“Better than Yesterday” features members of MC Sniper’s very own hip-hop family, Buddhababy (붓다베이비). The song jampacks the Sniper Sound crew specifically and all their gritty grandeur into a nearly 7-minute hip-hip opus.

Sniper Sound (front row L to R): Outsider, MC Sniper, MC BK, (mid row): ROOM9, TakTak36, DJ Road, (back row): Zenio7 (Moowong), DJ R2 — There’s a lot of talent in this photo.

 
The stunning track features 8 artists. In order of appearence go Mr. ROOM9, DJ Road, Zenio7 (aka Moowoong), TakTak36, DJR2, MC BK, Outsider, and finally MC Sniper himself.

Once Mr. ROOM9 kicks off the song, there is no letting up until the end. “Better than Yesterday” builds up with each rapper. DJR2 provides a bit of a break before diving head first back into intensity. Outsider’s role is incredible. The emcee known for his insane speed rapping does not let down. About the only real room to breathe within the song comes with a 20-second interlude between Outsider and MC Sniper’s role.

Want to see the video?

Otherwise, everything else is back-to-back and in your face, especially since the song has no chorus. The lack of a chorus is actually good. Who needs some catchy junk to break up 7 emcees going at it nearly nonstop for 7 minutes? I applaud this decision even though the minimal breaks in the song seem to make things blend together sometimes — but some would say that’s the best thing about the track.

With over 150 lines of lyrics, “Better than Yesterday” is complete with melodic loops, an eclectic group of rappers, and the super-intense goodness that MC Sniper and company are famous for. Depending on your mood prior to listening, “Better than Yesterday” can either pump you up or stress you out.

The music video for “Better than Yesterday” fits seemlessly with the song itself. While it’s a bit monotonous, it’s dark lighting, pale colors, film grain & scratches, and raw setting make it compliment the song and the members of Sniper Sound very well. It’s directed by MC Sniper himself.

• 
  Read SparkPlugged’s review of How Bad Do U Want It
• Buy How Bad Do U want It
• Visit Sniper Sound’s official website

MC Sniper (MC 스나이퍼) has been near if not on top of the recent Korean hip-hop scene for quite some time now. Releasing his debut album, So Sniper… in 2002, success quickly followed. His break-out single, titled “BK Love” was a memorable love song for/about his friend. MC Sniper has released three more albums since, with his most recent — How Bad Do U Want It — hitting store shelves on March 7, 2007.

How Bad Do U Want It

After my first time listening to MC Sniper’s How Bad Do U Want It, I got up out of my chair strangely with mixed feelings. My thoughts concerning the album were all positive yet the sound of the album itself was what left a funny taste in my mouth (ears?), figuratively speaking.

How Bad Do U Want It is so beautiful — fleshed out with deep layers of natural instruments: pianos, guitars, strings, horns; performed passionately and very diverse. While especially musically beautiful for a hip-hop LP, How Bad Do U Want It‘s some 18 tracks are full of frustration, anger, and sadness. It is that seeming contrast between the album’s musical “tranquility” and it’s vocal angst that make it somewhat enigmatic, more beautiful, and feeling more so like art.

Musically, MC Sniper’s latest effort is a mash up of organic layers supplied by an array of instruments played in diverse styles. Tracks employ ska and flamenco guitar styles and horns do the same. Most of the album actually feels like something produced in turn-of-the-century Spain or Latin America shortly thereafter, with rapid Korean rhymes interspursed. These musical tracks are most likely loops but the album’s producers sure do a great job of making these sound live. Are they?

How Bad Do U Want It features collaborations with the likes of Outsider, Mr. Room9, MC BK, Yuri, Skull of Stony Skunk, Horan of Clazziquai, and more. Those featured bring a wide range of vocals styles to MC Sniper’s work.

Themes that pop up throughout the album deal with issues that seem close to MC Sniper — love, poverty, hope.

“Come Unto Spring”
The leading single off of How Bad Do U Want It is 봄이여 오라 feat. 유리 (Pomiyeo ora, Come Unto Spring feat. Yuri). It’s a fitting and beautiful song mixing MC Sniper’s slightly aggressive rap with Yuri’s smooth, calm vocals.

The music video for the song is interesting. It’s sad and beautiful but while the song is about hope, many visuals supplied in the video lack it. The performance segments of the video are very nice. These parts have MC Sniper on a grand piano while being backed by an on-stage band as well as Yuri. Distinctive lighting illuminates and casts dark shadows as well (MC Sniper’s videos often don’t show much of his face). It’s long and a bit of a narrative. Enjoy:

Buy “How Bad Do U Want It”
It’s obviously on the (new) “Currently Spinning” list, I can’t get enough of it. If you thought “Come Unto Spring” (Pomiyeo ora) was good, the entire album is like that if not better. 5 STARS ★★★★★