Album Review: Dok2 - Thunderground EP

Dok2 – Thunderground EP

1. I’m back
2. You don’t know
3. It’s me (feat. Joo Young)
4. Beyond
5. Rob It (feat. Double K)
6. 64% (feat. Beatbox DG)
7. Last (feat. Mr Gordo)
8. It’s me (Map the Soul Version feat. Epik High & MYK)

PURCHASE THIS ALBUM

As
the youngest member of the Movement Crew founded by Drunken Tiger, CB
MASS and T, the 19 year old hip-hop producer-emcee Dok2 (pronounced
Dokki) (also nicknamed Gonzo Tha Notorious Kid, the Dirty South Korean)
has always been destined for greatness. Already with two self-released
mixtapes under his wing and countless appearances on other artists’
songs, Dok2 has shown he can hang with the big boys (and girls). Now as
an official artist under Epik High’s independent Map the Soul label,
Dok2 is ready for his coming of age with his first EP (mini-album)
entitled the ‘Thunderground EP.’

Clearly inspired by the sounds
of America’s dirty south hip-hop, Dok2 uses similar beats and loops on
songs such as “I’m Back,” “You Don’t Know,” “Beyond,” “Rob It” and the
title track, “It’s Me.”

The only tracks that do not follow
this trend are “64% (featuring Beatbox DG)” and “Finally.” “64%”
features a rather empty instrumental and human beatboxing from DG while
“Last” employs the use of autotune in a rather catchy fashion, although
it probably wasn’t necessary.

The best tracks on this album
are “It’s Me” (both versions), “Beyond,” “Rob It (featuring Double K),
“64%” and “Last.” Double K’s masterful verse on “Rob It” saves it from
being just another generic dirty south song while Epik High and MYK
also do their thing by bringing in the heat for the remix of “It’s Me.”

In
conclusion, ‘Thunderground EP’ is far from a Korean hip-hop classic. It
is a strong debut, but lacks the punch of Dok2’s previous mixtapes.
Nevertheless, hip-hop heads should still buy this EP (being that it’s a
limited edition with only 10,000 copies in press). The flow is there,
the rhymes are sick, the guest spots do their thing, but the Dirty
South beats sometimes leave little to be desired, because they end up
sounding too similar to each other. Hopefully on the next album release
from Dok2, he shows more variety in his beat selection. The kid already
has a bright future in Korea’s hip-hop scene. His voice is unique, his
swagger is unmatched, and he can pave the way for other talented
underground artists to break into the mainstream.

Rating: 4/5

Ratings breakdown:
5/5 – Even if you’re not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 – If you’re a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 – If you’re a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 – I don’t think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 – You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.