The Female Rappers of K-Pop: Taglines
When we listen to an ATEEZ song and hear “Fix on,” we know exactly who's coming next. Signature statements, or taglines, are a staple for male K-Pop idol groups who have more than one rapper. A few examples are BTS, MONSTA X, PENTAGON, and the above-mentioned ATEEZ. There are also a number of idol rappers who carry over their signatures to their solo releases, such as ZICO, Ravi, and BamBam.
So why don't we hear as many female idol rappers announcing themselves before showing off their lyrical talents? While it may not be as common among female K-Pop idols, we’ve made a list of a few of our favorite female K-Pop idols who use taglines, and a few more who we think should consider using them.
Female Idol Rappers with (Occasional) Taglines
Moonbyul of MAMAMOO - “Moon star”
MAMAMOO's Moonbyul is one of the few female rappers known for having a tagline, whether it's her saying it or someone else passing her the mic. The phrase comes from her name’s literal English translation: moon = moon and byul = star. What we love about this is that she is able to take something so simple and use it in every kind of situation. In “AHH OOP!” and “woo hoo,” the sign on is cute and quirky. When Hwasa used it during MAMAMOO’s Queendom performance of AOA’s “Good Luck,” it was powerful and from her gut. It sounded almost like she was calling for a “monster” rapper, and that was exactly what she got. We get to hear Moonbyul use this versatile tagline in many different songs, making it one of the most recognizable signatures on the list.
Kisum - “K-I-S-UM”
The Unpretty Rapstar and Show Me the Money 3 alumnus, Kisum has her own tagline that she has used once or twice. At the beginning of her song “You & Me” featuring Jooyoung, you can hear the rapper spell out her name. It is a clean and simple start that we believe she should continue utilizing in her other collaborations.
Dami of Dreamcatcher - “Live it up”
While technically this iconic line has only been used before Dami’s part in Dreamcatcher’s “Odd Eye,” it has all the potential of being a tagline that carries over into other songs. The way she says it is fast, sharp, and powerful. While some people might say her “hold up” from “BOCA” deserves to be her new opener, “live it up” has the instant gratification and memorability that makes a good tagline.
Female Idol Rappers Who Deserve Taglines
These are idols who do not have specific taglines, or have short and sweet lyrics that stand out as potential taglines, but their group makeup and talent make them the perfect candidates.
Soyeon of(G)I-DLE
Soyeon is an obvious choice. She is one of the most talented idol rappers and, because of that, her career is growing quickly. Soyeon began building her own brand as soon as she started on Produce 101, and when she joined (G)I-DLE it expanded even more. Now she is a part of (G)I-DLE, K/DA, and she also has a career as a soloist. At this point, she may not need a tagline to be recognized, but she deserves one if she wants it.
Ryujin of ITZY
The group ITZY is made entirely of lead and sub-rappers, which allows the opportunity to try out taglines. While other members, like fellow lead rapper Yuna, should also try out their own sign-ons, Ryujin is on this list because she has all the fierceness and swagger to pull off a really cool tagline. Maybe it could be a catchphrase, like MONSTA X’s I.M’s “I am what I am,” or she could giggle like ATEEZ’s Hongjoong. Either way, Ryujin should definitely consider adding a tagline to her next rap.
E:U of EVERGLOW
Similar to ITZY, EVERGLOW has a fair number of rappers, and it would be interesting to add a few taglines into the mix. We chose E:U for this partially because of line distribution and partially because her name is already a perfect set up for a tagline. Since her stage name stands for “especially for u,” it could be cool for her to use that or a variation of it as a tagline.