Details About San-E Top 10 Songs
San E, born on January 23rd, 1985, as Jung San, is a popular South Korean rapper. He made his debut in 2010 under JYP Entertainment, where he became the label’s first solo rapper. However, in 2013, three years after joining JYP Entertainment, he left the company and signed up with hip-hop label Brand New Music. In late 2018, Brand New Music terminated San E’s contract after the rapper made a series of controversial remarks about feminism.
Despite his controversies, San E is one of the best and most promising rap prospects from South Korea. He has released so many songs that have dominated the music charts and ranked number #1. San E has released several albums in his career as a rapper, such as one full-length album The Boy Who Cried Wolf (2015), and three extended plays Everybody Ready? (2010), ‘Not’ Based on the True Story (2013), and Season of Suffering (2017). The rapper also has received several major awards, including Best Hip-Hop Song at the 2010 Korean Music Awards, Best Rap Performance at the 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards, and the Hip-Hop Award at the 2016 Golden Disc Awards and at the 2016 Seoul Music Awards.
In this article, Byeol Korea will provide you with San-E’s Top 10 songs that should be added to your playlist. Are you a fan of his? Let’s find out more about his top 10 songs. So, stay tuned and keep scrolling down this article.
Tasty San (feat. Min)
In 2010, San E became the first solo rapper to sign with JYP Entertainment, one of the “big three” entertainment companies in South Korea. Before joining the company, San E worked as an underground rapper. However, his underground fans wanted to understand his decision to join JYP Entertainment, where the agency was known for its popular idol stars such as 2PM, 2AM, and the Wonder Girls and did not have a solo rapper. In his interview with Star-News, San E explained that JYP Entertainment is loved for its public friendly songs. He just wanted to get his name out to the public as opposed to doing real hip-hop music.
In September 2010, San E debuted with his first mini-album, Everybody Ready?, which featured his fellow JYP Entertainment artists Min (of Miss A), solo artists Joo and Yeeun (of Wonder Girls). The Music Video of the title track “Tasty San” was released on September 13th, 2010.
He officially debuted on television performing on a music show, M! Countdown, with his single “Tasty San,” featuring Min. The title track “Tasty San,” marked San E’s official debut in the Korean music market after working as an underground artist. He won the grand award for best rap and hip-hop songs and was dubbed as a ‘rap prodigy’ in March 2010, at the 7th Public Korean Music Awards.
“Tasty San” was produced by himself and Park Jin Young (JYP). However, the production style of the album was done in his own taste, making it the first debut album put out by JYP Entertainment that the artist created himself. Although at that time he was a part of a major idol agency, his production style was still reminiscent of his underground days.
Body Language (feat. Bumkey)
The rapper San E’s long-awaited single, “Body Language” featuring his labelmate Bumkey was finally released on August 4th, 2014. “Body Language” is a sophisticated uptempo R&B hip-hop track that he prepared for all couples around the world who are willing to have deeper, more private conversations with each other.
“Body Language” was written by the rapper, San E himself and co-composed by Brand New Music’s in-house producer, Master Key, and Lish. In the steamy music video, San E gets caught up watching different sexual innuendos and fantasies via video games. However, he did that only to wake up and realize it was all a dream.
He made the song more fun with his witty lyrics and delicate expressions. On top of that, the song also sounded more sophisticated with Bumkey’s soft voice so that no one can ever let go of the tension while listening to this unique love song. The 29-year-old rapper is one of K-Pop’s most promising rap prospects, bringing enormous interest to his subsequent releases. After shaking up the charts with his last release and breezy love jam “A Midsummer Night’s Sweetness,” featuring After School’s lead vocalist Raina, he came back with a totally different song with the raunchy sex anthem, aptly-titled, “Body Language” under Brand New Music agency.
In this song, San E featured his labelmate Bumkey, talked about making love and roleplaying in the bedroom. The 29-year-old sings sexy lyrics such as “I’m a stallion / Get on top and ride me / Bouncing up and down / You want me to run? / I’ll take it out / Whip me, baby, If you wanna go (faster)” with a slick R&B / hip-hop production reminiscent of Ginuwine’s “Pony.” San E flaunts his rhyming, pronouncing every single lyric precisely, while Bumkey smooths out the chorus with his soft and soothing voice, “I’ll give it to you, girl / I’ll show you my sincerity.” “Body Language” was also a #1 hit, topping both the Gaon Digital Chart and seven Korean real-time music charts shortly after its release, despite its 19+ rating.
Story Of Someone I Know
Rapper San E left JYP Entertainment after three years of joining the prestigious company when his contract ended in late April 2013. Three months after his departure from the agency, San E held his first comeback with his brand new song “The Story of Someone I Know.”
On August 2nd, 2013, Genius rapper San E took a step for his new career by releasing his new album Top Music The Latest Popular Song Best MR 8 Album and “Story of Someone I Know” as its title track. San E’s new song “Story of Someone I Know” featured his unique style and flow. In the song, he talks about a well-worn one-sided love story not in a boring way so fans can be focused the whole time. As an extraordinary rapper and a track producer, he managed to control the melody making as well as the development of the song very flexibly. On top of that, rapper San E did songwriting, composing, vocal, and chorus to present his own musical personality in the song. He has shown his abilities to grow up as a great singer-songwriter through the song.
The official Music Video of the song definitely adds to the overall experience of “The Story of Someone I Know.” The music video has the mischievous, humorous tone to it, while at the same time showing some moments of underlying sadness that gives the song some meaning and depth. In the video, San E talks to his psychiatrist (played by Hello Venus’ Nara), narrating his tragic breakup to her. The video actually follows the lyrics pretty consistently.
For instance, when San E talks of how attached he was to his ex-girlfriend, there are scenes of the couple back in their happy days. Likewise, the couple’s eventual breakup is shown during the second verse, where San E starts to explain how the relationship fell apart. Furthermore, the scenes of San E with his psychiatrist occur mainly during the chorus, the most conversational part of the song.
Me You (feat. Baek Ye-rin)
On April 22nd, 2015, five years after his debut, “Rap Genius” San E came back with his full-length album The Boy Who Cried Wolf and “Me You” as its title track. The lead single “Me You” featured Baek Yerin and was released on April 23rd, 2015, under Brand New Music.
San E is a former JYP Entertainment solo rapper and now he signed with Brand New Music. Even though he was no longer a part of JYP Nation, his relationship with other JYP artists was still going strong. This is proved by the fact that Baek Yerin was featured in his song.
The song “Me You” is easily stuck in our head after listening to it because it is kind of funny to pronounce “Me You” repeatedly. The song is about how a boy is not a boy anymore and has fallen in love with a girl. But unfortunately, he does not even know what to do to get closer to her. Baek Yerin’s soulful voice makes the song sweeter and she fits the song really well.
Break-Up Dinner (feat. Sanchez of Phantom)
Three years after his debut in 2010, Rapper San E returned with his second mini-album ‘Not’ Based on the True Story. The music video of this mini-album title song “Break Up Dinner” was released on November 21st, 2013. The lead single featured the soulful vocals of Sanchez of the rap trio Phantom.
The music video also shows him and his girlfriend eating one last meal together, as she tries to eat through tears. The creative and intricate rhymes of San E coupled with his powerful voice go well over the R&B styled beat. The music video features a creative concept that is similar to the movie Sixth Sense. At the beginning of the video, San E gets hit by a car on his way to a date, but he does not realize that he has passed away. Without realizing that he is dead, San E still believes that he is on a date with his girlfriend. In actuality, she is on a date with a different person.
In this song, he describes the feelings of a man going to have dinner with his ex-girlfriend for the last time before their break up. The song shows the situation as if it is right in front of our eyes, and San E’s lyrics go well with the song as well. The way San E shows his story is amazing, and this shows how different he is from other rappers, and the reason why a lot of people love him. This song earned him his first K-Pop No. 1 award with his pop-leaning, hip-hop collaboration featuring Sanchez.
A Midsummer Night’s Sweetness (with Raina)
On June 12th, 2014, powerful and popular rapper, San E released a midsummer night’s theme song “A Midsummer Night’s Sweetness” featuring After School/Orange Caramel’s main vocalist Raina.
San E and Raina’s single project “A Midsummer Night’s Sweetness” is an R&B hip-hop track, somewhat dim and sweet like the title suggests. Unlike other upbeat summer-themed songs, “A Midsummer Night’s Sweetness” is a serene, unique one allowing us to reminisce about summer memories.
The song was an instant hit and achieved #1 on ten music charts shortly after its debut. The song went on to win awards that year at the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards, the MelOn Music Awards, and the Seoul Music Awards.
Sugar and Me (with Raina)
On June 16th, 2016, Rapper San E and After School‘s Raina once again released a sweet summer track titled “Sugar and Me” through an online music site, along with the Music Video. “Sugar and Me” is the perfect summer song, sweet, sugary, and everything in between with its honied melody. The music video of the song features IOI’s Kim Do-yeon who overdoses on everything sweet including a relationship that is picture perfect.
Raina’s delicate singing voice and San E’s sharp rapping style create a better than expected combination in the song. This marks their first comeback, for two years after occupying various music charts with the song “A Midsummer Night Sweetness.” Previously, San E and Raina had collaborated for “A Midsummer Night’s Sweetness,” which was about a couple ready to dive into love.
“Sugar and Me” is basically a continuation of the song “A Midsummer Night Sweetness” with lyrics that describe the next part in a sweet love story. San E‘s playful rap meshes perfectly with Raina‘s delicate and pure vocals. The song is perfect for summer since it is a time for fun, love, and ice cream. This song was created by San E and producer XEPY.
Like An Airplane (feat. Gary)
On May 16th, 2016, San E dropped his brand new single, “Like an Airplane.” In this song, the rapper collaborated with Leessang’s Gary making the song even more fantastic. This song has a fancy beat and some witty lyrics.
According to San E’s agency, Brand New Music, this song is produced by Prime Boy, the same producer of San E’s song “Sour Grapes,” which was released last year.
The music video of the song features San E chilling in the park among tall housing projects surrounded by all his male friends until they reach the hotel where the girl he was talking to at the beginning of the music video lives.
The song has a simple and fun message of let’s have fun and let your friends be my friends. The beats are simple and catchy and we often do not realize that we are humming and singing the catchy chorus “Haengi Haengi.”
I Am Me (feat. Hwasa of Mamamoo)
The guy who had control all over the nation with his rapping, and who dominated the music charts with his songs is back once again with his brand new collaboration song “I Am Me” featuring Hwasa of the popular girl group MAMAMOO.
The music video of the song was released on January 23rd, 2017, through various music platforms and the YouTube channel. The new track is part of his latest EP album Season of Suffering.
“I Am Me” is a fun, upbeat track that showcases a funky style, and brings back memories of the rapper’s debut track “Tasty San.” The track also features Hwasa’s sexy vocals.
Wannabe Rapper
On October 10th, 2018, Brand New Music’s rapper, San-E was back with his new single “Wannabe Rapper.” In the song, San-E confronts not only fake rappers but the troubling sociopolitical climate. According to his agency Brand New Music, the song depicts problems in South Korean societal issues nowadays, including the hip-hop scene, which only seems to follow money and fame.
He starts the song with the lyrics: “It would be nice if I could become a rapper on TV / Having lots of money, lots of women, it looks fun / Parents, the environment, the president, society is to blame / I’m awake, I’m a free citizen, my word is the truth, I don’t do anything wrong, I’m clean.”
The song takes general jabs but goes straight to the rappers in the country’s hip-hop scene which has caused a lot of criticism for drug use scandals, assault cases, and drunk driving in the past. The music video of “Wannabe Rapper” was inspired by “This Is America” by Childish Gambino.
That was all the information about the top songs of San-E? Don’t miss out on these top 10 songs you should definitely add to your playlist. Please, do not forget to kindly share your thoughts and drop a line in the comment section below
