Remember when the MACG Staff spoke about the Hallyu Queens that first tore our hearts asunder? I mentioned Cheetah wasn’t my true first? Yeah … this woman is the reason why. Yoon Mirae is undoubtedly an icon. She enters a room, everyone stands up in reverence. Even her husband — an absolute legend in his own right — proclaims her the queen of Korean hip hop.

The First Time

Of course, it began as most of my descent into the throes of Korean music’s mad, mad world. A friend of mine — the same friend who threw me into K-pop hell in the first place — informed me I needed to check out this hip-hop artist. To say I was surprised Korea had a hip-hop scene would be an understatement. (Granted, growing up around hip hop, I knew who Drunken Tiger was. Just didn’t make the connection, obviously.)

I’m not quite sure what I was expecting. But it certainly wasn’t this!

A black Korean talking about being black and proud? How was I even supposed prepare myself for that? Qute frankly, I never actually thought I’d find someone who looks like me making waves in Korea. What I came to realize was Tasha (or Yoon Mirae … Baby T … or YAS QUEEN! Whatever you wanna call her) not only made waves. She was the ocean.

Goodbye Sadness …

Tasha has a range of talent that far supersedes most artists coming out of the country. It’s equal parts honesty, fearlessness and that intangible thing we call “authenticity.” She oozes unparalleled confidence in who she is. A connection with both sides of her heritage that shows in the way she writes

The fact remains, any time she decides to release music it instantly reaches the top of the Korean charts. She dominates the #1 spot without breaking a sweat. While most who do come to her later do so through her OST ballads, I have to admit when it comes to her vocal performances, one song affected me unlike any other. I do have a great deal of love for the original 2007 release. But there’s something about its incorporation on MFBTY‘s “Wondaland” that made the deepest impression.

The range. The passion. The emotional core and depth in her voice. Every time I listen to it I’m taken back to hard moments in my life. Moments that left me wondering if it was all worth it. But there’s always … something. One or two things that brings you back to yourself and remind you why you’re still here.

BAAAAAAAARS!!!

But let’s be real. Most of us are here for Tasha the MC. This woman has a bar game that utterly frightens most rappers in Korea (if they’re being honest with themselves) and would leave many from the States quaking in their Adidas. If there’s one thing you need to know, it’s don’t f— with Queen T.

Yoon Mirae is an unparalleled talent. What’s more impressive is she doesn’t even try. She’s so effortlessly brilliant I could’nt help but fall for her. From her artistic versatilty and depth to her unapologetic love of her family, Qyeen T is a force to be reckoned with. I cry in my Coco Puffs every time I even think about her. I regret nothing.

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[GUEST] #WCW: Yoon Mirae — Bow Down to Queen T