HOP

Mixtape *HOP*—not to be confused with Stray Kids’ 2018 EP titled *Mixtape*—is the K-pop group’s final release in a busy 2024. As in hip-hop, K-pop artists use the term “mixtape” to categorize material released without the level of promotional fanfare of a regular album or single; K-pop mixtapes are usually self-produced and may feature tracks that fall outside of a group’s existing discographic boundaries in some way, e.g., a focus on solo music. Stray Kids subunit 3RACHA (aka Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han) has co-written most of the group’s songs since their 2018 debut. *HOP*, however, expands the self-production responsibilities, with each member getting co-writing credit on their own solo songs, originally performed as part of the group’s “dominATE” world tour set list. In addition to the solo tracks, *HOP* includes two versions of lead single “Walkin on Water,” an old-school hip-hop track. B-side “U” features Epik High leader Tablo, a K-pop sunbaenim influential in the Korean hip-hop scene.