Just some random notes. Thoughts on the NENE Beef
This is a story about an experiment in trying to change my perspective by 180 degrees. It's not about how Beef should be, or who is right or wrong. I'm just writing this because my head would explode if I didn't output it this way.
I feel like I wrote this in a note years ago, but I don't really have a thing where I'm like, 'I love this group's music!' I just obsessively love the songs that really click with me. I'm not the type of person who gets attached to a specific group.
Because of that, I've never been to a concert or anything, and I've never really had the desire to go to a festival.
On the other hand, for the past year, I've beentotally hooked on a YouTube channel called Rap EJand I feel like I've been following the unique culture of HIP HOP, its history, and even the historical aspects like the East-West rivalry that led to the deaths of 2Pac and Biggie, and the concept of Beef. It's very like me, I suppose.
In the midst of all that, last week, a song called 'Owari' was released by a rapper artist named 'NENE', and it really stirred up the internet, especially the HIP HOP community, or rather, it caused quite a ripple.
The reason is that this 'Owari' contained a clear diss aimed at individuals/groups, and the targets of this diss were 'Chanmina', who holds a position as a female rapper, 'SKY-HI', formerly of AAA (first time I've used that outside of minor leaguers), and the company SKY-HI runs, 'BMSG'.
I don't intend to write the details, but it's a scathing diss track that seems to have been triggered by the suspicion that the music video and lyrics of the new song released by the unit 'HANA', formed in January this year by the two people and one group mentioned above, were an imitation of a song NENE released previously. However, personally, rather than the imitation aspect, I see it as a track where the frustration that has been building up over the last few years from the HIP HOP industry, including NENE, toward Chanmina and the BMSG led by SKY-HI has finally exploded.
Therefore, I recognize that whether it's a 'rip-off' or 'not a rip-off' is somewhat beside the point. Everyone is saying the same thing, right?
In the background, I think it suggests the relationship axis between HIP HOP and J-POP, the cherry-picking of rap culture, and serves as a warning against the easily accepted commercialized route.
I am
・NENE
→ Don't know her that well, but my impression is that she's the person who showed off the best lyrics and technique personally when she performed with Awich and other female rappers in 'Bad B***h Aesthetics'
・SKY-HI
→ I watch ZIP every morning, so I knew he was doing the BE:First auditions and was a judge on a dance show.
・Chanmina
→ My wife likes her quite a bit, so I know her famous songs. I also knew she was conducting the selection for 'No No Girls' that led to the formation of HANA, and I'm always doing an impression of her saying 'Cut it out'.
I was following the series of Beef from the position of a total outsider, to that extent. Honestly, 'Owari' is a song I like so much it makes me laugh, and while I was thinking 'Wow, this is fun! NENE is crazy!!', SKY-HI's answer came, and I was enjoying it to the point of thinking 'Beef is the best!! SKY-HI is amazing!'.
But here, because of my personality, I got the urge to follow the related subject matter to the end. I decided to enjoy this Beef to the marrow of its bones.
So what did I do? I spent the entire weekend watching the audition project 'No No Girls'. Since there are 16 episodes, each nearly an hour long, it was reckless, but once I started watching the first episode, I felt like time just flew by.
As represented by the music video and lyrics of 'Bijin' (Beautiful), Chanmina, who has suffered unimaginable pain from slander based on lookism since she was a teenager, has a concept of 'not asking about looks or body type' that resonated with my heart, transcending gender barriers. As if drawn to that, a wide variety of talents gathered who might have been turned away at the door in a typical idol audition.
After watching it to the end, I naturally became a fan of HANA, and I also became very interested in Chanmina, who can pay such attention to detail. It was my honest thought that this was the first time I wanted to see these people's live performance.
Also, of course, I can't agree with it, but I feel like I understand why the fandom of Chanmina and HANA showed so much confusion and hostility toward NENE. Especially after completing 'No No Girls', a parental affection for the members of HANA sprouts, and I felt like a structure was born where the enemy trying to harm those children is NENE. It's a fact that the Beef, which should have been so much fun, started to feel a bit guilty. Therefore, it feels a bit uncomfortable to just blast out logical arguments from the HIP HOP side, like 'Chanmina and HANA fans don't understand the intentions of the heads!'. There is definitely emotion behind it that cannot be expressed by logic alone.
And, unrelated, but when I take a step back, I also feel like it's being used for a somewhat misogynistic and feminist confrontational structure, which makes me feel uneasy.
There is no conclusion, but for me, who has little knowledge in the music field, it was a very good experience and a weekend with learning. I'm looking forward to HANA performing on terrestrial television this week.
The one band I was hooked on has half its members passed away, and the vocalist and drummer are on bad terms, so I'm enjoying the joy of having songs released in real-time while they are still alive.
Added in February 2026
After that, I got completely hooked on HANA, and I basically watch their TV appearances in real-time. I seriously cried watching the YouTube premiere video for their album release. Chanmina, you're amazing.