On October 15, rising 5th-gen hip-hop sensation 82MAJOR made a comeback with their 2nd mini album, ‘X-82’. This album comes five months after the sextet’s last mini-album ‘Beat by 82’ in April. Like the group’s previous work, the four tracks in ‘X-82’ continue to demonstrate 82MAJOR’s unique hip-hop color while at the same time declaring the group’s ambition to conquer the hearts of listeners around the world with unpredictable music and charisma like an “X-File.” This album also shows the talents of 82MAJOR in music production as all the members participated in composing and writing the lyrics of the last two tracks in the album.
“Stuck”
The album opens with the title track, “Stuck,” an upbeat alternative hip-hop track with intense drum sounds of different patterns. The lyrics declare the group’s confidence, saying that everyone they meet will “get stuck” in their irresistible charisma wherever they go. Apart from the rappers, the “vocal line” Seongil and Dogyun also take up rap lines in the song, showcasing their delicate rap skills. The dynamic rap flows nicely along rhythmic drum beats, making this song addictive. An interesting thing about this song is that it ends with a dance break with the beat abruptly slowing down, which surprises the listeners and enriches the song’s texture.
The music video for “Stuck” has an exciting storyline. The members are kidnapped and undergo training to become national secret agents; they then embark on secret missions in different places to eliminate villains. The 3-minute music video is packed with funny scenes, such as the members wearing suits while combing their hair with pink combs and Dogyun drawing an emoji sticking out its tongue on the airplane window. After successfully sneaking into the hotel to carry out their mission, Yechan, Sungmo, and Seokjun do Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean toe-standing move.
Another highlight of the music video is that the artists performing acrobatics in the ballroom scene towards the end are from the Dongchun Circus, the first and only active circus currently in Korea. The members said they enjoyed watching circus performances while shooting the music video.
“Throns”
“Throns” is a song that expresses the group’s confidence and determination to overcome challenges and continue their journey to the top. The members sing that they don’t care even if it is a throne-wreath road and will never give up, as they know that they will achieve success eventually. The members also invite listeners to run with them for their dreams. The song resonates with the group’s aim to become a “major” act in the music industry.
“Face Time”
“Face Time” is an easy-listening hip-hop track in which the members subtly convey their interest in their crush. The song has a relatively laid-back vibe compared to the other songs in the album, which shows a more casual side of 82MAJOR. The group also performed this song alongside “Stuck” at their comeback showcase.
“Gossip”
The album ends with “Gossip”, an old-school hip-hop song with bold lyrics that challenge people who are gossiping about them behind their back. The members sing that those people are pretentious and just trying to seek unneeded attention, and they don’t care about them because gossip in Korea only lasts for a day or two. The hook line “talk about me, talk about me, uh. 82 do it better, you know what I mean, uh” repeated throughout the song is very catchy and brings out the fearless attitude and confident image of 82MAJOR.
Which scene in the “Stuck” music video interests you most, and which song in ‘X-82’ is your favorite? Let us know on Instagram and Twitter!
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Feature Image Credit: Great M Entertainment
