Jay Park

Korean-American musician Jay Park (Park Jae-beom) is a ’90s R&B- and hip-hop-influenced singer/songwriter, rapper, producer, choreographer, member of the Art of Movement crew, and founder of labels AOMG and H1GHR MUSIC. His major influences include Michael Jackson, Usher, and Chris Brown. Born in Edmonds, Washington, Park was a fan of hip-hop culture from a young age, especially rap and breakdancing, and spun that love into a career in entertainment after moving to South Korea as a teenager. After completing college, he began training for a place in the K-pop scene. He was recruited by the boy band 2PM and was a member from 2008 until 2010, when he embarked on a solo career. His first EP, Count on Me, topped the Korean charts upon release. He followed the next year with a mini-album, Take a Deeper Look, which peaked at number three on the Billboard World Albums chart. He quickly followed with the chart-topping New Breed: Pt. 1 EP, the first taste of his debut LP, New Breed, which arrived in early 2012. The album topped the Korean charts and debuted at number four on the Billboard World Album chart. In the meantime, burgeoning success in Korea as a recording artist led to the world of acting and Park appeared on a handful of television shows, including Saturday Night Live Korea. In 2014, he released his sophomore effort, Evolution, which was soon followed by Worldwide. In 2016, Park issued his third album in as many years, Everything You Wanted. The effort was his highest charting full-length on the World Album chart, peaking at number three. In 2017, Park became the first Asian-American to sign with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. The EP Ask Bout Me arrived the following year. In 2019, he paired with rapper Hit-Boy for the single “K-Town.” ~ Neil Z. Yeung