Mighty Mouth and Soya adds to the heat of the summer fiesta with "La La La"!

The awesome duo of Mighty Mouth --- Sangchu and Shorry J

I remember having mentioned in an earlier post that I'm not a big fan of hip-hop or rap groups, especially when you think about them in the American context. It takes a really creative hip-hop group to rise above the loud beats and the almost hypnotic chanting that often characterizes the genre. The same goes for Korean groups --- there are times when the noise can become really boring. Then you encounter a group like Mighty Mouth that changes your perception of things.

It's funny that my first encounter with this rap duo first began with Korean variety shows. I first saw Sangchu and Shorry J when I saw episodes of the now defunct Star Golden Bell quiz show in YouTube where they guested. These two guys are funny (in a good way) and very candid --- characteristics that I hold in high regard when it comes to entertainers. When they made comebacks this year, I knew how much fun they were to watch on TV, so I wondered if they could translate that same energy in their songs. Boy, was I in for a an awesome ride!

These two guys have been at it for a few years now since they first debuted as a hip-hop / rap duo in 2008. Lee Sang Chul (a.k.a. 237 or Sangchu) and So Jun Seop (a.k.a. Shorry J) obviously based the name of their group on "Mighty Mouse" (yes... I loved that cartoon when I was a kid too!). I have no idea as to how the cartoon fits into their theme, but I can say that their talent and their definitive sound is definitely MIGHTY!

One thing I've observed over the time that I've been sampling Mighty Mouth's work is that they don't entirely rely on themselves when it comes to their art. They thrive on collaboration. Most of the hits that they have churned out have always been collaborations with other artists. A great example of their ability to partner with other artists is seen with the song "Tok Tok". They released two versions of this song --- one version together with Soya (who was together with the duo when they promoted the songs), and the original version of the song which was sung together with balladeer Kim Bum Soo (for some reason, he had scheduling conflicts and couldn't promote together with Mighty Mouth, so they opted to record and promote with Soya on board).

"Tok Tok" by Mighty Mouth feat. Soya (MV with English Subs)

"Tok Tok" by Mighty Mouth feat. Kim Bum Soo (Audio Only)

For their latest digital single release, "La La La", they are joined once again by Soya, who was also their vocalist for the hugely successful "Tok Tok". They welcome the Korean summer with a highly festive and energetic song mixing together a solid Latin beat with electro-hip hop. The beat and rhythm of the song is infectious, and you can't really help but bob your head and dance to the beat! As expected, Soya lends a lot sexy sophistication to the song with her excellent vocals.

The MV is also tons of fun to watch too. What better setting for a summer MV than the beach, right? Seeing Sangchu and Shorry J having tons of fun (with their bleached blonde hair... hehehe! Well, it worked for me) makes you want to pack up and head-off to the beach too (which reminds me that I'm going on leave for a vacation soon... yay!). A great song and a fun MV make for a definite summer hit!

"La La La" by Mighty Mouth feat. Soya (MV with English Subs)

I'm still not a big fan of hip-hop and rap, but I am a big fan of artists who bring a lot innovation into their genre of music. Mighty Mouth isn't afraid of experimenting with their sound, and they bring to their audience a new kind of hip-hop --- one that is refined by various influences and suped-up for fun! Hopefully Sangchu and Shorry J come up with more stuff soon so we can fee a full album come out pronto!