[INTERVIEW] 160426 GQ Korea - Together, Zico X Babylon
After 1 year, we have once again met Zico who is in full bloom. Babylon who sang ‘Boys and Girls’ with Zico is now stretching. How did these two people whose faces and voices are so different mix?
Zico, it’s been exactly 1 year.
Zico: During this 1 year many things have happened to me. I feel like I’m coming back after having run a marathon.
Does it feel like you had an interview before you started running and came back to the interview set after having finished?
Zico: That’s right. It feels as if my position has been sorted out now. Back then, I was in a situation where I couldn’t really call myself an idol or an MC. However, the one thing that’s always been the same are my feelings regardless of my identity.
What was the most decisive moment? The moment you achieved the place you’re in.
Zico: What consolidated me was my mini album <GALLERY>. What opened the fire was <Show Me The Money 4>.
Since you consolidated yourself up to now, has Zico changed?
Zico: Zico the human isn’t that happy. Zico the musician is really happy because he has achieved a lot of things, but when it’s time to enjoy that happiness, he has no time for it. He has to keep going as planned and he gets stressed.
Just like you wrote in the lyrics for ‘VENI VEDI VICI’, are you in a “you gotta give up slumber to rise above the surface” situation?
Zico: It’s a bit better lately. Up until 2 weeks ago I couldn’t sleep for more than two or three hours and had to go out again.
We were anticipating a Zico a bit more big-headed.
Zico: I’m the same, aren’t I? Of course, last year I was rougher. The word ‘prejudice’ followed me closely. Even so, now it has almost gone away. There are still people who curse at me, but that’s probably not because of prejudices.
And you’ve also come back as Block B’s leader Zico again. Your new songs ‘Toy’ and ‘A Few Years Later’ are very relaxed. Like when Big Bang’s ‘Blue’ and ‘Bad Boy’ were released.
Zico: Last year, there was a lot of strong music with heavy beats. Back then, I felt like, ‘whoa, I’ll show them’. And now, should I say that my sensibility has become more sensitive? I wanted to put in that kind of feeling as much as I could. I worked on the album <Blooming Period> in a beautiful way, with the feeling of flowers being in full bloom.
What does spring mean to the energetic man Zico?
Zico: It hasn’t happened to me yet, but it’s a season that feels like it could lead me on to fall into an illusion.
You said it hasn’t happened yet?
Zico: There are many things I’ve achieved; however, I’ve got new goals. 2015’s spring is 2015’s spring, and I’m wondering about the existence of another spring.
You’ve made songs that are like spring. ‘I am you, you are me’ and ‘It Was Love’ sung by Luna of f(x). Are love songs by Zico the rapper different?
Zico: ‘It Was Love’ is not hip hop. And in Block B’s ‘A Few Years Later’ there are no more than 16 lines for the rap part. I’ve said this many times, but Block B is not a hip hop group. In Block B, rap is just the instrument I use.
For ‘I am you, you are me’, you worked with Peejay who wrote Beenzino’s ‘Dali Van Picasso’, right? In your last interview, you said “I haven’t had any thoughts about wanting to rap on the beat somebody else made yet”, so it was very unexpected.
Zico: Since he is like an icon producer, I wanted us to try it. But, of course, I still worried whether something good would come out of putting my own identity on somebody else’s feelings. Fortunately, it went smoothly without any inconveniences.
Babylon’s featuring (‘Boys and Girls’) was quite the surprise, too. You also rapped on Dean’s song (‘Pour Up’). If you had wanted to become a hot issue, it would’ve been more effective to collaborate with Crush instead of Babylon or Jay Park instead of Dean, for example.
Zico: As soon as the melody for ‘Boys and Girls’ came out, I thought Babylon-hyung had to be the one to sing it. He has very new vocals so I was curious and, honestly, through that song I was confident I would make Babylon into a brand.
Did you two already know each other?
Zico: Yes, for about 5 years. When Gaeko and Yankie hyung’s ‘Cheers’ came out, I was shocked. His vocals wasn’t like this at first. He had a more soul feel? But he changed the hardware itself to R&B vocals. I thought, ‘he really grinded his teeth’.
Frankly speaking, has your singing style changed?
Babylon: I wasn’t confident on being able to do what I like in a professional way. I just thought, ‘ah, I want to do this’.
Would you say these vocalists are in a level totally different to yours?
Babylon: I was in a situation in which all of my self-confidence had disappeared. I put out a few songs, and the feedback was better than I thought. It was about that time when I got a call from Zico. I couldn’t believe it. Like you said earlier, there was no reason for him to choose me.
Your solo song ‘Pray’ is totally different from ‘Boys and Girls’. The chorus is like a clothesline, but the intro is soft. Shall I say, various voices are mixed into one song?
Babylon: Trying not to fall behind, I’m the type that is always studying, and that point is exactly what I’m focusing on.
Could I say you have various types of voices?
Babylon: If I had to compare it to a movie, I’d say in some songs I become the villain and in others I become the good-natured protagonist.
But when listening to your songs, shouldn’t one know that it’s Babylon the one who’s singing?
Babylon: Through this art, I try to manage the emotions that I can create and the techniques that I can use. No matter the song, there is a charming voice that only comes out in a certain range and it has to be inside a song.
What if we asked you about ‘originality’? Zico has been in controversies for alleged plagiarism a few times. Although for the R&B vocalist this ‘reference’ could not be something nice to talk about.
Zico: The criteria for plagiarism is determined by law; however, there have been many times when people’s feedback hasn’t been clear. For example, they said ‘Boys and Girls’ was similar to Chris Brown’s ‘Ayo’. The chords, rhythm and BPM are all different, though. When ‘Turtle Ship’ came out, there was a controversy right away, too. The sample CD that I bought with my money is like my instrument – I was taken aback when they said it was plagiarism. People who don’t know their facts will just believe anything.
Babylon: There were comments saying that we were copying Chris Brown or Jeremy here and there, because that’s the music we listen to. When you’re practicing or making the melody, you unintentionally make parts that sound similar. I have to change those parts and make them into my own thing.
Zico: I think that’s true. Should I say it’s like something you inherit by studying? From James Brown to Michael Jackson, from Michael Jackson to Usher, from Usher to Chris Brown, from Chris Brown to August Alsina. It just happens.
The process of making your own thing, of looking for an opportunity to go beyond your level is a musician’s responsibility.
Zico: Feedback plays a big role in it. There have been times when I’ve been unconsciously influenced by someone. I’m a hip hop fan, too. I have to watch out for that and check thoroughly.
To keep putting out songs might become helpful for your creativity.
Zico: Of course. Even if I get dissed, to keep getting attention is better. Like that, there are times when I’m like ‘ah, that’s right, I didn’t know this’.
Babylon: I learn a lot from Zico. It wouldn’t be good if I ended up having an old man’s mentality.
‘Old man mentality’?
Babylon: It wouldn’t be good if I became stubborn. Knowing that having too much pride is not right, you can’t say it’s right. Never.
Does Zico have any thoughts on starting his own label? Although you’re in a company.
Zico: I still have things to learn. It’s not enough to be good at making music to have a label. Around here, if 10 are established, 8 of them close their doors. Honestly though, if I make one, I will do well.
If it is a time like this when the hip hop scene is not as noisy as it was, don’t you want to do something to stick out more?
Zico: These days it’s quiet, in general. But if I outdo others at a time like this, then it will look like I am trying to just make myself look good. I had a lot of projects, but I held myself back. I achieved a 100% of everything I had planned for 2015, for real. It even was a bit scary. That’s why I held back. Only until the time to receive applauses come.
Is this why you’re coming back to Block B?
Zico: I came back inside. It’s important to look at the big picture, but there is also insight gained by narrowing your field of vision.
What do you think about rappers revealing they have an inclination for politics?
Zico: I think it’s possible.
But they aren’t doing anything. To an alarming extent.
Zico: It might be like that because they’re not interested. But it doesn’t work if you’re forced to be interested in it, either. Because when you’re ignorant and talk carelessly, you can cause a bigger problem.
Did you vote yesterday?
Zico: Of course. A change has to be made.
Translated by Annie @ blockbintl
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