Interview with rapper Lake Kim: “I want to rap till the day I can’t breathe.”

I stumbled across Lake Kim from PaperBlockz Crew while searching for more Korean hip hop music. I am really happy that I did because I really loved his sophomore mixtape; there is not one song from that mixtape that I dislike. At a young age of 18, this talented rapper is currently a senior in high school. He’s pretty busy so there are long gaps between releases of his songs, but they are worth the wait. Talking to him has been a pleasant experience, as he’s very friendly, and it’s easy for us to communicate since he is pretty fluent in English. We had a chance to sit down and interview Lake Kim, and we were able to find out more about this talented rapper, both as a musician and a person.

OH!: Please give us a little introduction about yourself. What are some of your hobbies aside from rapping?

It’s a real pleasure to introduce myself to OneHallyu users. I doubt whether there are my fans abroad (kidding xD) but thanks to y’all whoever listened to my songs. One love to all my fans and listeners! Beside music, I love watching movies. When I finish this year as a senior, I would love to conquer all the movies out there waiting for my eyes to be seen.

OH!: How long have been rapping for? When did you first start rapping?

As you can figure out from my song called ‘Wave$’ I rocked the microphone since I was 13 years old. Yeah, when I was in 6th grade in primary school.

OH!: What was your inspiration to become a rapper?

Epik High. My friend introduced me to Epik High. Back when I was in 4th grade, he introduced me to their music. We enjoyed their music and copied them, too. He (Tablo) taught me the pure joy of lyrics and flows and whatever.

(Author’s note: I freaking spazzed at this answer,OMG EPIK HIGH ASDKFJATFAW I LOVE THEM)

OH!: What do you hope to accomplish as a rapper?

First of all, I want to rap till the day I can’t breathe. I want to do collabs with my favorite artists. I don’t care about the genre, including big stages in Korea or abroad internationally! I want to do it big. Making which runs steadily. Plus getting real support will be the primary purpose.

OH!: Is there anyone you look up to?

I look up to anyone who is keeping their own things real. Working hard all night to achieve dreams. I cannot forget people around me. My family, friends, crew members, even haters. They all are my motivation.

OH!: Is there any other rappers that you would like to do a collaboration with? Who are your favorite rappers or musicians? If you weren’t rapping, what else would you have done?

I have always wanted to do collab work with Tablo since he has been my inspiration in making songs. As I wrote lyrics, I loved listening to Beenzino, Childish Gambino, Joey Badass. Of course Kanye and Mac Miller as well. There are a bunch of artists. I also love rock music and r&b, soul music, jazz, etc.

OH!: What is the inspiration behind your songs?

Well..I usually get lines spontaneously. When talking with friends, hanging around rapping, even when watching movies or listening to other artists’ songs.

OH!: Which song of yours is your favorite?
My favorite is ‘Be Alright’ and ‘Remembered’ from my sophomore mixtape. Because as you can hear from the lyrics that I wrote my true stories in there. Since I have listened to classic albums, I love the old school vibe, emphasizing depth of the lyrics. I wrote messages which listeners can recognize as my own story and feel empathy. And I think music has a good vibe, letting people get positive energy.

OH!: How long does it take for you to write a song?

It’s just always changing. Sometimes, when I’m in the real mood, it takes just an hour. But sometimes I can’t come up with a line for a week. And since I keep revising lines, usually it takes long for me to get done. And I don’t think the working hour has to be exactly the same. Because every songs are different in lot of aspects. I think the point is the steady shocks listeners get from my music.

OH!: When will your next mixtape be released? What are your plans for the rest of the year? Please give a message to your fans and those who will be checking out your songs!

There is nothing sure about my next come up but it won’t be soon. Since I’m a senior, I am preparing for university exam which is similar to SAT in US. But it s just a matter of time and I think y’all can meet the new Lake Kim in a year? Maybe. Nothing is guaranteed except my success xD. But I’m planning to do my mixtape showcase this winter if I’m lucky with university things. And I will perform as much as I can. With songs in my new mixtape and of course LP which nobody knows when it will be released.I have nothing to tell you guys but love yall!! From the bottom of my heart, I really appreciate whoever appreciates my music. I won’t be anywhere if it wasn’t for you guys. Always thankful for your support and I hope I will see you all soon. And I want make sure that I will prove myself, my career through my real music. You guys who have never listened to my songs should keep watching me! I m excited to see you drowning in the lake sounds. You’re always welcome and there is no way out. 600 million ways to die and you just chose one haha.

The interview with Lake Kim was a blast, and both of us enjoyed it so much. Through this short talk, one thing shined through about him: his clear and strong passion towards music. His answers really helped me understand more about his lifestyle and passion. His responses gave us very mature impression of him despite his young age. There are more to come with this talented youngster, and as time goes by he can only get better and better. He is very humble and hardworking; in the future, I hope he never lets success get to his head and remains the kind person he is. His sophomore album was really great, and I’m eagerly waiting for more great music from Lake Kim. I really want to thank him for having this interview with us. Good luck in your senior year and do well in both your music and studies! I’ll always remain as your fan. I really hope this interview could be a chance for our readers to discover more about this budding talent. Please check him out and give him lots of love!

Social Media Sites- Soundclouds: Paperblockz  and Lake Kim. Facebook:Personal Account, fan page for crews:PaperBlockz and Neon. Mixtape Download:Mediafire and 4shared  Sophmore download: hulkshare and mediafire Twitter:issyoboi