Unstoppable Ash-B Now Aims for Billboard Charts: Hip Hop Is Still Cool

"I feel proud, thinking 'I was not wrong'," says Ash-B (real name Cho Yoon-jung), who recently made a comeback with her new song, 'LIT'. In a recent meeting with eDaily, Ash-B noted that she's becoming aware of the growing number of people who appreciate and love her music. She emphatically said, "I will continue to forge my path with Ash-B's 'nasty' style of music."

"Hip-hop is a free music. I feel liberated when I create hip-hop music imbued with my sense of direction and color."

Since beginning her career in 2014, Ash-B has earnestly continued her music work, constructing her own distinct color over the past 9 years. She left a strong impression on the public through her performance on Mnet's female rapper survival show, 'Unpretty Rapstar'.

Ash-B confessed, "There was a time when I was torn by the stories and views of those around me. I had tough times when I saw my colleagues from the show doing well and thought 'Why am I always last?'"

She also had to overcome harsh gazes and prejudices. Ash-B recalled, "I often heard 'You can't do this kind of music in Korea.' Many left malicious comments, criticizing my level of exposure and the content of my rap lyrics as 'cheap'." "There were even disrespectful people who asked me to twerk like in my music videos during regular social gatherings. That was stressful for me."

Smiling, Ash-B, who describes her life as "breaking through those who discourage me," said, "I've never thought about quitting music." She added, "There's no eternal first place, so I tried to keep my mentality thinking there would surely come a time when I could rise."

Ash-B now believes it's her time to rise. "Female hip-hop artists like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are making their mark on the Billboard charts in the U.S. I believe this trend is extending to Korea."

She also expressed pride in her pioneering role in the Korean hip-hop scene, citing her 2019 track 'BOOTY'. "Even when I released 'BOOTY', female rappers in Korea writing lyrics like 'my booty in my left hand, Yo', 'Make me hot with the right hand' were not common. But now, even idol singers' songs contain content boasting about their bodies. I take pride in playing a significant role in triggering such a movement in Korea."

Ash-B, who started hip-hop to become cool and still believes it's cool, ultimately wants to convey the message of 'loving oneself' through her sincere music. However, she doesn't make music to teach her audience a lesson. She said, "If those who like me enjoy my music, that's enough satisfaction for me."

Toward the end of the interview, Ash-B mentioned, "I have set entering the Billboard charts as a long-term goal." She said, "It's quite a big dream, but I believe the opportunity is still open for me. I already have quite a lot of fans in South America who like my music. I want to introduce my music to even more international listeners in the future."

She also voiced her ambitious desire to be an artist leading female hip-hop culture. "I wish there were more female rappers in Korea, riding the global trend of female artists leading the hip-hop scene. I want to become an artist who can lead them by climbing even higher. I will become an artist who is not stagnant, but continually rising."

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