Rapper JUSTHIS is under fire after dropping bars that many listeners took as a shot at AKMU’s Lee Chan-hyuk.
On August 26, producers of Mnet’s "Show Me the Money 12" released the cypher video “VVS 2025 Remix.” In it, JUSTHIS raps, “Hip-hop’s dead? Then beat it. For someone who started with love, this is a religion. The low-tier Weeknd. Joke’s on you, I’m all smiles―call me Murakami. You hide your copies; I strip it down and pull on something new.”
The moment the verse hit the internet, fans on community boards zeroed in on Lee Chan-hyuk as the likely target. Lee previously said his debut solo album "Error" paid homage to The Weeknd, and some critics have long argued his sound borrows heavily from the superstar’s style. Against that backdrop, the “lower-tier Weeknd” jab read to many as a direct swing at Lee.
The tension also traces back to 2022, when Lee performed “Dissonance” with Mudd the student in the "Show Me the Money 10" semifinals, rapping, “At some point, hip-hop stopped being cool―it’s just a trend or a TV show. 'Show Me the Money' is ruining the world.” While the performance was praised as a critique of clout and commercialism, some rappers bristled at the message―fueling speculation that JUSTHIS’ verse is a continuation of that rift.
Reaction to JUSTHIS’ bars is split. Some listeners say the diss doesn’t outmuscle Lee’s own statement piece in impact or substance, calling it more sizzle than steak. Others argue the "Show Me the Money 12" team is courting controversy to drum up attention―classic “buzz marketing.”
JUSTHIS has been a mainstay on the franchise, serving as a producer and featured artist from "Show Me the Money 777" through season 11. "Show Me the Money 12" is currently recruiting contestants and is slated to air later this fall.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)