drummer Lee In-woo. The band is setting a new standard by their unique music, such as “Wi Ing Wi Ing” and “Wa Ri Ga Ri” and fashion sense, already famous through word-of-mouth among indie musicians and celebrities and growing fast and furious.
“What YG can do is to back them up. HIGHGRND will make their own decision in running the business and helping their musicians. It took 18 years for YG Entertainment to come this far, but I believe independent labels of younger artists will be able to grow faster. HIGHGRND is only a beginning. YG Entertainment will never stop helping many other younger artists to set up their own label and upgrade environment and infrastructure for underground and indie musicians.”
Main Producer Yang surely delivered the speech from the bottom of his heart.
2015. 7. 22.
