Kimchi Crew

The Kimchi Crew is a hip-hop/rap collective based out of the Republic of Korea. 2007 was a busy year for the crew with the completion of two full-length, studio LPs (Fermentin' and Post Hummus)recorded at Hongdae's Bubble Gum Studios. Prior to this, several freestyle mix tapes were released under the indie label Cutlet Cutz. Recent rumours of a tour have been circulating, though these reports are unsubstantiated. Despite an obvious language barrier, the Kimchi Crew has attained a moderate level of success thanks to an aggressive grassroots marketing campaign, aimed at the minds of middle school children and the hearts of their mothers.

Members
The Kimchi Crew consists of:

* General Refuse aka The General
* Bruno the Modern Relic aka Sgt Chris Fish
* The System Disrupter aka The Marvel from Invercargill
* Luke Warm aka Sixteen Bars aka Professor Wordsmith aka Doctor Simile
* J9 the Hookmaaka

There have also been guest appearances by Chopstick Tactics.

Deceased members

* Bongo III aka The Absentee R.I.P
* The Whack Emcee aka The Golden Fleece R.I.P

Singles
"Fermentin" has spawned several singles which have achieved considerable success. Notables include:

* Will Rap 4 Kimchi
* Homegrown
* Name Droppin
* Crashed & Burned
* Ajumma's Lament
* Kimchi Clout
* 69 Personalities
* Pomo Bongo
* Beef Bully B*tches
* F*ckin' Freshmen
* Bootlegging
* Verbal Ddongchim
* Marvelous Disruption
* Steve Jobs
* The Cure
* Marvellous Disruption
* Herb to a Rasta
* Fashion Fickles
* Ban on the Sidedish

Success
Despite not being signed to a major record label, the Kimchi Crew has experienced considerable success in South Korea. Often noted for both rugged good looks and exceptional microphone skills, the Kimchi Crew has gained a cross-section of devoted fans bordering on cult status. Much of this can be attributed to an aggressive marketing campaign based out of the Ansan English Village in the Gyeonggi province. Attempts to break the North American market have so far proved unsuccessful.

Controversy
Despite espousing a generally positive message in their music, the Kimchi Crew has been the focal point of a number of controversies.

Bulgogi Boys
A well publicized beef has been ongoing between the Kimchi Crew and Pusan-based rivals, The Bulgogi Boys. This has culminated in numerous recorded death threats from both parties. Some sources have connected the death of the Whack Emcee to the Bulgogi Boys, leading to an all time low in relationships between the rival crews.

Whack Emcee death conspiracy
The success of the KC was tempered by the sudden death of the Whack Emcee from a virulent toxin caused by as yet to be identified microorganism. This death was attributed to botulism in a poorly stored vat of hummus. A posthumous recording of Whack Emcee tracks, "Undead in NZed" is believed to be being prepared for a fall release later this year.

Bongo 3 death
The talented MC Bongo 3 has been killed during a break from the studio in his home-town of Ottawa. He was killed while returning to his car after buying kimbob from the local Korean corner store and declared dead on arrival. Ironically, the model of vehicle he was struck by was the common Korean made Pick-up truck, a Bongo 3. The driver escaped on foot. However, according to an unnamed source in the Ottawa Police Department,police are following several promising leads but could not confirm if any of the suspects had any connection to the Bulgogi Boys.

Luke Warm Disappearance
Luke Warm was last heard of around August 15th, 2007. The last confirmed sighting was at Suwon Station where he was seen purchasing a ticket to Busan. Apparently dissatisfied with the leadership shown by General Refuse in regards to how best counteract the aggressive tactics of the Bulgogi Boys, Luke Warm is believed to have taken matters into his own hands.

Totalitarianism
While General Refuse is often noted for his laid back persona, numerous reports have circulated as to his possessive, autocratic nature. Initially, it was widely reported that solo projects were prohibited by Kimchi Crew members, and failure to comply would result in subsequent dismissal. However after the loss of key members of the crew and the inaction of General Refuse, certain demands were made by the surving members that led to a degree of autonomy. This led to a proliferation of side or solo projects including "Sojulised" by the Shiwa Syndicate (Wack MC and Chopsticks Tactics),Free Agent by Luke Warm and a yet to be titled EP by the Bootleggers (Luke Warm, Bruno the Modern Relic and System Disrupter). Future releases include the debut EP by the System Disrupter, Luke Warm's follow-up Resigned Hype and a collaboration LP featuring the Brothers Eagle from New Zealand.

Lifted Beats
The Kimchi Crew were recently confronted by Talib Kweli via MySpace about a possible copyright violation. Prior to this, many fans noted similarities between Kimchi Crew beats and the works of Joe Beats, DJ Premier and various other producers. The Kimchi Crew vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

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