[Review] 9MUSES - Lost EP

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! As I prepare to stuff myself silly with classic Vietnamese food, I'm definitely lacking in the review category this month but let's try and get back into shape. Speaking of getting back into shape, 9MUSES is also attempting to return to form. While 2015 may not have been as crazy of a year in terms of releases as 2013, the group of muses are trying their best to become a staple girl group. Having dropped "Drama" and "Hurt Locker" earlier in the year, 9MUSES comes back with a brief mini album in "Lost."

1. a.m. 3:00

The awkwardly titled "a.m. 3:00" is merely an intro track, a prelude to the rest of the EP. With that said there isn't much to talk about. This minute of audio has little-to-no vocals but does set the mood for the type of music the remaining songs would bring, so there's that I guess.

2. Sleepless Night

"Sleepless Night" is the title track and the Korean title embodies the everyday struggle of "can't sleep and am hungry," something I know all too well. Anyway, let's get the mediocre aspects out of the way first. The instrumental isn't very helpful to this song. It's not necessarily loud by itself, but compared to the soft feminine voices of 9MUSES it has a tendency to drown our their vocals which is a shame. I wish they had used more piano like during the bridge and ending, that would have made the instrumental more quiet and given the girls a chance to be heard better. As for the MV, they showed so little of both the dancing and lipsyncing that I feel they should've just done without either and focused on the plot. Some of the lipsyncing was suspect (like from Sungah and Hyemi), not to mention that there's only like maybe 6 total seconds worth of seen choreography (and what little dance we did see only reminded me of AOA's "Miniskirt" anyway).

Alright now here's what I love about this song. The line distribution in "Sleepless Nights" is stellar, which is an impressive by any standards. Balancing this many members so effortlessly is praiseworthy and needs to be followed by other larger groups. 9MUSES have airy voices which were utilized very well here. Hyuna and Hyemi in particular really impressed. The former did a good job blending in with Keumjo and the latter had beautifully clean high notes during the choruses. Erin also doesn't disappoint with a rap performance I wish we got to see in "Hurt Locker." Unlike the last major release, Erin's rap is at the same pace with the rest of the song, not to mention that I think this is the only time I've ever heard her rap-sing? All I know is, the whole song sounds good and contrary to the title, could definitely lull me to sleep if not for the overly loud instrumental.]

Lastly, a few quips on the MV. I'm sure we were all flattered with the eye candy because 9MUSES are still gorgeous, but did they really have to show Sungah throwing up into the toilet? Obviously that was just acting but c'mon, nobody wants to see that. Erin using a rotary phone also gave me a few chuckles. And Keumjo finally seems to be blending in, she's never looked better in "Sleepless Nights." Sojin also went (back to) black and the long hair gives her the extra wow factor. It's worth mentioning that Erin and Sungah as blondes definitely work better than Keumjo and Sojin, though that's primarily due to the fact that their hairstyling in "Hurt Locker" wasn't optimal.

3. Secret

"Secret" is my favorite track by far. It's a dance track that is subtle with the energy, matching the track before it. Also like "Sleepless Night," 9MUSES do a good job balanced line distribution which works even more effectively with the quick transitions throughout the song. Every member uses their breathy voice exquisitely, projecting sultriness and vulnerability. There's a heavy amount of repetition but not too excessive. The bridge between Kyungri and Hyuna was odd upon first listen, but is really just setup for Erin's quick rapping burst. Erin delivers a punctual rap (though questionable on the "uh oh" noise levels) that like the bridge, does a good job establishing itself standalone and Hyemi's inclusion helps bring everything together for the final chorus. The extra runs at the end aren't anything special but they get the job done. This is a very pretty track that should have also competed heavily for title track material.

4. Koong Chit Dak Chit

I couldn't find any English translations, so "Koong Chit Dak Chit" will have to do, as much of a mouthful as it is. It does make me wanna brush back up on my Korean to understand the lyrical content ha. This dance pop track is much more brazen than the others on the mini so in that regard it's a little like the awkward child of "Lost," but it's a commendable effort nonetheless. I randomly have casino thoughts when I listen to this song for whatever reason. "Koong Chit Dak Chit" relies heavily on Erin's various one-liners which sound a little weird. It's not the numerous English words (because to her credit Erin has good English, at least here), or her voice. Perhaps it's simply that the transitions are erratic between the singing and rapping.

5. To. Mine

The title and content of "To. Mine" has Christmas all over it haha. It's a slow soothing ballad that once again spreads the love around to all the members. I love how much they've used Hyuna lately. Back when they had released "Drama" I feared that with Keumjo labeled as a main vocalist Hyuna would fade from the spotlight (also that Hyuna's voice was really good for a song like "Drama" and criminally underutilized). Thankfully Hyuna is all over this mini album and her velvety voice is music to my ears. Erin is also not left out, getting a soft rap that shows her ability to hold back when it's appropriate. Those high notes are gorgeous and overall is something you can fall asleep to. "To. Mine" is absolutely going to be a song that you listen to on a cold winter day as the snow falls. After all, winter and Christmas are knocking on the door.

As November draws to a close, 9MUSES yet again make their mark with another release. "Lost" is effortlessly good in execution and the double threat of "Sleepless Night" and "Secret" are yet more additions to their best works. With fewer groups being active around this time I'm hoping for some breakout success because this group truly deserves it with their work ethic, music, and charm. "Lost" is easily a highlight in the 2nd half of 2015.

[ Overall: 88 / 100 ]

[Review] EXID - Hot Pink

We have no time to be thinking about Brown Eyed Girls when EXID and "Hot Pink" are upon us. Teasers of the song showed very different audio clips so we were unsure of how the actual product would sound. Perhaps a slight variant of "Up & Down?" Or a new powerhouse song to really establish themselves in the upper echelons of girl groups. One thing is for sure, it'd probably be catchy, and have some powerful rap and vocal showings.

For starters, "Hot Pink" has deviated itself far from the "Up & Down" formula that gave EXID their chance at glory. The only instance of similarity was at 1:12 right before Solji's part. You could probably insert the latter half of the "Up & Down" chorus from there and that'd be a seamless transition but outside of that the comparisons are lacking. This is good, since we want EXID to find success on their own without the need to piggyback of their "ultimate" song. Overall "Hot Pink" sounds like a much shorter song, due to having around 30 seconds of filler at the beginning and end of the song. I'm assuming this is allocated dance time to show off more choreography during lives, as we don't get to see too much of the dance (outside of the hilariously jittery bit at 1:20 right before the chorus) in this video. The standard EXID formula is still there: Hyerin and Solji teaming up for a strong singing performance, LE delivers a series of raps, and Junghwa gets the awkwardest of all awkward parts (more on that later).

Hani takes care of business leading the song like she did in "Ah Yeah," Her sweet yet sultry gaze carries over to her vocals and she's rocking green hair like Jiyoon did in "Crazy." Sadly the opening is pretty much all we see from her, with the prechorus and chorus taking up much of the song along with the aforementioned filler wrapping both ends. Hyerin still needs some more work on her acting and general presence, her boring demeanor doesn't compliment her emphatic voice. Solji, meanwhile, is stunning in both aspects, and she definitely needed to belt "everybody dance now" right before the chorus. That would have been perfect in every way.

Just recently, LE was crowned as the #1 girl group rapper but the rapping in "Hot Pink" wasn't very exciting. Part of the reason is because of the background male "vocals" literally eating up half of each rap segment. I know the chorus is also just chanting like the male voices but c'mon LE could've done so much better. The rapping here is just too brief and cluttered to be any good. Moving on, Junghwa still is relegated to the most awkward parts of all the main EXID titles. Granted this is much better than her previous endeavours in "Up & Down" and "Ah Yeah," but her section is still very much out of place compared to the rest of the song. At least looks amazing in that pink hair, my gosh.

I don't even wanna talk about this music video haha. It's so bizarre, I'm not ready to try and theorycraft anything. EXID runs a gas station out in the middle of nowhere (literally) and only men (hmm) show up to get...pink gas? We even see Junghwa literally locked in a room of the stuff. You'd think she is being slaved away by the other members or something, but when the police show up (how come we're seeing more cops in Kpop videos lately?) she's with the rest of the girls ready to surrender. Except they're all holding wrenches behind their backs. Uh oh, the last thing EXID wants is any legal troubles. At the end of the day, all I know is that 9MUSES also had a gas station theme for a song once and they did much better with the execution. 90% fanservice and 10% plot works better than a split with a questionable storyline.

It's difficult to determine whether or not "Hot Pink" has provided us with another signature EXID track. The song structure is quite jumbled and less catchy, with stereotypical clutter starting and ending the song plus Junghwa's awkward bridge in the middle. LE has some punctual moments but are overshadowed by the unnecessary chanting, and while Hyerin and Solji remain spectacular, their parts are (as usual) too short to really be something special. It's still a good song, no doubt, but unfortunately at time of writing "Hot Pink" fails to live up to the expectations set by "Ah Yeah."

[ Overall: 77 / 100 ]

[Bonus] Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings Revisited (#10-#1)

#10. Jia (-3)

Jia hasn't been the busiest of the rappers, but her drop in the standings has more to do with others being elevated than personal downfall. Jia can be an explosive rapper that can easily switch to a support vocalist. When we discussed Yura, I mentioned how she receives the best treatment out of most rappers in terms of voice and line distribution, and Jia is right behind her. In fact, miss A's title tracks / music has split between having and not having raps so Jia's utility is well-exercised. If she isn't dropping prompt raps in "Goodbye Baby" or "I Don't Need A Man," she's singing smooth transitions in songs like "Hush" and "Only You."

Jia's most prized ability is her technique and speed. She isn't the only non-Korean on the list, but the speed and clarity in which she raps is impressive. Hell, she can even outpace some if not most of the others in the #20-#11 range. On a wider scale, excluding a few outliers (like Super Junior-M's Zhou Mi for example), Jia probably sounds the best in Korean out of the many foreigners in Kpop. If Sihyun represented the baseline and Hyomin represented the average, then Jia represents the requirements needed to be in the top 10. JYP proudly houses her and Yubin who both rank at the very top, and that shouldn't be overlooked.

#9. Bora (-1)

Bora may not be the best in blonde, but she's certainly one of the best girl group rappers out there, evidenced by her #9 placing. She's got a good base, an emphatic voice, and has remained consistent through the years despite the decreasing power of Sistar's title tracks. Last year I discussed how Bora's contrast between performing and on variety is a clear indicator of her charisma, and that remains true. But something people also forget is that while Bora is often sexy and sultry for Sistar songs, she's also been cute and energetic in the more fun songs like "Touch My Body" and "Loving U."

The Achilles' Heel of Bora is how often she's used outside of rapping. Which is to say, never. Flashback to 2011-2012 and Sistar19, which was really just a Hyorin solo featuring Bora. Bora may actually be the only member in the entire list who has not had any significant singing parts (ignoring some of the newbies). The only reason Bora is marginally better than Hana in the utility category is that while Hana does get some singing, Bora contributes pretty heavily to Sistar's rise over the years. If Bora could get any exposure in singing, she'd likely overtake the next few ranks.

#8. Amber (-2)

Let's get this out of the way: Amber continues to be wasted potential. Ever since her debut, she has rarely had the opportunity to show raps that prove her top 8 placement. Amber has never had a breakout performance among f(x) songs, which is sad given her long career. Raps from "Chu" to "Rum Pum Pum Pum" have been all kinds of mediocre across the board. But enough disappointing talk, onto brighter topics. Amber has a beautiful voice, which has become more prominent in f(x)'s music. This is especially evident after Sulli's departure from the group, as we see Amber being given more singing lines in "4 Walls." In contrast to her husky rapping voice, Amber's singing voice is clear and light. She adds a 3rd feminine voice to f(x)'s roster and manages to make ends meet with the mediocre raps she has.

Amber is highly valued in the marketing of f(x). She speaks English and Mandarin which helps reach international audiences, and is probably the 2nd most popular member of the group (even including Sulli). Her tomboyish charm has not wavered since their debut in 2009 and was the pioneer of the "boyish" girl rappers. Overall Amber has every tool needed to be a super successful rapper, but her company has yet to find her the right place (or song) in the competition.

#7. Moonbyul (--)

Once upon a time, most assumed that a rapper in a group with extremely talented vocalists was nothing more than audio filler and a pretty face. But in 2014 Moonbyul of Mamamoo helped burn that theory to the ground. You wanna talk about a rapper that can impress you just as much as Solar's singing? Moonbyul has you covered. Her voice contains all the right elements between low range, tough and sassy, and good volume. Moonbyul's trademark growl is amazing and her raps in "Piano Man" and "Ahh Oop!" show that her basics are damn good. She really does need to stop saying her name to introduce all her raps, though. Regardless, this speaks volumes about Moonbyul and her ability to make a name for herself despite the vocal juggernaut that is Mamamoo. Not to mention that unlike Sihyun and SPICA, she gets no singing chances whatsoever.

What's truly surprising about Moonbyul is that even though she's a rookie, she never sounds like one on stage. Her charisma and expressions are that of veterans and having solid performances since debut with "Mr. Ambiguous" further increases her value. Moonbyul actually has a fairly decent singing voice. She, like Bora, don't get any singing options at all, so if she could just get the tiniest amount of the singing lines, that could very well be the icing on the cake capable of pushing her into the top 5.

#6. CL (-2)

Ah, Lee Chaerin. The self-proclaimed "baddest female," CL manages (continues?) to hold her ground despite 2NE1's uncertain future. 2NE1 has been inactive since the "Crush" album, so all of her work is outdated at this point. CL has a powerful distinct voice that is matched by capable technique. "MTBD," as noted when I discussed the song in the Best Of 2014, was a strong rapping track which showcased her ability better than anything else from 2011 on. The live performance of said track demonstrates exactly what makes CL so great. Her stage presence and charisma are generally incredible and really bring life to the music. Not only that, but she can contain herself when needed, too, like in the unplugged "Come Back Home." Outside of rapping, she has a good voice constantly utilized in songs like "Lonely" and "Missing You" and clearly was the driving force of 2NE1 when they were still active.

The consistency of CL will continue to decline as Bom's controversy keeps the group on hiatus. Combined with how her most impressive works come from the "To Anyone" era, and we're watching a previously talented rapper fall slowly from grace. Still, her parts in "The Leaders" and most tracks from "To Anyone" made her one of the best (if not the best) girl group rappers during the Golden Age of Kpop.

#5. Yezi (--)

This ranking may be overzealous but I truly believe Yezi is among the absolute best of Kpop girl group rappers. She's like a younger version of LE. They have similar voices (Yezi is a touch less nasally than LE) and similar rapping styles (powerful and aggressive). While her career may not be as decorated due to her young career, she has more than held her own. In early 2015, "You're Pitiful" illustrates the high point for both Yezi and FIESTAR, a beautiful song equipped with a fierce rap sequence. Looking into older material, even through the gimmick songs like "I Don't Know," and the simple repitition in "One More," Yezi has demonstrated ability and tenacity on a regular basis.

Yezi's berth on Unpretty Rapstar isn't enough exposure for this girl. Yezi will be making an anticipated solo debut later this month. Outside of a few obvious names like CL and Miryo, she's a rare instance of a group rapper getting a solo project. Here's hoping she surpasses all the expectations. As FIESTAR climbs the girl group ladder, Yezi will keep showing everybody why she's a force to be reckoned with.

#4. Miryo (-3)

 The battle between the next ranks was the trickiest. Miryo vs. Yubin. Last year Miryo reigned at #1 while Yubin sat at #3, but since then neither had been too active. Yubin and Wonder Girls were on hiatus while all Miryo had was the M&N subunit and a brief solo effort. Thankfully Brown Eyed Girls made a return just earlier this month (which we'll get to reviewing later) and while neither "Brand New World" or "Warm Hole" are bad songs, the rap shown from Miryo was very regrettable. The trio of Miryo, Erin, and Yubin had substandard raps this year but Miryo had the most disappointing by far. Compounding this was the lackluster "Queen" which seemed to highlight Gain more than Miryo.

Despite all that, she is one of the most fundamentally advanced rappers, with speed, voice, and technique to boot. Not only is she the fastest rapper among everybody on the list, but she also has the most experience, which spans over a decade. Sometimes I think it's generally unfair to compare Miryo to the rest of these idol rappers. Brown Eyed Girls is certainly a unique and established girl group, and Miryo's experience predates even that. A weaker showing in 2015 does little to take away from her extended resume.

#3. Yubin (--)

If voice was everything, Yubin would be the undisputed queen. Her voice is really low and she makes everything sound damn good. Thankfully, voice isn't everything, but Yubin has all her bases covered either way. Her voice may be the carry but her rapping ability is absolutely on par with the rest of the members in the final 4. Yubin's feature in Ivy's "I Dance" may be the very best non-group release from any idol rapper to date. She has flattered in pop track raps ever since her debut with "Tell Me" all the way up to the deliciously charming "Be My Baby." Yubin's consistency may have suffered a brief drop thanks to group hiatus but my goodness she's back. Many were hyped to see her join Unpretty Rapstar, myself included. While her final placement there may have been uninspiring, she delivered potent raps from the start of the show, an accurate portrayal of her library from joining Wonder Girls to present day.

Even with having a longer hiatus compared to Miryo, Yubin's comeback work was more impressive. Just judging title tracks, "I Feel You" easily has the advantage against "Brand New World" in pretty much every aspect. This doesn't include bonus utility for learning / being in charge of drums in the comeback. Yubin is an outstanding competitor for the very top, and once she and Wonder Girls start releasing regular content, it'll be just like the good ol' days again.

#2. Erin (--)

Erin boasts one of the most consistent performances and personalities over the past 3 years. Admittedly, the rapping in "Drama" and "Hurt Locker" was a bit disappointing but her track record remains very strong. 9MUSES' furious 2013 promotions helped catapult her to the top and keep her there. Her rap break in "Wild" remains the best (girl group) rap I've ever heard, and honestly speaking, nothing else from anybody else has come close, before or after. Erin possesses a husky voice riddled with charisma and attitude that's seen in her lives. While she manages to have zero singing lines, and have Sungah encroach on her rapping rights, Erin is a pivotal member of 9MUSES and a main reason I was drawn to the group in the first place.

This writeup comes ahead of the November comeback, but here's hoping that she continues with the excellent ability no matter what type of song they return with. The "S/S Special Edition" was full of short rapping bursts which while good, don't really do Erin the same amount of justice, and the same could be said for the "Drama" EP from earlier in the year. Erin quietly retains her #2 spot, but makes way for the new queen.

#1. LE (--)

It's no secret that LE is one of the most established female rappers in Kpop. Between an underground start, songwriting ability, and the focal point of EXID, LE's name is everywhere, and synonymous with success. But flashback to spring 2013 and my first experience of LE was not as pleasant. "You Got Some Nerve" was a joint effort between FeelDog, B2ST's Junhyung, and LE. The extreme nasal quality of her voice along with the high pitch did not mix well and I dismissed her as an inferior rapper. Even to this day I don't think her part in the song sounds good at all. That being said, LE's voice has naturally grown on me, mostly due to EXID's music not reaching that same level of pitch. Her rapping is a perfect match for songs like "Every Night" and "Ah Yeah." LE has a flexible voice, gifted ability, a sophisticated charisma, and scary consistency. LE has only had good (or better) raps since debut (outside the aforementioned "You Got Some Nerve") which not many other members in the ranking can claim. Along with Yubin and arguably Jimin, this trio is in a category of their own for consistency.

LE may not have a solo in the works but she's enjoying the success of  EXID's meteoric rise to the top, something which she contributed massively to. Someone once said "EXID will succeed because of LE," turns out they were right on the money. The rapping in "Up & Down" and "Ah Yeah" serve as the backbone to each song, Every release that has had a healthy dose of excellent rapping from LE has impressed, even if the songs never reach the level of success they deserve. She and Solji are the pillars of EXID and they will continue to excel as the group releases "Hot Pink" sometime next week.

[Bonus] Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings Revisited (#19-#11)

#19. Nada (--)

Absolute honesty: this was the most painful writeup by far. I dreaded researching Nada because while she is a pretty moderate rapper, Wa$$up's music is some of the worst I've heard. Skipping through their songs to find Nada's parts was a nightmare thanks to the cringe-inducing songs. Terrible music and mediocre fanservice is something you have to try to be bad at and Wa$$up manages to do so. With that said, it's no surprise that as a rapper with no singing parts in bad songs, Nada's consistency and utility scores are poor. Where she makes up for that is voice. Outside of Nada and Yubin, not many girl group rappers that come close to their level of low and powerful voice.

Nada is a rapper with potential to be top 10 or even top 5, but is held back severely by her group. The whole "twerk" concept idea just seemed so desperate and Wa$$up have yet to successfully place themselves on the girl group radar. The only decent Wa$$up song I stumbled upon was "Stupid Liar" and that's questionable at best. Ultimately, Nada has one of the best rapping voices in the industry, but one of the worst supporting casts and music to go with.

#18. Lime (--)

Lime is unique for sporting some of the more interesting hair colours over the years, as her picture in the scorecard can tell. The rapper of Hello Venus has a rich voice that never really came into play when the group was doing cute concepts. However, once the Brave Sound era began, Hello Venus shifted to a more mature direction. Since then there have been 3 major tracks from the group: "Sticky Sticky," "Wiggle Wiggle," and "I'm Ill." Even in this new age, Lime is limited in her appearances. "Sticky Sticky" failed to include a rap, leaving her as just support vocals.

That would change in early 2015, as the rap break in "Wiggle Wiggle" is one of the strongest raps this year, and is the highlight of an otherwise plain song. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to provide a follow-up in the EDM track "I'm Ill" which definitely could've used one. A strong rap showing would help break up the song and make "I'm Ill" sound less repetitive. Lime may not have the best stage presence, but she draws attention when she raps. Her gaze is electric and she has the most captivating eyes of all the rappers here (with the exception of Chanmi). Usually, most people think of her and Alice as the carries of Hello Venus, so adding her slight vocal utility gives her a good advantage over someone like Hyoyeon.

#17. Yuna (--)

The Ark left a profound impact with their debut "The Light," which featured a MV that tugged at your heartstrings, solid vocal performance, and excellent rapping out of Yuna. The ex-YG trainee certainly has followed in the footsteps of G-Dragon and CL. Despite dropping from YG's new girl group that will never actually exist, Yuna has found herself in a better place. Yuna has proven in a short time she's not to be underestimated. Her voice is rather distinct (combination of high and slightly nasally) and she always sounds comfortable in her raps. She's got good mannerisms on stage, but all this culminates in just a mid-table finish. How come?

Yuna is held back for the opposite reasons that hold Lime and Nada back. She currently has a microscopic library but with results ranging from good to fantastic, while Lime and Nada have been struggling to find a rhythm since their debuts. Once she and The Ark start releasing more content on a regular basis, Yuna will be the staple average girl group rapper because I find her more all-around gifted than the next couple of rappers on the list.

#16. Jiyoon (--)

Many became fans of Jiyoon after her spectacular rap in "Crazy," but the truth is Jiyoon has been fierce on the mic early on, just that 4minute's lackluster releases haven't been able to put her talent on the table. As with Hyuna, inconsistency in songs and mediocre raps can only get you so far, but Jiyoon has the technical ability to make those raps tolerable. Her rapping voice has quite the range, as seen from the high pitches in "Crazy" to the low aggressive sounds in "Cut It Out." Since she fluctuates often between those ends, her voice gets an average score.

Jiyoon's strength is in her charisma and versatility. Fearless and flawless on the mic, she has taken on different styles of raps over the years with success. Within the group, she's constantly taking various roles to fill whatever gaps are needed. For rapping, Jiyoon surpasses both Hyuna and Sohyun in the rap department on any given day. For vocals, she is the only member that can really support and compete with Gayoon. She is top 2 in the group in either rapping or singing and without a doubt 4minute's most valuable player.

#15. Hana (-5)

Let me tell you a secret! Some of the following rappers may not be as technically gifted, but they have a rich history and therefore earn legacy points. Hana is most definitely one of those types of rappers. Most fans don't doubt her ability. Hana has proven that she can be extremely solid like in the soulful performance in "Madonna" to the aggressive fast lyrics of "Poison." She also gets some opportunity to showcase her vocals, but it's tough trying to steal lines away from Jieun and even Hyosung. Of course, the true weakness of Secret is that they're versatile, or rather, too versatile. They constantly switch between cute and sexy concepts, and if nasal raps sound bad, then aegyo raps are worse. Hana can turn on the aegyo dials to 11 as seen in "Shy Boy." This results in frequent concept changes which hurt her consistency, as Hana sounds best when she's serious and mature.

Further compounding Hana's inconsistency problems is that Secret (as a group) have been quiet ever since the release of "I'm In Love" last summer. The "SPICA effect," if you will. For now everyone is doig individual activities like miss A but they don't even have a 2015 release outside of Hyosung. Perhaps they're really hiding secrets, but whether it's about a comeback in the works or hiatus / disbandment, this paves the way for another TS rapper to surpass Hana..

#14. D.ana (--)

This is as high of a rank I can give to D.ana without feeling uncomfortable. After all, she's just a rookie. But what an impressive rookie we have. Fans and non-fans alike have rightfully noticed her as the "female Bang Yongguk" because she might have the deepest voice on a girl group rapper yet. Not only that but she knows how to use it, throwing out aggressive raps in "Deja Vu" and "Cushion" even though the English is shamefully terrible. She can still be the classic feminine rapper seen from "Round N Round," but her charisma shines when needed for those powerful raps. Limited to rapping and further restricted by here rookie status, D.ana hasn't had a chance to expand her resume or enter the variety world yet but that time will come.

Sonamoo has rappers on opposite ends of the spectrum. Newsun is light and can grow into a new Jucy with time, while D.ana already has the fundamentals along with a killer voice. D.ana is a rapper that debuted with force in "Deja Vu." If Sonamoo can keep with the powerful image and music in 2016, D.ana will only keep going up the list.

#13. Woori (-4)

Woori is one of the gatekeepers to our top 10, and a surprising placement in my eyes. She has never really had a standout performance, her group theme is unstable, and yet here she is at unlucky #13. Woori is best compared to Hana. Both have groups which aren't too popular, constantly flip between concepts, and have average rapping abilities. Their voices are quite similar, with Hana having a slight edge due to her lower range. They're both strong when the songs are not aegyo or cute, either. The consistency advantage is in Woori's favor as Rainbow have at least released something this year, albeit with a weak rap showing. Still, she's getting all the points she deserves.

Rainbow are still looking for their identity many years into the making. They still switch between concepts like Secret, and have yet to find mainstream success. "Black Swan" is a glimpse of Rainbow potential, but unlike lablemate KARA they have yet to fully reach said potential. With her prime work being many years ago in "A" and "Mach," Woori will likely continue to hang in the middle of the pack, where average qualities and legacy reasons will keep her afloat close to the top 10.

#12. Hyomin (--)

Hyomin somehow didn't change positions from last year. Considering the raw number of new additions to the power ranking and amount of members dropped this result is quite surprising. On second thought though, Hyomin was always one of the more average rappers so 12th out of 20 going to 12th out of 27 is pretty fair. In fact, while that's not a ranking change she does go from below average to above average which is an accurate portrayal of her progress. Hyomin is the go-to rapper for T-ARA's fast-paced dance tracks and does a good job with most if not all of them.

She may not have a rap that sets her apart from anyone else in this range, but she has been pleasantly consistent ever since she took over as the main rapper following Hwayoung's departure. From the simplistic beats of "So Crazy," to the suspect English in "Number Nine," and the carefree vibes of "Jeon Won Diary,"  Hyomin doesn't ever really disappoint. If only her solo showed more rap skills than...whatever you want to call "Nice Body." She is part of the T-ARA trifecta along with Eunjung and Jiyeon, and always has a part in the song no matter if it's rapping or singing, or both. Hyomin continues to play gatekeeper to the top 10.

#11. Jimin (--)

AOA makes a more rightful appearance just outside the top 10 with talented leader Jimin. You're going to hear me talk about how talented Jimin is, because I have much respect for her rapping ability. Her mechanics are very good and she constantly injects personality into her raps. She is also one of the fastest rappers on the rankings, it's rare to see lines with a pace as furious as that in "Moya" and "Get Out." In terms of raw skill many respect Jimin, as seen in the audiences of Unpretty Rapstar.

What I don't respect, however, is her voice. She is the top madame of nasal voices, and that's something that bothers me...a lot. "Chipmunk Jimin" is very real and can be quite grating to listen to. The inflections she uses tends to ramp up her voice so her charisma takes a hit as a result. Jimin has been able to control or keep her voice in check though. More relaxed songs like "Time" and "Yahae" show that she's not always as nasally as she sounds, while more rap-singing lines in "Short Hair" also tone down her chipmunk funk. Jimin has the potential to climb into the top 10 because few have the ability to rival her, it's just her polarizing voice holds her back. More tame appearances will have her joining the best in no time, like her group's rise to the top of the girl group ladder.

[Bonus] Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings Revisited (#27-#20)

It's been well over a year since the first official Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings was released. For November I decided to take a return (for real this time) visit to these female rappers in 2015 to see if any changes would happen alongside the shifts in the girl group ladder. For this revisited version, we'll watch some old faces go and some new faces enter the fray. Now like last time, I'm definitely no expert in the art of rap, just going by what I see, hear, and feel. So before we dive into anything, I'll briefly go over my thought process, qualities, expectations, etc.

* Representatives: Each member on this list needs to be listed with the role of rapper. The ideal picture was to have a rapper from as many main groups as I could. Because of this, some will have less substance than others since I'm not familiar with. AOA and 4minute are the only groups with multiple representatives, and on the opposite side, A-Pink and After School are absent because they rarely rap ever. Furthermore, I also restricted adding anyone that isn't active anymore, whether that's because they aren't in groups anymore (Nicole) or they've had substantially less rapping in recent times (Wonder Girls' Hyelim).

* Data: Since the world of Kpop is a title track game, the primary source of materials will be from MV / title tracks. Naturally we'll take in as much information and rapping as possible, but basing off of title songs will keep me honest, and more accurate to immediate impressions and the like. After all, these artists are trying to sell the album through the title track. Of course, any releases are fair game, collaborations, special projects, etc. We're only looking at songs released for the home country though, no Japanese songs, etc.

* Voice (V): When it comes down to it, if a rapper doesn't have a voice I enjoy listening to, I'm probably not gonna like them. This really only applies to nasal sounds and high pitched voices, those of whom will be very clear when they show up on the list. There will be cases where a rapper has a poor voice but really good talent, and the opposite: a good voice with subpar ability.

* Execution (E): This category comprises of flow, rapping speed, etc. Can they rap fast, and sound good while doing so. Pronunciation factors into flow a healthy amount since it's pretty bad to sound jumbled in Korean. The quality of voice will certainly play a factor into execution, as emotion and power tend to have important roles in raps.

* Consistency (C): Being consistent is pretty key. If the ability of rapping fluctuates, you're more likely to be ranked below someone who is perhaps a weaker rapper but with more stability. In this realm, constant improvement is excellent, while the opposite is not, of course. This also refers to the quality of raps as well, most notable in groups or concept changes throughout the years.

* Charisma (Ch): Call it unique presentation, call it stage presence, whatever. Charisma is a combination of how commanding the girls can be on the mic / stage while at the same time breathing life and style into the raps that they are given, since most of them do not compose their own raps.

* Utility (U): Ability to be represented in their music outside of rapping. Not just limited to vocals and dancing, but also extends to variety presence or contributing to the popularity of the group. For example, if Suzy was on this list she would have a high utility rating, as would someone like Taeyeon. This is by far the least significant category, but it does shed potential light on members who may not be as active with their rapping as others.

To give you a sample of what's to come. Here's a writeup for someone who tragically won't be making a comeback, as the group as disbanded. However for writing purposes it will be as if she were still active in the industry. After that we'll jump into the bottom 8 out of 27 members.

#Ex. Jucy (N/A)

I miss EvoL. This was a group with promise way back when. They debuted with a hip-hop style and swagger that's all too uncommon nowadays. Spearheading this group was Jucy and J-Da, some of the fiercest rappers to emerge in 2013. J-Da brought the deep powerful voice while Jucy had the experienced flighty skills. Jucy was one of the fiercest on the mic, you could always hear her energy and tenacity when she performed. So even though her voice was on the high side and not quite what you'd expect, she made it work with charisma.

It's a shame that this group fell through. Jucy was going places from the underground scene and now she's gonna be back to that and may never see the light of the Kpop stage again. If only I had not been lazy when I originally wanted to revisit these rankings, then I could've given Jucy the proper credit she deserved amongst the top 10.

#27. Youngji (--)

The last member of the list is also one of the youngest (though there are some newbies here with far less experience). KARA's career was revitalized with the addition of Youngji to the group, who has brought to the table a light voice and heavy variety presence. That being said, joining a group with the likes of Seungyeon and Gyuri leaves little breathing (singing) room. Lately we've seen Youngji be directed towards some rapping, mainly on the return track "Cupid" and groupmate Hara's "How About Me?" While the rapping in both isn't anything special, it's unfortunate that Youngji's light singing voice translates over to her rapping and she's often clouded by the instrumentals alone. Like I said in my "Cupid" review, "it just looks like some awkward dance break with various shots of Youngji."

Consistency and execution are both weak for Youngji mainly due to the lack of data she has. KARA and rapping took a hit when they lost Nicole, so DSP have 2 alternatives. Option #1 is to keep Youngji as the pseudo-rapper, but hopefully with better support in how the background audio supports her. The other option, is to drop rapping entirely for future releases. For Youngji's sake I'm hoping it's the latter.

#26. Irene (--)

S.M's newest female rapper is also the weakest in the label. Irene's voice is soft, airy, and high, which are unfortunate qualities to have in a rapper. Her sass and aggressiveness have helped offset that in "Ice Cream Cake" and even "Dumb Dumb," but this brings to light another problem: Irene (and Red Velvet) just don't receive good raps. Both the aforementioned tracks are a commendable effort but can't possibly compare the resumes of others later on. Obviously Red Velvet's career is still young, and by the way we do not acknowledge the existence of their debut song. While I'm not making the argument that a weak rapper such as Irene can make do with a better rap, her company isn't even giving her a chance at this point.

To add insult to injury, most if not all of Irene's raps have been shared. Irene combines the line distribution troubles of Bora, the awkwardness of Youngji in the rapping position, and the poor raps of Amber's early days. Luckily for her and her group, my favorite RV tracks have been the R&B tracks, where rapping is thankfully absent. Hopefully Irene is shifted to more singing until S.M. can figure out how to write good raps for Red Velvet.

#25. Chanmi (--)

As part of the limited number of people who have noticed Chanmi, I do have a soft spot for this girl. If you follow AOA and don't even know about Chanmi, I don't blame you. Chanmi more often than not gets the bare minimum of line distribution. While some would say this is about the average fate for most rappers, the unfortunate reality is that she gets maybe 10 seconds total (both rapping and singing) on each song. It's so painful that there aren't even any links for her in the writeup.. Further struggles arise due to Chanmi being just a secondary rapper. Not just any secondary rapper either, but second to Jimin. Alas, she will forever remain under Jimin's shadow.

Not all is lost for Chanmi, though. She's not impressive but she's certainly got the basics down to a tolerable level. Her voice is also acceptable, and definitely competitve with voices like Youngji or Sihyun. Given her young age (the maknae of the entire set), I see potential for her to develop further as long as FNC gives her room to. Until that time comes I will faithfully continue working for the Maknae Protection Squad.

#24. Yura (-5)

Surprise! I think Yura has one of the better voices for rapping in the game. But when you look closely, is this really that much a surprise? Yura has a low husky voice, which is not only a good contrast to some of the lighter voices ranked below her, but also compliments the delicate voices of Minah and Sojin. Unfortunately, she's never quite been able to make use of it. Now I understand Yura was never the original rapper of Girl's Day, but enough time has passed that she should be improving to passable. And to her credit, she has been making progress on a steady basis. "I Miss You" and "Hello Bubble" had punctually strong raps, but then came the disaster that was "Ring My Bell." Yura may have made that rap the best-sounding 4 second rap in Kpop, the point remains that such a miniscule rap is a travesty and DreamTea should be ashamed.

While she may have suffered heavily due to such short raps lately, Yura is blessed elsewhere because she's arguably the #1 rapper on the list with how much singing she gets to do. Every Girl's Day song sees Yura receiving charitable amounts of lines. While she's no Minah or Sojin, she gets roughly equal amounts with Hyeri and that's praiseworthy. Other rappers and companies need to follow this example. If we can see more of the "I Miss You" Yura, the rapper on the current #1 girl group can continue with her slow climb upwards.

#23. Dahye (--)

Dahye is the only member of BESTie that wasn't previously under EXID. What does this mean for the narrative I'm trying to paint for her? Not much, but it's an interesting tidbit of information so I mentioned it regardless. Anyway, Dahye's scores are fairly average all-around. She has an average voice and average ability, but her constant ability to give personality and sass to her lyrics is good. Her utility score is rather high as most people think of her immediately when you bring up the name BESTie...though for reasons other than rapping, usually.

While this may give the perception that Dahye is a competent rapper, this is misleading as I have very little material to work off with her. The major releases in "Excuse Me" and "Thank You Very Much" are primarily support raps with her adding a quick line here and there throughout the songs. When push comes to shove though, said songs are nice to listen to and her raps add character to Uji's explosive vocals. Plus, there are other rappers on the list whose groups don't have very exciting songs, but we'll get to that later on. It's difficult to determine if Dahye and her raps will ever be able to take the spotlight away from Uji, so for now she'll occupy the bottom 5.

#22. Sihyun (--)

If Yura's award is the rapper with the most singing lines, then Sihyun's award is probably rapper with the best voice. She isn't a part of SPICA for nothing, and more than holds her own against the likes of Bohyung and Boa when given the opportunity to. However, her rapping voice is quite average, sometimes sounding strained compared to the more rich vocal tones she has. This is countered by her charisma. While she may not have her own distinct style, one can overlook that due to SPICA being such a vocals-oriented group. Still, she's been dropping a variety of rhymes like the sassy "You Don't Love Me," quiet "Ghost," and powerful "Tonight."

The ultimate problem with SPICA is that they're simply not that active, which results in less promotion time. It's been over a year since "Give Your Love" was released by SPICA.S (which was always a curious subunit to begin with) and while I'd never consider myself fully active in pursuing news about Kpop groups I haven't heard a single sentence regarding SPICA (outside of recent concert appearances) in an eternity. Sihyun's consistency stems mainly from the songs she's been a part of, not the year plus of inactivity. Sihyun is perhaps the true first appearance of a "baseline" rapper. Not incredible, not pathetic, just barely average in pretty much every way possible.

#21. Hyuna (-3)

Hyuna, like her group 4minute, had been on a long period of mediocrity prior to 2015. "I My Me Mine" was their best song for many years. It wasn't until "Crazy" turned up that 4minute could finally add a 2nd star track to their resume. In the same realm, Hyuna has been hit-or-miss, primarily with her voice. Hyuna has one of the more recognizable voices in Kpop, and would be categorized under the nasally group. Sometimes she uses that to her advantage, and other times she flops, both in terms of her music and performance. 4minute's "Crazy" EP had some good rapping out of the entire group, Hyuna included. While her most recent solo work "Because I'm The Best" was more of a miss, the predecessor "Red" was more of a hit. Hyuna's best solo effort to date is probably "Blacklist" along with LE (who we'll surely be seeing later on in the ranking).

Of course, one does not simply forget about Hyuna. She's iconic for her racy videos that constantly push boundaries. Her name is synonymous with 4minute, she's an established solo artist and even has the Trouble Maker project unit. Hyuna may struggle compared to the more well-rounded rappers on the list, but she's decisively below average for now.

#20. Hyoyeon (-3)

Girls' Generation's lead dancer also happens to be both the (best) rapper and most overlooked in the group. Hyoyeon possesses one of the unique voices within SNSD, and that's used to her advantage in her raps. She has a distinct tone, respectable range, and husky qualities that give her a good foundation. Execution can be sloppy at times and she does tend to sound messy when rushed, We peered into what she can do with "Maxstep" and didn't expect that level of rap. Despite Tiffany's better voice and Yuri's better technique, Hyoyeon is the de facto rapper, though that's probably because you can only neglect Hyoyeon for so long.

Hyoyeon's rapping is mediocre on paper, but her biggest weakness is the live performances. When she dances, Hyoyeon has complete control of the stage, but regrettably this doesn't translate to her rapping presence. She's rather bland and reserved, even in raps where she should be letting loose (think "I Got A Boy"). In hindsight, her scores (as well as Sihyun and Dahye's) seem overrated and may have made my remaining rankings more difficult, but at the very least their positions in the rankings keep them at bay. Besides, who doesn't like a good challenge?