Unlike the other variety shows we follow on this site, Mnet is broadcasting Show Me The Money in spite of the London. The sixth episode aired on July 27th and showed the six remaining new act and pro act rapper teams that was formed during the previous episode perform on the theme of 8090 to remain in competition. In addition to myself the commentary panel consists of Youngmi of Reset, Sangha of strangeseasons and Ranya of K-Underground Sweden.
Double K
Preparations
Anna: Combining two of my favorite Taijiboys songs? Niiiice! But what’s up with Kim Jung Hoon? He doesn’t seem to be working at all as well with Double K as I had expected. He doesn’t seem to be too happy about it himself either.
Youngmi: I love Seo Taiji and Boys! Excited that Double K chose to cover two of their songs. Right off the bat we can tell that these two aren’t really gelling together. Double K surprisingly admits that it was awkward between the two. Jung Hoon explains that he was so used to Joosuc’s laid back, “whatever happens, happens” style compared to Double K’s “practice makes perfect” style. He was having trouble adapting to Double K’s expectations, plus he didn’t have much confidence to begin with. Ugh, I hope they do okay!
Sangha: Aw, I really hoped that this combination would work out well but evidently they aren’t getting all too well…
Performance: “하여가” + “환상 속의 그대” (Seo Taiji & Boys covers)
Anna: Oh, a “rockstar remix”. Kim Jung Hoon gets to open but doesn’t look at all as good together with Double K as TakeOne used to. And though Kim Jung Hoon got the opening it doesn’t take long at all before Double K takes over and after that it’s pretty much the Double K show again. I actually don’t like this at all. The arrangement is just annoying and noisy and the performance as a whole offers no redeeming qualities. I really thought this would be a good pairing, but obviously I was wrong.
Youngmi: I like how they used rock to express these two songs. It brought out a lot of energy and excitement with the crowd. However, I didn’t like how it was basically Double K and crew. Jung Hoon seemed lost amongst all the noise and to be honest the arrangement just got irritating after a while. I believe he’s better than what he showed today. Although, I’m glad the two put their awkwardness aside and put on a good performance.
Sangha: I think that’s the biggest flaw when it comes to Double K… he really doesn’t get that this isn’t all about him! The solo bit for Kim Jung Hoon was nice but definitely not enough. Double K sounded amazing, but yeah, I would have liked to see more from Kim Jung Hoon. I actually like the arrangement though.
Ranya: I would have maybe liked to see a segment where the pro rappers also get help and advice, because the last few weeks, we’ve seen Double K basically taking up so much attention with his stages. Kim Jung Hoon is one of my favourites on this show and I would hate to see him not develop in Double K’s shadow.
Money: ₩ ?
Anna: When I saw Kim Jung Hoon with an open mouth like that I thought they’d done really bad, but then Double K says “Oh my god!” and sounds very satisfied. What did I miss?
Youngmi: Jung Hoon’s face says it all. I’m guessing they got a very high amount!
45RPM
Preparations
Anna: They look like they’re having so much fun together!
Youngmi: They’re adorable. This song seems like so much fun and can easily show off the strengths of 45RPM. The members of 45RPM feel bad that Kwon Hyuk Woo is with them and they want to make sure that they do well for him. How sweet!
Sangha: It’s so touching how caring 45RPM is about Kwon Hyuk Woo, aw.
Performance: “오래된 친구” (Light & Salt cover)
Anna: Kwon Hyuk Woo was given a decent amount of space even with the other three members. They all seem to collaborate so well and the easy-going feel of it all is really nice. And I’m loving that choreography!
Youngmi: Oh my this is exactly what I was expecting! What I like about 45RPM is that they are light hearted and fun without taking away from anything else. Their lyrics were so witty and the energy was infectious! All four of them worked so well together thus making the lyrics very believable! They really do seem like ‘long time friends’ to me. One of their best performances so far!
Sangha: I think this is the best stage I’ve seen come from 45RPM. So much fun, and such a great stage dynamic between the four! I’m loving the arrangement too. And Kwon Hyuk Woo sounds fantastic as usual!
Money: ₩ 1,600,000
Anna: Not as high as Kwon Hyuk Woo is used to from his performances with MC Sniper, but still a decent score, I think.
Sangha: This is the highest that 45RPM has ever gotten right? Well-deserved!
Miryo
Preparations
Anna: It seems Cheeta has finally found somebody she’s working well together with.
Youngmi: It’s nice to see the girls together. They’re covering a very popular Kim Wan Sun song and bringing a different vibe than what we’ve been seeing with the guys.
Sangha: They seem to be getting along so well, it’s so good to them work so well together.
Performance: “리듬 속의 그 춤을” (Kim Wan Sun cover)
Anna: I sort of liked that they were going for a Kim Wan Sun song, but am getting cautious already before it starts as it’s been arranged by Shaun from The Koxx. I used to think I liked whatever he did, but recently there have been too many disappointments. And yeah, this unfortunately proves to be another one. Miryo and Cheeta are both doing well and I like their jumpsuits with one leg pulled up higher than the other (so 90’s!) but the arrangement is too distracting for me to really enjoy the performance. It’s great Cheeta got so much opportunity to show her skills.
Youngmi: Well… they look good! Their jumpsuits are seriously fly! I like how they incorporated choreography into their performance and the two worked really well together. However, I didn’t get anything else from this. The lyrics weren’t completely there and I thought their delivery was lacking.
Sangha: Haha same, the moment I saw Shaun’s name in the credits I went “ooh, not sure about that”. And I was right… this performance was so underwhelming. It had so much potential but the arrangement really ruined it. Not really liking the backtrack, and it’s just a messy performance in general… Cheeta sounds good though, god she has such a great stage presence.
Ranya: The performance was fun, very girl power and incredibly 90’s, but I kept feeling like something was lacking. I missed the girl’s rapping, the arrangement was so song heavy that we didn’t really get to see their full skills. Hot choreography though!
Money: ₩ ?
Anna: Is that disappointment on Miryo’s face? I can’t tell. But perhaps the audience too were so distracted by the arrangement that they failed to be enticed by the sexy dance moves happening on stage
Youngmi: Miryo and Cheeta do not look happy.
Joosuc
Preparations
Anna: Aren’t they making things a bit too simple by covering a hip-hop song? Maybe they’ll be able to do something creative with it anyway. Illtong’s style of rap doesn’t seem to please Joosuc, although I suppose that was kind of expected. But if Lee Hyori was able to figure out how to make Illtong sound good, how come Joosuc couldn’t do the same? And he’s invited New Champ to rap with them as well? That’s not cool.
Youngmi: Ah here’s another awkward couple in Joosuc and Illtong! Joosuc wants to bring out all the stops and go hard however that is not in Illtong’s repertoire thus creating ‘creative differences.’ Uh Oh. Illtong always looks so sad and unconfident. Things got worse when Joosuc brought in another younger rapper (New Champ) to help with the performance. Obviously, Joosuc didn’t want to work with Illtong but he shouldn’t have let that get to his head. The main goal is to put on a good show.
Sangha: I actually really like Joosuc lately and I hope this stage saves him… Joosuc and Illtong are so awkward together though.
Ranya: Don’t you just wanna give Illtong a hug and go “believe in yourself”? Maybe that’s what Hyori did, maybe hugs are the answer.
Performance: “우리는” (Deux cover)
Anna: AshGray’s No Min Hyuk is back playing the guitar and also carries some responsibility for the arrangement. Illtong looks so uncomfortable where he’s standing by the stage. I’d hoped him to gain a ton of confidence from his performance with Lee Hyori earlier, but it seems getting back together with Joosuc took it right out of him. And it takes forever for him to be allowed on stage too! What is this? Ok, at least Illtong is doing better than usual when he finally gets on. Was there a slip-up in there from both Joosuc and Illtong or was it just an awkward part of the arrangement? After taking a break to directly address the audience there seems to be a lot of excitement in the room.
Youngmi: I love the Deux and it’s good to see No Min Hyuk again! I’m a fan of his arrangements and I love how heavy this sound is! I’ve never seen Joosuc like this! He and New Champ are going in! Finally Illtong comes in and his rapping style does not fit with the song at all unfortunately. However, after that break the three of them go crazy and it’s good to see. Even if it’s for a short period of time, it’s good to see Illtong confident with himself and just having fun for once.
Sangha: There were so many elements about this stage that was unnecessary (are those… skateboarders in the back? And it’s good to see No Min Hyuk I guess but…) but overall I’m liking this stage, probably the best I’ve seen from Joosuc, really loving his rap. He really shines with more macho, masculine arrangements. And New Champ sounds amazing. Both Joosuc and New Champ have a really tight, sharp flow and unfortunately Illtong doesn’t fit in at all and sticks out like a sore thumb… And they messed up quite a bit.
Ranya: Oh, and there’s Illtong to crash the party. Okay, not that I disapprove of the pro rappers using other rappers in their stages, I would have actually loved to see more of that, but making it look like the rapper that is supposed to be in your crew is some kind of third wheel? not cool. That being said, the arrangement was really good.
Money: ₩ 2,100,000
Anna: We could see that their little stunt to talk to the audience payed off fairly well already during the performance. This is almost twice of Joosuc’s highest score before now.
Youngmi: Dang! That’s the highest Joosuc’s gotten so far!
Sangha: Whoa, you go, Joosuc, you go! Seriously, he should really do more arrangements like this in the future!
MC Sniper
Preparations
Anna: Nice song pick! Seems MC Sniper has been getting some online critique for his rapping style, but there should be no doubt he’s a great performer. He’s trying to coach TakeOne into a performer as well, but TakeOne isn’t in good enough physical shape to keep up and mostly just looks bothered by it all.
Youngmi: TakeOne is also having trouble adapting to another pro rapper’s expectations. He mentions how (his previous mentor) Double K concentrates on the lyrics and the technicalities of a song while Sniper concentrates on the overall performance and energy. Which I think is ironic because Sniper specifically mentions how he concentrated a lot on the lyrics because netizens have been slamming him on his poorly written raps. Take One looks exhausted from practicing. He complains about never having to practice hyping up a crowd before. To be honest, I’m sick of his complaints. He’s always sick and tired of something!
Sangha: Ah, I love this song! TakeOne seems to be struggling to keep up with MC Sniper’s energy… and the boy is complaining again. Oh. What’s new.
Performance: “붉은 노을” (Lee Moon Sae cover)
Anna: Kim Ji Soo is there to play the guitar and sing. With the reggae theme, the Skull towel and talk about Korea’s King of reggae I was expecting Skull himself to show up stage, but we can only hear him from somewhere behind the stage on occasion? Or is that MC Sniper doing a Skull impersonation? I’m not as fond of this as previous MC Sniper performances on the show but it’s still a ton of fun to watch. I didn’t really get a chance to think about how TakeOne did since there were so many other things that drew my attention instead.
Youngmi: I love reggae and the arrangement is definitely creative but this is just insane! There are a lot of distractions on stage and I didn’t know what to concentrate on. TakeOne expressed his awkwardness towards this style of music but he didn’t do half bad. He just seemed lost at some parts. MC Sniper definitely knows how to please a crowd! Although not my favorite performance it still has it’s charm.
Sangha: Interesting take on the song, but it really doesn’t live up to MC Sniper’s previous stages. It’s so obvious that TakeOne is having a hard time keeping up with the pace of the song, and he’s just really awkward overall…. MC Sniper sounds amazing though.
Money: ₩ 850,000
Anna: His lowest score so far. Although I can see why it should be lower, I think he still deserved a bit more than this.
Garion
Preparations
Anna: What’s all this talk about Lee Jae Hoon from all the pro-rappers?
Youngmi: The pro rappers are very blunt on how they feel about Lee Jae Hoon and how they want to avoid working with him. Garion was definitely the most outspoken about it, but unlike Joosuc, they actually try to bring something out of Lee Jae Hoon instead of pushing him to the side. Lee Jae Hoon knows that he’s the weakest link and understands that he’s here because of pure luck. However, he really wants to prove to the crowd, the pro rappers and to himself that there’s something more to him than what he’s shown so far. I think this song choice is the perfect opportunity to show a serious side to Lee Jae Hoon all the while giving him confidence. Good move on Garion’s part!
Sangha: Garion is so blunt. And I really feel bad for Lee Jae Hoon, but frankly he has yet to impress me much….
Performance: “내겐 노래 있어” (Light & Salt cover)
Anna: Will we get another reggae performance with Jun Beck of Soul Steady Rockers as one of three responsible for the arrangement? I guess not. Garion and Lee Jae Hoon are singing themselves instead of having a guest? Sounds surprisingly good! But we barely got to hear anything of Lee Jae Hoon rapping.
Youngmi: I’ve really grown to respect Garion during the course of the show. They are classy dudes and can capture an audience with just honest raps. MC Meta explains that this song used to help him get through rough times and I truly felt inspired by this performance. Each rapper had a story to tell especially Lee Jae Hoon. It just felt good to see him vulnerable and stripped down. I was able to take him seriously and relate to what he is going through. You don’t have to give up on something you love just because you’re not necessarily the best at it. I commend his efforts! Lastly, I understood the importance of the three of them singing the chorus together. It’s as if they are comforting each other and the lyrics (‘Let’s sing until the world ends, let’s sing let’s sing’) are that much more powerful.
Sangha: I loved this! Simple and basic, it’s definitely refreshing compared to all the other extravagant stages. MC Meta is seriously the best rapper on the show in my opinion, his rap is just phenomenal every time. Lee Jae Hoon sounded good too, he really impressed me this time.
Money: ₩ 750,000
Anna: Wasn’t that a bit too low?
Youngmi: Garion are expecting to pack their bags and go home. Is that what the audience wants as well?
Sangha: What the hell? I can’t believe this, once again. Underappreciated, seriously.
Personal Picks
Anna: 1) 45RPM, 2) Miryo, 3) Garion, 4) MC Sniper, 5) Joosuc, 6) Double K
Given the 8090 theme I would’ve loved to see Kirin on the show, and with Kirin as the shining example of what good 8090’s rap revival sounds like it was difficult to find any performance that really appealed to me. The only performance I really liked this week came from 45RPM, so naturally they’re my first. Double K for a change was responsible for the performance I liked the least so he gets the bottom. As for the rest the ranking was a bit more difficult, but I ended up putting Miryo second since I really liked what she and Cheeta did even though the arrangement sort of got in the way of much of it. I quite enjoyed Garion’s performance as well, but felt like there wasn’t enough rap focus. And while Joosuc’s crew may have offered better rap than MC Sniper’s crew, I thought it was really bad of Joosuc to bring another rapper on stage rather than giving more opportunity to Illtong so that’s why I got him second from the bottom.
Youngmi: 1) 45RPM 2) Garion 3) Joosuc 4) MC Sniper 5) Double K 6) Miryo
Sangha: 1) 45RPM 2) Garion tie for 3) Joosuc, Double K 4) MC Sniper 6) Miryo
45RPM was definitely the highlight of the show and Garion was a close second. As for Joosuc and Double K, there were both ups and downs and I can’t really choose which I liked better, they were both just a-okay.
Ranya: 1) Garion 2) 45RPM 3) Miryo 4) MC Sniper 5) Double K 6) Joosuc
You have these good rappers for you to mentor and give them opportunities to grow and show their best, USE THEM!
My biased brain wants to scream to the heavens that Miryo was the best one, but even though I personally liked the performance, I have a feeling it won’t take them very far.
The Results
| Crew | ₩ | |
|---|---|---|
| Double K | 3,700,000 | |
| 45RPM | 1,600,000 | |
| Joosuc | 2,100,000 | |
| Miryo | 450,000 | |
| MC Sniper | 850,000 | |
| Garion | 750,000 |
Anna: That’s a very impressive score for Double K! And a score much too low for Miryo.
First Place: Garion
Anna: Such a low score but still first place? It pays to go on last, I suppose. Not that I mind the result. Now that Verbal Jint is out of competition I’ll be rooting for Garion out of the pro-rappers. And what a revenge for Lee Jae Hoon.
Youngmi: Garion deserved this! I’m so happy for them! They took the risk in allowing Lee Jae Hoon to shine in his own way. I think Lee Jae Hoon learned a lot from Garion as well.
Sangha: Yes! I’m happy that Garion’s finally recognized.
Bottom Three: 45RPM, Miryo, Double K
Anna: Double K? I didn’t like his performance at all, but with that high score how could he be in the bottom three? Or was it that because of the high score the audience members all figured somebody else would vote him as their favorite so they could use their own vote for another crew? Or did they just expand the bottom notifications from two to three to make it less obvious who will be eliminated? Very unsettling to see Miryo here. Must feel good for Joosuc to finally be out of the bottom but for Kwon Hyuk Woo who just changed crews, this makes three out of three times.
Youngmi: This is ridiculous to see 45RPM in the bottom three! They don’t belong there at all! I don’t think Double K will be eliminated. He’s very popular and with such a high amount of money it’ll be surprising if he does.
Sangha: But 45RPM did so well! I can’t believe this. I love all three rookie rappers, I don’t want any of them to leave…. And Kim Jung Hoon is on the verge of getting eliminated once again…
Eliminated: Miryo
Anna: No!!! Not Miryo and Cheeta at the same time! I’m blaming Shaun for this…
Youngmi: Ah double whammy with Miryo and Cheeta. Although I think this is fair because they did have a weak performance this week.
Sangha: damn. Miryo didn’t really impress me much on the show so I didn’t expect her to get far but I was hoping that Cheeta would go on further than this. Hopefully she’ll score herself a record deal and we get to see more of her in the future, because I think she’s fabulous.
Ranya: If there was a sad enough emoticon for me to use, I would right now. Farewell the only ladies on the show, you will be missed.