Sikkoo launches with AOMG, blending Korean tradition with hip-hop
The mischievous hip-hop group Sikkoo has officially begun its musical journey by joining hands with AOMG.
Comprising three rapper-vocalists, Koo Min-jae, Yoshi and 200, the trio gained attention last year when their 'Team Tomodachi (KR Remix)' performance video surpassed 10 million views on YouTube, establishing them as rising stars in the Korean hip-hop scene. The group's name, Sikkoo, comes from a Korean word that refers to family who share meals together and reflects the members' desire for a team name rooted in Korean culture.
The new album "Gan" marks the trio's first release since joining hip-hop label AOMG and is also AOMG's first project since announcing its rebranding.
"Gan" means 'between' or 'space,' and the album features four tracks, each named after a traditional Korean space ending in '-gan': "magutgan" is a stable, "daejanggan" is a blacksmith's workshop, "pujutgan" is a butcher's shop and "bangatgan" is a miller's shop.
'It all started with a pun,' said Yoshi. 'We were thinking about how to connect more closely with the public, and decided to build the album around playful wordplay.'
The trio's new album follows a carfully crafted narrative that balances catchy musical styles with clever lyrics with traditional Korean themes.
'It tells the story of us fighting fake rappers and claiming victory. If you watch the trailer and music videos in order, you'll follow the full storyline,' said Yoshi, before explaining what he meant by "fake rappers."
"It's not targeting anyone specifically. It's more about the types of people we've encountered in the scene — those who talk but don't act, or those who make music that doesn't reflect their real lives. We wanted to call that out.'
"Magutgan" declares war against fake rappers, "Daejanggan" depicts the forging of weapons to defeat them while "Pujutgan" shows the downfall of those rappers.
The final and main track, "Bangatgan," portrays Sikkoo's triumphant celebration after the battle. With a lively, festive atmosphere and lyrics that incorporate exclamations used in traditional Korean music, the track is an energetic dance hip-hop song with catchy verses.
Having joined AOMG, one of Korea's most respected hip-hop labels and a launching pad for many influential artists, the members say they feel a great sense of responsibility.
'There are so many people helping us right now, and we're incredibly grateful,' said 200. 'We want to keep growing and continue this journey together.'
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