Group Highlight: B.A.P
Veteran group B.A.P, an acronym for Best Absolute Perfect, has been a main staple in the K-Pop industry since their debut in 2012. Whether considered unfortunate or not, a lot of the discussion surrounding the group results in a late 2014 - early 2015 lawsuit against their company, TS Entertainment. With a comeback on the horizon, we’re taking a look today into the growth of the group.
Strong Beginnings
B.A.P made waves beginning in their debut days, with a signature intense sound that was complemented by maknae Zelo’s fast rapping and leader Yongguk’s unbelievably deep voice. The obvious strength in main vocals Daehyun, Youngjae, and Himchan, plus the added skills of dance machine Jongup, slated this group for success. You could even argue that they were the kings of hardcore power anthems. From debut to late 2014, the group consistently put out new music and kept themselves in the news, dabbling into different concepts. Things seemed to be going smoothly, until the group shocked fans by bringing up a lawsuit against TS Entertainment.
The Lawsuit
It’s no secret amongst avid K-Pop fans that most entertainment companies do not have a great reputation in regards to how they treat their idols. Lawsuits between idols and their companies have always been in the news here and there with specific members, but B.A.P made waves in November 2014 when the entire group chose to take legal action against their parent company, releasing information that infuriated fans. Among the claims of unfair working conditions, the group claimed that of 9 million USD made in their three years since debut, only $18,000 of that had been paid to them. TS Entertainment released a statement denying these claims. The situation escalated quickly and ultimately caused an indefinite hiatus for the group.
Babyz have a particularly fierce loyalty to the boys, so it is no surprise the backlash the company faced when the boys came forward with these allegations. Though upset at the lack of promotions, fans understood what the boys were going through and allowed time for a settlement to be reached.
After nearly a year, B.A.P announced that they would be coming back with a new mini-album, indicating that a settlement had been reached with TS Entertainment. Fans to this day are still wary of the company not treating their artists properly, and questions still remain as to whether all of the uglier allegations were resolved fairly for the artists.
Still, Babyz and general K-Pop fans alike were thrilled to have the boys back on the music scene. Although their career faced setbacks because of the extensive hiatus, B.A.P still continues to show us how talented they are as a group, and hopefully they will be around for the long haul this time.