Soo-hyun Ok (23) is an independent rapper. He appeared on Show Me the Money 8 as a contestant, and has continued to work hard, having released several studio albums and EPs since. We had the opportunity to ask him about his career as an artist, his personal perspective on making music, and more.
@spithatdeathtinyWhat's the story behind your artist name? How did you start music?
If you take the initials of my name, you get SH OK. To make this easier to pronounce, I changed it to "Shark". Then I added "Rama" which comes from an anime that I like a lot - Naruto. I put them both together and came up with "SHARKRAMA". Since I was young, I've always liked listening to songs and singing along with them, however, it was Dynamicduo's "Confession" that made me want to write my own lyrics.
How has your experience been working independently with creative freedom?
I think it's not easy to be an independent artist. I definitely have musical freedom, and there's no point in denying that, but on the other hand I have no support from a label. I sometimes feel that it can be a heavy burden to carry.
How would you describe your music to other people?
It's like I'm describing the life of Soo-hyun Ok through SHARKRAMA.
666 (prod. 북극곰) - SHARKRAMA (샤크라마) Different artists have different approaches when it comes to making music. What is your creative process like?
There are actually two ways that I get down to things. The first way is by coming up with a beat, and then I write the lyrics to go along with it. The second way is more systematic - when I work on an album, I try to organise everything I want to say, and I write it down before I align it with a beat. I usually get inspired out of the blue when I think deeply about things.
You released an album, "Wordpress", recently. It seems to sum up your values and perspective on the reason for existing and your purpose in life. Can you share with us what goals you wish to accomplish? Are you on the same career/creative path you had envisioned when you had first started music?
Firstly, I wanted to help my grandparents, who raised me and who I vaguely talked about in "Wordpress", out financially. I've also wanted to live with any worries but it has been so long since I've last felt at ease that I don't really know how to do that anymore. Since I'm living like this right now, I think my music has also become a bit heavier and more realistic than it was compared to when I first started out with music.
What's your favourite track amongst the ones you've released so far and why?
"직업정신병" is my favourite song. Even though it's quite simple, it has a good description of a musician's life which is why I like it.
직업정신병 (Workaholic) - SHARKRAMA (샤크라마) If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
The one thing I'd like to increase is the amount of people who listen to hip-hop.
From a personal perspective, what is the hardest thing about being an artist?
I think it's whether or not I have the confidence to "love myself and my thoughts". Things like that aren't easy, so it makes it the most difficult part of being an artist.
Describe your most unforgettable performance. What did you learn? How did you feel afterwards?
It's hard to call it a performance, but it's the 3rd preliminary round of SMTM8. I don't have a great recollection of the events because I've never felt as bad as I did back then.
가화만사성 (GAHWAMANSASEONG) (feat. woorim, ThuGGE) - SHARKRAMA (샤크라마) What do you think makes you stand out amongst all the other artists in the scene?
I don't think there's anything particularly outstanding about my music, so I think it's in my hands to make myself consistently visible to others.
What's next for you? Do you have any plans you can share with us?
I was thinking about creating a team and releasing a group album which would relieve a bit of the burden of having to do everything on my own.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with those who may be unfamiliar with your music?
I think I'm a very fun artist. I've lived my life to the fullest and I'm trying to describe it just as well. I think you'll understand what I mean when you listen to my music. Thank you.
