Two EXO members team up as hip hop duo EXO-SC

Chanyeol and Sehun, two members of the nine-piece K-pop boy band EXO, teamed up to release a hip hop EP on Monday, part of band members’ search for individual careers outside the band’s full lineup.

The hip hop duo — EXO-SC — is EXO’s second subunit. The first, EXO-CBX, was composed of three other members — Xiumin, Baekhyun and Chen.

Xiumin and another member, D.O., temporarily left EXO earlier this year to fulfill their compulsory military service of 21 months.

Releasing their first music outside EXO, Chanyeol and Sehun went for hip hop as their music genre of choice.

“What a Life” is one of the three main tracks and the title song of the six-track EP.

Together, Chanyeol and Sehun strike an easygoing note in “What a Life,” with their low tones ringing out a message to celebrate life.

EXO-SC, a subunit of the nine-member boy band EXO comprising Sehun (L) and Chanyeol, showcases debut EP “What a Life” in a press event on July 22, 2019. (Yonhap)

“Together with Sehun, we have a lot to do to show you, including fashion and performance,” he said.

Going forward, the duo will try out music genres other than hip hop, according to Sehun.

“We will not be confined to the hip hop genre, but we’re willing to do many various genres that could carry our true stories and our values,” he said.

The EP is the duo’s first venture into hip hop, but it also marks their first official project in music producing.

The duo helped compose and write all six tracks, including “Just Us 2″ and “Closer to You.”

The EP has two other tracks — “Roller Coaster” and “Daydreamin’” — which are the first releases by Studio 519, a music producing team that Chanyeol worked with under the name Loey.

“With this album, I wanted to venture to the boundary of music producing … and I think I came up with quite satisfactory music,” Chanyeol said of the two tracks.

Working outside of EXO for the first time, the duo had to multiply their efforts to backfill the gap left by the other seven members.

“With EXO, we used to get songs from other composers and writers, but with this EP we did everything from A to Z. The biggest difference between this record and EXO albums is that this carries the music we want to do, as well as our true stories,” Sehun said.

Nervous about presenting his first hip hop album, Chanyeol said he wants listeners to focus their attention on the tracks’ main messages.

“In terms of the hip hop genre, it has been a big challenge for us. I think there would be various different feedback from people who like hip hop … but we would be happy and satisfied if only the messages are well expressed,” Chanyeol noted.

The duo is the latest in a series of individual careers EXO members have launched following the temporary departure of Xiumin and D.O.

Team leader Suho has been stepping up his acting career in musicals, while Chen and Baekhyun released their first solo albums earlier this year. Member Kai is pursuing an acting career on the small screen.