[OSEN=정준화 기자] MASTA WU, BOBBY, and B.I have a link between them, which is “hip-hop” and “YG Entertainment”. They met as a judge and contestants in Mnet’s rapper survival audition “Show Me the Money 3”, and MASTA WU is 17 years older than the other two, but they have connection based on common interest, hip-hop. They share a lot of things and getting on with as close friends. Then, what does MASTA WU think of BOBBY and B.I, as a senior YG artist and a judge who evaluated the two in “Show Me the Money”?

MASTA WU said in a recent interview with OSEN, “The point of my connection with BOBBY and B.I is ‘hip-hop’. I’m much older than the two, but I can spend a whole day talking about hip-hop with them, because they really love and like hip-hop”.

He became even closer with BOBBY, when he worked with BOBBY for his new song “COME HERE” released as part of “YG HIPHOP PROJECT”. The combination has been successful. The song swept No.1 on music charts upon release, and is still in top ranks until now.

However, the first encounter of MASTA WU and BOBBY was not that beautiful. The face of MASTA WU recollecting his first encounter with BOBBY was like saying “That’s no-no”. He said, “I saw BOBBY for the first time three or four years ago, when he was still a trainee. At that time I heard that two rappers joined YG and went to see them. I gave them some words of advice, but BOBBY wouldn’t listen”.

“BOBBY never changed, so I even said ‘BOBBY should be dropped out’. However, that was exactly his advantage. He has his own style. He has a big self-confidence, too. He has finally proven his talent by winning ‘Show Me the Money 3’. Regardless of his age, I respect him”, added he.

Talking about B.I who was in the same team with MASTA WU in “Show Me the Money 3”, he did not hide his affection for B.I. B.I has already been recognized for his potential for song-writing, by writing WINNER’s “empty”. MASTA WU said, “To be honest, I didn’t imagine that B.I will drop out that fast. I’ve always seen him succeding from the days when he was a trainee, so I thought he is a man who cannot make a mistake. Maybe, he didn’t have enough time for practice and preparation at that time, because he was shooting ‘MIX & MATCH’ at the same time”.

“He has such an enormous talent and he even works so hard. I have no doubt that he will become a very successful artist. He is really dreadfully good. He will be a real icon”, added MASTA WU.

MASTA WU is a singer-cum-producer who has been with YG Entertainment for more than 10 years. He mentioned internal structure of YG’s artist management, saying, “It looks just fantastic from outside, but that is not true. We are close and comfortable with one another, as we call ourselves ‘YG Family’, but competition between us is so fierce, since there are so many excellent musicians in YG. If you become complacent and get behind just for once, then you fail indefinitely. We are good friends, but good competitors, too. Actually, it is a very scary place”.

iKON, YG’s new boy group to make debut in January next year, and WINNER who has already debuted in August this year, are good friends and competitors, as well. The members of the two teams will begin another round of competition in the same house named YG. Fans are paying keen attention to the future of the two team who will grow further based on the constructive competition.

2014. 12. 17.