Jay Park talks to CNN about his past idol life, his career and getting signed by Jay-Z

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

When Jay Park became one of the first and only Asian artists signed to Jay-Z's label, Roc Nation, earlier this summer, the hip-hop world was rattled. Not that Park, who was born to Korean immigrant parents in Seattle, was overly concerned. In fact, it's the type of thing he's grown accustomed to.

"Me, being Asian-American, I was always looked at as an outsider. I always had to fight for my place," Park told CNN during a recent interview.

For an outsider, Park is very much "in" at present. The 30-year-old rapper has seen his celebrity status soar in recent months. In addition to working on his debut Roc Nation album, he's also preparing to join the second season of "Asia's Got Talent" as a judge. The popular show premieres October 12 across 27 countries in Asia.

"Jay Park has clearly become an icon for those struggling to make a name for themselves," said Flowsion Shekar, CEO of Koreaboo, a popular content platform specializing in K-pop with a reach of over 50 million. "It shows that Asia is not being ignored ... You can be an R&B singer, a rapper, a singer from Asia and have ambitions to takeover a global market. You can be recognized by the greats."

One can't spin a better comeback story

But success didn't come easy to Park. Like many Asian families, Park's mom had aspirations for him to be a doctor or lawyer. "That wasn't happening, because I was skipping school and going breakdancing," said Park who joined a b-boy crew named Art of Movement. Park was curious about hip-hop since the second grade, convincing an older cousin to share music despite the bad words. Counting West Coast gangsta rapper Warren G and the sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" as inspirations, he started rapping by the fourth grade.

Fortunately for Park, his mom eventually relented and suggested he enter into a locally advertised talent audition, which turned out to be organized by one of the biggest K-pop labels, JYP Entertainment. Not thinking much would come of it, Park, then 17, skipped out of the audition early to grab fast food at Taco Bell. It was left up to his mom, who had stayed behind after Park had preformed, to relay the news that he had been selected to travel to South Korea.

And so began Park's entry into the music industry, as the face of K-pop boy band, 2PM.

"I thought I'll go for a couple of years and help my family out," said Park. "At that time, it was just me, and mom and my brother, having money problems. We couldn't pay the electric and water bill."

But his new life in Seoul proved difficult. Today Park is near fluent in Korean, but back then was only a beginner. "It was really hard to sacrifice my life in Seattle and do this thing I knew nothing about," said Park over the phone from Seoul. "It was a culture shock, the seniority system, the food and the way they did things. ... For me, it was a hobby and fun, but there, it was training, almost like a job, where you have to practice from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m."

Park complained about the challenges of life in the boy band on his MySpace page. The offensive comments were leaked publicly in 2009 and facing a fan backlash, he left the group. "We parted ways, and I went back to Seattle ... It is what it is," says Park.

New Beginnings

After leaving the K-pop world, Park moved back home to the Seattle area and started working at a used car shop. While there, he uploaded a cover video of B.o.B's hit "Nothin' on You" onto YouTube, inserting his own lyrics and rap. The video went viral, with more than two million views in less than a day. "I don't give up," said Park. "I wasn't attached to the fame or the lifestyle ... The main point in the beginning was to support my family."

The video's success helped him to return to the music business, creating his own label, AOMG. His fourth solo album "Everything You Wanted" was released last October, and rose to No. 3 on Billboard's World Album Chart and No. 3 on the iTunes US R&B Chart. "Me being in the system in a group with the company, I didn't have much to express myself," said Park. "(Now) I finally have the freedom to do what I wanted to do."

His new album — representing his style of rap, R&B and electronica — is set to come out next year. "They (Roc Nation) like the image I have now," said Park. "I'm just me."

In addition to AOMG, he's launched a second label, H1GHR Music Records, with artists from the US and Asia. Through his music, he hopes to reform the image of the Asian male, from being seen as "people who are good at math" to be "sexy too."

He also dreams of working with Rihanna and knows it may be "farfetched" to work directly with Jay-Z, but he's "willing to put in the work to make that happen and one day we'll see."

"It's still crazy to me that he knows who I am," said Park, a longtime Jay-Z fan.

source: CNN

Comments

[bob-dabuilda.livejournal.com]

I love reading American articles about KPOP idols because I find American journalists are more direct with their writing than Korean journalists.

Good for him for going so far, and LOL at the Taco Bell story. You can tell that he was just doing it because he liked it, which is why he's successful.

Also judge me omona, but I'd smash. I was recently made aware of this epic poetry on Netizenbuzz.



I wouldn't go gobble gobble on his dick, but he would make my knees wobble wobble.

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

years ago, when he was still in 2PM, i would have smashed him too. but nowdays........

judging you sis.

[bob-dabuilda.livejournal.com]

I have a weakness for badboys and fuckbois. He went on the deep end with tattoos and I'd probably wake up the next day feeling embarassed but it would be bomb.

He'd do all sorts of freaky shit and I'm here for it. Eh fuck it I'd go gobble gobble. Judgin' myself, but no regrets cause I know he'd do the same!

[fifi-moon.livejournal.com]

highfive fellow fuckboi lover!

its a blessing a curse!

[savaburry.livejournal.com]

choking me too. live in ya truth sis! i would too! #fuck

[sunlight-kisses.livejournal.com]

have you seen him tho he's hot as fuck

[bob-dabuilda.livejournal.com]

I'm sayin' tho.....

He's a fuckboi for sure, but he is oddly hot and charming.

[sunlight-kisses.livejournal.com]

ACTUALLY I JUST WATCHED THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR MOMMAE NVM I DIDNT REALIZE HE WAS THIS LEVEL FUCKBOY

[bob-dabuilda.livejournal.com]

Aww shit I just looked at it myself. I feel like I would hit while tipsy and then give myself a stern look in the mirror the next day.

[sunlight-kisses.livejournal.com]

lmao honestly same

[saemcrh.livejournal.com]

[donaldjdrumpf.livejournal.com]

Oh please, you would suck his toes sober, sis. Stop playin'

[reader17.livejournal.com]

I am happy hearing he has an album in the works. I have said all along I don't know why Jay Park hasn't tried to do something in the US. I could be wrong but I think he will do good. I am not sure how big and noticed he will get, but I think he will still get a following of new fans because his kind of music is what is played on a lot of the music stations!. Just depends on of he goes all Rap then he maybe on Rap stations, or if he goes more vocal then he could be on the Pop stations.

[garnetstar38.livejournal.com]

Aqua man is probably my favorite JPark track. I howled when I first heard it.

[jazzygyu.livejournal.com]

I'm happy for Jay Park. The only thing I hope for with any idol is if they do make it in the US that they don't try to prove that "Asians can be sexy" at the expense of black people. Like I don't wanna see anymore cultural appropiation from him. It's clear that a lot of Americans don't get the issue by how they reacted to Jeremy Lin getting dreads... I haven't listen to him in a long time...

[contralilium.livejournal.com]

THIS

[mjspice.livejournal.com]

Mte :/

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

Late, but I just learned about this Lin thing and the comments are making my eyes bleed. The usual garbage about how Vikings and other cultures had dreadlocks. They can't even tell the difference between a loc and a mat but I'm supposed to take their opinions seriously.

[jazzygyu.livejournal.com]

Yeah everyone keeps bringing up Vikings and like some Asian cultures that had styles similar to dreads. By that definition Indian people can't be mad about people wearing bindis because there are similar things in other cultures.

I think what pissed me off the most and I shouldn't have even read the articles on this cuz I knew they'd make me mad but I did anyways... but all the articles talking about Jeremy "claps back" or "kills him with kindness" when Kenyon pointed out his problem with the dreads. And these anti-black Asians went on his page calling him the n-word. Like all Jeremy did was derail the issue by pointing out Kenyons tattoo, like it might be hypocritical but your still wrong. On top of that the model minority is helping him in this case as well rather he ment it to or not. I dunno how many people I've seen commenting about how he went to Harvard and is really smart just cuz he wrote a long essay basically saying "my black friend said it's okay so it's not appropiation" basically. A lot of people are using this stereotype to further the aggressive black guy narrative is mean to the smart Asian guy. Asians don't even realize that a stereotype that's works for them works against black people and vs versa. It shouldn't matter where Lin went to school...he's still wrong.

I would respected him more if he at least wrote how black people are discriminated against for wearing our natural hair whereas when other races do it it's look at as edgy but he said nothing about that so I doubt he gets it like he claims to. He said he wanted feed back but when a black guy gives it to him he derails the whole issue. I'm sorry but this why I don't trust most Asian celebrities. Anyways sorry for the rant. But Jay better not pull some shit like this when he releases music here...I know he and Jeremy are friends too.

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

I get that there is a thing with Asian American men being emasculated but turning to Black American's stereotypes of hyper masculinity and "Black cool" to counter that is so messy. Black culture doesn't exist for you to be edgy and rebellious.

Jeremy is not going to talk about black people being discriminated for wearing our natural hair cause that would require him to admit to himself that he is just a try hard that is desperate for attention. As a professional athlete, doing unnatural shit to his hair that he probably can't even wash is the opposite of logical.

Also it's hypocritical as fuck to pull a white girl, where they complain about sexism then fall back on the protection of white femininity when shit goes down which is basically what he is doing by not calling out his racist ass defenders.

When the only people defending you are Uncle Toms, white people with dreads, and bigots then maybe you should look at your choices.

[jazzygyu.livejournal.com]

Right another article I saw that pissed me off about Jeremy Lin's dreads is this article saying that dreads are "American history" so it wasn't enough that African Americans have no clue what our ethnicity is you want to take any form of culture we have left. Sorry but no it's not American culture when it's the norm in America for black people to lose jobs over our natural hairstyles. Also plenty of other black dominated countries wear those hairstyles so how can it be purely American? Jeremy thinks cultural appropiation will help races to understand each other...I'm sorry but all this did was bring out ignorant people. I also hate him saying we should care about each other's struggles...well your not doing a good job showing you care about black struggles if you admit you knew you'd be called out for appropriation and decided to do it anyways and redefine it as appreciation like your in any position to even decided that. Bye Jeremy...

The thing is I can totally see Jay park doing this too. But fans will defend him cuz he's for black lives matter and had black girls his MV's...cuz I remember when he was called out for posting that picture with braids he blocked a lot of people on twitter for calling him out on it.

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

Hair styles that existed for thousands of years in Africa before we even got to America are now American history?! Being brown and having kinky coiled hair isn’t hip hop culture, it’s just our fucking skin and hair. Most of the negative stereotypes about our hair styles come from people with straight hair doing trifling unnatural things to their hair in a piss poor attempt to copy our styles then calling it cultural appreciation. How are you appreciating our culture by having dirty nasty hair and making people assume I don’t wash my hair?

Jay’s had black girls as sex objects and dance partners, He uses Koreans or white girls for romantic interest. I feel sorry for all these desperate pick me black girls who think that’s acceptable. I just hope they will grow up and get some self esteem.

OT but I’m happy about Eminem dissing Trump only because he called out his racist ass fans. Kpop fandom is full of people who say they don’t like hip hop cause of the misogyny and drugs but say they like Eminem. Like just admit you hate Black people.

[scheisse.livejournal.com]

is he gonna try and be a rapper in america? i feel he's way to corny/cheesy to succeed at that. should probably focus on delivering a bop to get his name out there.

[bob-dabuilda.livejournal.com]

Ya girl a turkey on my dick, gobble gobble. I fuck her and make her knees wobble wobble.

[ashdevilrun23.livejournal.com]

[sodapab.livejournal.com]

I didn't know he is the founder of AOMG :o

[mjspice.livejournal.com]

Well that's good tho am concerned at the same time. :/

[petecarl.livejournal.com]

You're. From. Edmonds.

Not. Seattle.

[dorawa.livejournal.com]

Oh come on, people say stuff like that all the time. I'm from a suburb of Cleveland but I still say I'm from Cleveland because I know the area and frequently went. If you say "I'm from Edmonds!" like who the hell is gonna know what you're talking about. From all of his faults, what a weird thing to nitpick lol.