In a time when melody-based hip-hop and simple, playful lyrics are taking the pop side of hip-hop by storm, Rick “Lyricks” Lee and John “JL” Lee (no relation) bring their sharp and assertive lyrics to the forefront of underground rap.

Known collectively as Year of the Ox or YOX, the Korean-American emcees from Virginia take their bars — verses — very seriously.

Vivid snapshots of their cultural upbringing can be found in many of their songs, but instead of searching for their place as Asian rappers in America, they’d rather make their skills the main topic.

“We are now at a point where you don’t have to be black to love hip-hop. You don’t have to be gangster to love hip-hop. You can be yourself, and that is something I really appreciate,” said Lyricks.

Lyricks’ bold delivery and JL’s double-time flow helped their video for the song “Seven Rings” reach viral status on YouTube, with 10 million views in just a few months. The music video led people to discover other YOX freestyles and performances online.

After officially becoming a group, JL said it took them months to figure out what to call themselves.

“(The name) fits because firstly we are both ox in the Chinese zodiac. Also, oxen are known as stubborn, hardworking and can’t be budged,” said JL. Both rappers are also both 31.

“Two is better than one. Knowing that each one of us can hold our own without the other is even better than two,” said Lyricks, who once toured with the Wu Tang Clan as “The Wu’s” tour bus driver and opening act. “Sonically, having a hype man or doubling up on a chorus sounds more powerful than a ‘dolo’ set. I feel like a pair can bring a bigger live show.”

The duo’s appearance and ethnic background initially catch people’s attention, but their assertive, unfiltered raps will most times make the lasting impression.

“JL and I agreed from a while back that we wouldn’t worry about being accepted. We want to stay as consistent as possible,” said Lyricks.”The usual ‘Oh wow, they’re Asian’ comes up here and there, but to be honest, if you work hard and your sword is sharp, it’s an advantage. It doesn’t faze us anymore, you can call us whatever you want — but get ready to deal with the consequences.

“If you don’t like my music, all good; move along. If you can’t accept our work because of our nationality? All good, enjoy that mentality and good luck in life,” Lyricks continued.

“As Asian-Americans who make music, we have a responsibility to really put on for people who have grown up like us and can identify with us,” added JL.

They’ve been friends since 2005 after meeting at a house party. Lyricks, who was already an established battle rapper, took JL under his wing. Early on, JL experimented with new forms before eventually gravitating to raw boom bap.

“Rick and I are very alike, but at the same time we are very different” JL said. “From our personalities to our style of writing, I believe we complement each other well.”

Lyricks and JL were raised in traditional Korean-American households, their parents blue-collar immigrants. Traditional customs and values were instilled in them at an early age, and they almost exclusively spoke Korean.

“My first word was ‘kim chee.’ My first bath was in a tub where they made kim chee,” said Lyricks. “I still consider myself more Korean than American sometimes.”

Growing up in rural northern Virginia, Lyricks said he was often teased more for pursuing a path uncommon for a Korean than for being Asian. His first rap was a book report on Oedipus Rex during his sophomore year in high school. He would later form a Christian rap group.

“As a scrawny Asian kid considered a dork or a nerd, hip-hop turned me into an artist overnight. It helped me gain respect and recognition from my peers. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” Lyricks revealed.

JL was exposed to hip-hop early but was a late bloomer in terms of rhyming. His older brother played Nas, DMX, Bone Thugs N Harmony and Eminem at home, and his parents owned a hip-hop clothing store, but he said he didn’t write his first rap until his freshman year at George Mason University.

While the YOX sound is very ’90s hip-hop-centric, they are not as obsessed with hip-hop’s “golden era” as their flows might lead listeners to believe.

“I can’t listen to old-school hip-hop because of how elementary it sounds,” Lyricks said. “I think music, fashion — anything involving production — is a cyclic process. Out with the old, in with the new and, after the new gets old, back to the old, which is now the new, then repeat.”

While the buzz behind “Seven Rings” will eventually fade, they understand that retaining some of the respect comes with a high degree of difficulty. An assortment of new content is on the way, including an EP release by the end of the year.