A legendary diss battle stage emerged from 'Hip Hop Princess', captivating audiences with its dynamic performances.
On the 20th, the sixth episode of Mnet's 'Unpretty Rapstar: Hip Hop Princess' aired, featuring the third track competition 'True Battle', where eliminations were at stake. In this team-based diss battle format, participants showcased not only their skills but also their creativity and wit, creating yet another legendary stage.
The True Battle was a team-based diss battle over two tracks, 'Jjangkkemppo' and 'KITTY MONEY'. The mission evaluated team performances filled with rap skills, wit, and creativity, conducted over four rounds: '2 vs 2 Performance Battle', '5 vs 5 Dance Battle', and '1 vs 1 Ace Rap Battle (Korea, Japan)'. With six eliminations on the line, the competition was fierce.
Participants stood out with their clever and creative performances. From costume switches to expressive diss moves, inventive rhymes and hooks that transcended language barriers, and crowd-chanting stages, they showcased the essence of diss battles. The teamwork shone through in moments of crisis, and post-battle, they demonstrated true battle etiquette by embracing each other. Additionally, Bada joined as a special judge, reuniting with Gaeko in the 'Smoke' combination, drawing attention.
Producers were full of praise. Main producer Gaeko remarked, "Ultimately, a battle is about attacking the opposing team while delivering a strong impact to the audience with wit and humor," applauding the participants' creativity. Special judge Bada added, "I think it's a battle of ideas that can captivate the audience." MC and main producer Soyeon expressed her anticipation, saying, "In hip-hop, a battle is not just a skill competition but a cultural expression and communication with the world. I expect 'Hip Hop Princess' to be a stage like a flower in bloom."
Viewers' reactions were equally enthusiastic. Following the broadcast, comments like "They nailed it", "The lyrics were so witty and fun, it was refreshing", "I hope all the participants debut, they're all so good", "The ideas were amazing, I was captivated", and "Diss rap isn't easy, but they all wrote their lyrics so well" poured in, adding to the excitement. Anticipation is building for the upcoming True Battle over the remaining track 'KITTY MONEY'.
'Hip Hop Princess' airs every Thursday at 9:50 PM (KST) on Mnet and is available in Japan via U-NEXT.
By Ji-won Kim, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr