Source: Dispatch
Dispatch has conducted an investigation into Big Hit's statements and prepared a step-by-step report analyzing whether BTS' Suga knew he was sampling cult leader Jim Jones' speech.
Dispatch analyzed Big Hit's statement where stating "the speech was sampled in error by the producer for aesthetic purposes and had checked various contents from around the world but experienced limitations in understanding all situations that led to them inappropriately sampling the speech."
Below is a step-by-step analysis as written by Dispatch after investigations conducted.
① Need to sample someone's speech?
Dispatch accessed Splice the largest sample platform in U.S and most active register and seller of samples. We searched keyword "speech" and total of 89 sample files came up but nothing for Jim Jones.
② Need to sample religious persons?
Splice has a "Religion" category in the Sound section where users can sample speech from religious persons. Dispatch noted that there were 2 sample packs available in this category. They clicked on the first package titled "Twisted Religion" and a total of 101 samples were available. File 52 (5 secs) and File 96 (6 secs) were an exact match to Suga's sampled speech in the intro of his track "What Do You Think" and the length of his intro (11 secs) was the exact match to the sample. Coincidence?
③ Did they happen to know it was Jim Jones?
To determine whether Suga and the producers knew they were sampling Jim Jones' speech, Dispatch reached out to Big Hit asking for the keywords they used in their search. Big Hit never commented back and were reluctant to answer. As a result, Dispatch began a full investigation into the matter starting with a cold search of "Jim Jones" on Splice. A total of 1,366 files came out and four files were uniquely named with Jim Jones' in the file name. All four files were listed in "Vintage Vocals: Twisted Religion" pack.
④ Vintage Vocals: Twisted Religion
Dispatch gave Suga, EL CAPTXN and GHSTLOOP the benefit of the doubt that they might not have known it was Jim Jones. But something kept nagging at them. If they truly didn't know and the name of the sample pack was "Vintage Vocals:Twisted Religion" that means Suga and the producers would've needed to look up detailed information about the sample pack.
⑤ We read the Sample Pack Manual.
For more details, Dispatch accessed and read the sample pack manual for 'Vintage Vocals:Twisted Religion' that read: "this package consists of various speeches, sermons, rallies and performances by the infamous cult (pseudo) religious leader Jim Jones and others." The manual also included references to the "Jonestown Massacre."
⑥ Let's say they didn't read the commentary...
Big Hit had explained that "the producers didn't recognize Jim Jones and therefore didn't know it was an inappropriate sample." Is that possible? Given that the sample pack name is "Twisted Religion." Wouldn't they have suspected this meant cult? Also, BTS' main stage of activities is the U.S that's wary of cults. Even the sample file was named (jim_jones_on_reality).wav, jim_jones_socialism_rant_01.wav). Just the words cult and Jim Jones as alone were telling enough.
⑦ They don't Google?
Nevertheless, lets say Dispatch kept making excuses for them as to why they didn't know who Jim Jones was. Dispatch questioned why Big Hit producers didn't just do a quick Google Search? Dispatch did a quick search of "Jim Jones" on Google and thousands of results were shown on main page that revealed Jim Jones was a cult leader that led mass suicide of 900 believers, the biggest massacre in American History.
⑧ What if they didn't know about the mass poison suicide?
According to Dispatch, the intro for "What Do You Think" was exactly 11 seconds long and Jim Jones' voice is highlighted twice. How was Big Hit unable to recognize his voice? How did they sample File 52 and File 96 <Sm101_vvv_faithful_works.wav without doing a sound check? Dispatch wanted to believe in Suga but his words and actions just don't match. Maybe he might've not been aware it was Jim Jones voice but he would've known about the mass poison suicide from the speech he sampled.
⑨ Suga is the owner of the Mix Tape.
Suga is listed as the main producer of Agust D (D-2). Suga's position is not just "singing." He's also named as recording engineer for "What Do You Think", a role that determines the overall balance of the song during the recording process. The Vocal & Rap Arrangement (mastering) process is also unique as the artists, composers, engineers and A&R teams gather to check the second half of the sound. How did no one question the unfamiliar voice in the speech?
⑩ It was just used as a diss?
There are some fans supporting Suga and the fandom logic is that "Suga sampled Jim Jones because he's using the speech as a diss." According to Dispatch, this logic isn't reassuring either as Jim Jones is a known cult leader that led to the suffering of many individuals and groups because of their religion, race, and geography. It doesn't replace the fact that Jim Jones is to blame for a mass suicide.
⑪ SUGA is unlike any other Korean idol due to BTS' influence?
Dispatch states that since BTS is the most influential Korean idol worldwide, this is not the time for fans to blindly shield him. He needs to address the criticism directly to avoid making the same mistake. Dispatch asks Suga not to hide behind his agency and personally make a statement to address the allegations.
- [+2,925, -257] Whenever a scandal happens with this group, they're busy hiding behind the agency and fans are busy shielding them. Whether they're world class idols or not, his actions were thoughtless.
- [+2,718 -244] I'm ARMY too but I'm hoping Suga is able to clarify and apologize
- [+523, -46] Jung Kook denied his scandal at first too. They won't last long if they keep lying to the public like this
- [+378, -27] He's really looking cheap now. Before everything happened, he went around saying he produced, wrote the lyrics and composed all his songs. But after the scandal he denied it all and blamed it on someone else? Is this really the type of response expected of a world star idol like BTS? This is even more disappointing than that member that went to Itaewon. I thought Suga was faithful and diligent in his love for music but I guess that wasn't true after all.
- [+313, -15] He needs to learn to apologize first. How is he going to put the blame on someone else when its clear he's at fault? Doesn't he know nothing good ever comes out of lying to the public?
- [+310, -16] ARMY, stop SHIELDING him!!;;;;; Out of all those files he picked out File 52 and 96. How in the hell did he NOT know it was Jim Jones' speech?? His explanation is just too weird..
- [+239, -32] BTS has become a laughingstock now ~~First the Itaewon thing with JK now Suga..why aren't they clarifying things?
- [+210, -13] Dispatch had to come out with such a detailed analysis after tracking down the sample packs because even they knew that excuse was too ridiculous ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
- [+179, -13] ARMY came out with such ridiculous statements saying he was just using it as a diss that eventually Dispatch had to come out like thisㅋㅋㅋ this goes to show what he did was just reckless. Fans need to stop shielding himㅋㅋ
- [+131, -9] (insert fandom) need to stop and think who wrote the song and who fanned the fires on this scandal ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Additional Source: (1)