HeeSun Lee shares her personal history with hip-hop on “In My Veins.” She says that she does not want people to think that she became a rapper because she thought it was cool, but because hip-hop saved her life, to use her own words.
Due to being adopted, she was not familiar with Korean culture, and people would tell her that she is not a real Korean because she cannot speak their language and does not have Korean parents.
“It was bad. I had a lot of identity issues. I struggled a lot in high school. My whole college life I was messed up because I didn’t know who I was.”
Getting involved in hip-hop changed her perspective on life because she felt embraced by people of other races much more than her own. “How is this possible? I’m a Korean girl from the suburbs getting so much love from the hip-hop community.”
“I was so lost and without hip-hop I really don’t know what would’ve happened to me.”
