Dazed and Confused magazine’s website Dazed Digital has featured an interview with Block B leader and rapper Zico!
Dazed have covered a huge amount of South Korean music and K-Pop in the past, including detailed articles on YG Entertainment idols CL and G-Dragon.
At the helm of the vast majority of Dazed’s K-Pop pieces is Taylor Glasby, and this comprehensive article is no exception. Glasby first introduces Zico, gives us coverage of his productive career and shows how the rapper has seemingly managed to balance his two personas as an idol and a rapper.
In the interview itself, Zico is typically honest and straightforward with his answers, which is arguably refreshing when considering the usual need for K-Pop idols to be extremely careful and diplomatic in what they say. Zico still manages to show his humility here though, and is eager to show that he is proud of both his career with Block B and his time as a solo rapper.
Zico also discusses how he feels his attitude has changed over the years and how he deals with criticism and hateful remarks, as shown in the short excerpt below:
“Your career has definitely had some tumultuous moments. How do you deal with criticism from the media now, compared to a couple of years ago?
Zico: I felt pretty resentful before, but now I try to rise above prejudice and believe I should remain aloof from everyday gossip. I listen to constructive criticism, but I try to not to care about personal insults. Something positive happens inside of me when people look down on me and underestimate my works. I think I can grow up because of the process, and I try to cope with a forward-looking attitude.“
Even if you are not a fan of Zico’s work, this interview makes for an interesting read and arguably shows a very human side to a rapper that is, like many of his counterparts, usually encased in an unabashed hip hop bravado.
You can read the full interview here.
