[Bonus] Favorite Moments: Girl Group Rapping Edition

Kicking off a "new" series as April gets going. They'll highlight ten moments or sections that I simply love. Singing, dancing, rapping, variety, etc. etc. In time I'll publish a girl group and boy group piece of this kind for each category. That will satiate the completionist in me, though the only question I have is where to label them under...but that's more about organization. I actually wrote a small handful of pieces very similar to this concept from way back. They're too cringe to link here, you'll have to find them for yourself. Anyway I'll try to leave out any rap breaks that are legendary - such as Yubin in "I Dance," and Miryo in "Abracadabra." These might not be the best, the flashiest, or the most impressive. But they're my favorite. And that matters to me, goddammit.

Bora - Gone Not Around Any Longer (1:42)

Unfortunately I can't link timestamps directly so I'll add when said rap occurs in the video. Despite Bora never achieving top-level success as a rapper, this was one of her many solid efforts. And double down on the disfortune because Hyorin does sing half of this rap break with her. Still, Bora pulls through displaying a frailty appropriate for the song. Honestly this selection simply makes me sad and mad that Sistar19 wasn't utilized more often throughout Sistar's career.

Gilme - Strong (0:35)

I swear I've talked about Gilme in this song before. Either way, her husky tones shine brightly here and was easily my favorite section in the track (yes even better than Yezi). There really aren't many girl (group) rappers that could do what Gilme does here. Contained aggression to match the other features (not to mention the badassery that betrays her appearance). There's a reason why she takes half of the chorus with Yezi, too. Really haven't heard anything about Gilme lately, what's up with that.

Lisa - As If It's Your Last (1:34)

It's kinda cheesy to put an English rap on this list but Lisa kills it. Not much more needs to be said. The rest of the song is lackluster and is only elevated because of her superstar showing in the middle. Not many of the new generation girl group rappers could've gone in as hard as Lisa did, and that's ignoring the English language barrier. Her sharp intensity is always appreciated when she raps. When Black Pink releases a new song once every five years, I'll excitedly wait for Lisa's next dominant showing.

Yubin - So Hot (2:11)

Man this song and this rap are so underrated. While I'd agree it hasn't aged particularly well, the song is still solid and lyrics hilariously fun. Yubin was still new at the time in only her second release since joining, so going 2-for-2 on rap appearances definitely helped her along. Deeper voices are already rare, they were practically nonexistent back in those days of Kpop. Yubin may as well be the pioneer of that. Bonus: her English version of the rap is equally as fabulous, a trait common in her and Wonder Girls' discography.

Mimi - A-ing (1:21)

Mimi always delivers and after her moment in "Closer" this might be her next best rap. Love how there's the "ha ha" and "mi mi" in the background during Haha's raps, that was a delightful little touch. It matters so little but pushes that rap section over the top. Mimi spits fire and grows dank weed, what more is there to love? Perfect example of a rap that is amazing within a song that is not. But that's what defines a favorite: I'm willing to put this song in my library and listen to it just because of Mimi's bars.

Hong Jinyoung - Right? (3:23)

Sometimes, a non-rapper will surprise you and that's precisely what Hong Jinyoung did with Unnies. I figured that if anyone was to rap, it would be either Minzy or the comedian nunas. But in a sweet surprise, Hong Jinyoung took center stage and did awesome. Flow, delivery, and speed were all quite respectable, plus the bonus points that come naturally for not being a rapper to begin with. She's a trot queen for crying out loud. This would be the equivalent of Taeyeon or Bohyung dropping a sick verse.

Hyorin - This Winter (0:35)

Speaking of vocalists doing well in rapping, there's Hyorin. Of course we all saw what she was capable of in "One Way Love" and Unpretty Rapstar but this is the performance that resonates with me through the years. Her husky tones and explosive delivery sent shivers down my spine even though I expected this much from Hyorin. What can't she do, really. Frankly it was painful having to listen to her groupmates rap after her. They all left much to be desired compared to this juggernaut of an entertainer.

Lime - Wiggle Wiggle (1:55)

"Wiggle Wiggle" is a superb song marred by a beyond trashy music video. Alice and Lime do amazing work and Lime easily had one of the best raps of the entire 2015 year. She kept her low aggressive pace for an extended rap break and even the sprinkling of English didn't hurt the overall sound too bad. Hope Hello Venus does something soon, they don't have long before Weki Meki officially pushes them into complete obscurity.

Jennie - Loser (0:24)

This is the second cover on this list, but nonetheless a justified pick in my humbled opinion. Sure, Black Pink singing a Big Bang song isn't very exciting from a theorist standpoint but who cares when Jennie gets to deliver both rap verses? Jennie is usually so smooth and chic that hearing her nasal delivery in "Loser" was a cute change of pace. After Lisa's part in "As If It's Your Last," I hope Jennie gets a rap break to her own in their next comeback. Whenever that fucking happens.

Erin - Wild (0:57)

We'll close out with this masterpiece. Obviously, I love everything about "Wild" which includes the rap break by Erin. 9MUSES' magnum opus houses Erin's best rap ever. There's no surprise here: Erin is electric and while all the other aspects of the song are extremely exciting and powerful, they can't measure up to how marvelous this rap break was. I will always be disappointed that 9MUSES was never able to deliver on their incredible potential as a group. Erin will live on as one of the best girl group rappers to ever take the stage.