G-Dragon
Encyclopedia
Aside from Big Bang, G-Dragon also made several solo appearances. After helping produce Taeyang
's debut album
, he recorded his own version of the album's lead single "Only Look At Me" (Korean: 나만바라봐; Revised Romanization: Naman Barabwa), titled as the part two version to the song. The single was released digitally. Along with Taeyang and T.O.P, G-Dragon was featured on singer Lexy
's song "Super Fly" for her album Rush. In May 2009, he collaborated with the Japan
ese boy band W-inds.
for their single, "Rain Is Fallin'/Hybrid Dream
."
After Taeyang released his solo effort, G-Dragon released his debut solo album Heartbreaker
, featuring collaborations with several artists, including Teddy of 1TYM
, Taeyang
, S-Kush, and CL and Dara of 2NE1
. Initially scheduled to be released in April, the album was pushed back to August to coincide with his 21st (Korean years: 22nd) birthday. The album marked a change in G-Dragon's appearances as he dyed his hair blonde to match its concept. Propelled by its lead-single of the same name
, an electronic pop song, the album sold over 200,000 copies and went on to win Album of the Year from the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards. The second single, "Breathe
", manage to chart within the Top twenty while his other songs — "The Leaders", "A Boy
", "Hello", and "She's Gone" — went on to top various charts upon their release. Shortly after Heartbreakers release, G-Dragon was accused of plagiarism by Sony Music
when his tracks "Heartbreaker
" and "Butterfly
" were alleged to be similar to Flo Rida's
"Right Round
" and Oasis's
"She's Electric", respectively. However, EMI
, the record label that distributed "Right Round" said that they saw no similarities between these two songs. On March 6, 2010, YG Entertainment announced that they personally contacted Flo Rida's representatives requesting that he feature in G-Dragon's live album, Shine a Light, to which Flo Rida accepted.
In support of his album, G-Dragon staged his first solo concert at the Olympic Park
in December 2009. Entitled Shine a Light, the name of the concert was derived from the lyrics to his song "A Boy
". The concert subsequently sparked controversy following complaints of obscenity and suggestive content. The Korean Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs later asked the government prosecutors to investigate if G-Dragon or YG Entertainment violated laws on obscene performances in his concert. He was found innocent and was cleared of all charges on March 15, 2010.
In November 2010, YG Entertainment announced the collaboration album
from G-Dragon and bandmate T.O.P. Preceding the release of the album, the duo held a world-wide premiere showcase for their album at Times Square in Yeongdeungpo of Seoul, South Korea, which was also broadcast live on YouTube
. To promote their album, the duo released three singles: "High High," "Oh Yeah," and "Knock out." All three singles preceded the release of the album. The singles were commercial successes: "High High" was a chartopper while "Oh Yeah" and "Knock Out" both peaked at number two and number three respectively. The album was released on Christmas Eve
, and debuted at number one on the Gaon Chart with pre-orders of 200,000 copies.
With a collaboration with Park Myung Soo, they created a duo called GG for the Infinite Challenge
Seohae Ahn Highway Song Festival 2011. They released their song 'Having an Affair' featuring Park Bom
from 2NE1
on June 2, 2011, which became an 'All Kill' on various Korean music charts.
. Fashion icon Kang Dong Wan have also acknowledge G-Dragon's influences, calling him a "fashionista."
While promoting Heartbreaker, his change in hairstyle from dying it to blonde gained popularity among his fans and became one of the top hairstyles of the year. Additionally, his constant sporting of triangular scarves became a trend among teenagers and were later nicknamed the "Big Bang scarves."
Despite his influences, G-Dragon has admitted to being self-conscious of his role as a musician, noting how he had "changed many things including the tone of my voice because I was conscious about my job when I was in front of others." Aware that his public image is important when promoting his materials, G-Dragon notes that "what the public perceives of [my physical appearance] is my doing so it's my fault if I give off the wrong intention." He also strongly opposes the idea of singers as "products" of the entertainment industry.
-
Because he was not charged he was able to continue promotions as normal and did not lose any endorsers. However the story came out in October and he voluntarily stopped promotions due to the negative reaction from fans and the public.
, G-Dragon participated in the annual hip hop Flex album in 2001 at the age of 12, establishing his career as an artist. During the early days of Big Bang's career, the band was market predominately as a hip-hop group, though they went on to experiment with electronic music
and setting it as the new music trend in Korea. From previous exposure to a range of genres with Big Bang, G-Dragon incorporated a mix of dance
, hip-hop, and R&B
songs into Heartbreaker
. During the production for the collaboration album GD & TOP
, G-dragon opted for a more hip-hop sound, though he does acknowledge that R&B, acoustic
, and electronic music heavily influenced it.
Since becoming a solo artist, G-Dragon has maintained tight control over his music, stating that "each feeling [in creating the music] is different," using his emotions to direct the lyrical content and the composition of his songs. In attempts to distinguish himself from other artists and composer, G-Dragon admits to "giving twist and turn at every corner and evoking [a] different story" with each part of his music, acknowledging that although the chorus is the catchiest part of the song, he wants all the parts to his song to be remembered. Prior to his establishment as a solo artist, he was also involved with the production of Big Bang's albums, writing and composing majority of their songs.
G-Dragon's contributions to his own music have garnered him praises and criticism alike. Preferring to pen lyrics that "sound like an actual story", the Korea Times have praised him as a "genius singer-songwriter", though the rapper has expressed being uncomfortable with the label. His effort to create melodies won him praises as one of the best composers of 2008, with many pop culture critics and industry representatives choosing him as the "musician whose future they anticipate the most." His rap lyrics have also placed him fourth during a vote for "Most God-like" rapper in Japan. The rapper also topped Forbes
listing of "Most Hardworking Idol". Regardless, G-Dragon has undergone accusations of plagiarism
, most notably for the song "With U", which he composed for Big Bang, and "Heartbreaker" and "Butterfly", which he performed independently.
Collaboration albums
Live albums
Taeyang
Dong Youngbae , better known by his stage name Taeyang or Sol, is a South Korean recording artist, entertainer. After appearing in Jinusean's music video "A-yo", Taeyang began training under YG Entertainment at the age of 12 alongside fellow member and leader G-Dragon...
's debut album
Hot (Taeyang album)
Hot is the first solo album by Korean singer Taeyang, member of Big Bang. The album was well received by fans and critics alike, winning two trophies from The 6th Korean Music Awards for the 2008 Best R&B/Soul Song and the 2008 Best R&B/Soul Album...
, he recorded his own version of the album's lead single "Only Look At Me" (Korean: 나만바라봐; Revised Romanization: Naman Barabwa), titled as the part two version to the song. The single was released digitally. Along with Taeyang and T.O.P, G-Dragon was featured on singer Lexy
Lexy (singer)
Hwang Hyo-sook , know by the stage name Lexy , is a Korean female soloist who debuted in 2003 under the management, YG Entertainment...
's song "Super Fly" for her album Rush. In May 2009, he collaborated with the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese boy band W-inds.
W-inds.
W-inds is a Japanese pop boy band that is managed by Vision Factory and has been signed to the Pony Canyon label since 2000. The group consists of the three individuals Ryohei Chiba, Keita Tachibana, and Ryuichi Ogata. They made their formal debut in 2001 and, to date, have released 30 singles...
for their single, "Rain Is Fallin'/Hybrid Dream
Rain Is Fallin'/Hybrid Dream
Rain Is Fallin'/Hybrid Dream is the 26th single by Japanese pop group W-inds.-Information:The single was produced by Swedish producer Jakob Oloffson, Magnus Lidehäll from Swedish hip hop crew Afasi & Filthy, and Japanese hip hop producer and artist Bachlogic, among others. W-inds also collaborated...
."
After Taeyang released his solo effort, G-Dragon released his debut solo album Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker (G-Dragon album)
-Controversy:G-Dragon was accused of plagiarism by Sony Music, as his tracks "Heartbreaker" and "Butterfly" are similar to Flo Rida's "Right Round" and Oasis's "She's Electric", respectively. EMI1, who also has rights to "Right Round" said that they saw no similarities between these two songs...
, featuring collaborations with several artists, including Teddy of 1TYM
1TYM
1TYM is a four-member Korean hip hop group. The four members are: Oh Jin Hwan , Park Hong Jun , Song Baek Kyoung , and Im Taebin . Leader Teddy and lead vocalist Danny originated from the United States and moved to South Korea when they were accepted under YG...
, Taeyang
Taeyang
Dong Youngbae , better known by his stage name Taeyang or Sol, is a South Korean recording artist, entertainer. After appearing in Jinusean's music video "A-yo", Taeyang began training under YG Entertainment at the age of 12 alongside fellow member and leader G-Dragon...
, S-Kush, and CL and Dara of 2NE1
2NE1
Both the song and the group became popular online: Fire topped Mnet's online chart and 2NE1 became a popular search term. The group was awarded three Cyworld Digital Music Awards; "Lollipop" and "Fire" both won "Song of the Month" and the group won "Rookie of the Month" for May 2009...
. Initially scheduled to be released in April, the album was pushed back to August to coincide with his 21st (Korean years: 22nd) birthday. The album marked a change in G-Dragon's appearances as he dyed his hair blonde to match its concept. Propelled by its lead-single of the same name
Heartbreaker (G-Dragon song)
"Heartbreaker" is the lead single from Big Bang leader G-Dragon's first solo album of the Heartbreaker album, Released August 19, 2009 it topped many charts upon release, including reaching the number-one spot on the Mnet, Melon, and KBS Music Chart. His first solo album, "Heartbreaker" sold the...
, an electronic pop song, the album sold over 200,000 copies and went on to win Album of the Year from the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards. The second single, "Breathe
Breathe (G-Dragon song)
Breathe is a song recorded by the South Korea singer G-Dragon, released as the second single off from his debut album. While the single did not chart as strongly as its predecessor, it manage to chart within the Top 20 for the artist....
", manage to chart within the Top twenty while his other songs — "The Leaders", "A Boy
A Boy
"A Boy" is a song recorded by the South Korean singer G-Dragon. It was released as the fourth and final single from his debut album Heartbreaker...
", "Hello", and "She's Gone" — went on to top various charts upon their release. Shortly after Heartbreakers release, G-Dragon was accused of plagiarism by Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
when his tracks "Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker (G-Dragon song)
"Heartbreaker" is the lead single from Big Bang leader G-Dragon's first solo album of the Heartbreaker album, Released August 19, 2009 it topped many charts upon release, including reaching the number-one spot on the Mnet, Melon, and KBS Music Chart. His first solo album, "Heartbreaker" sold the...
" and "Butterfly
Butterfly (G-Dragon song)
"Butterfly" is the third single from the South Korean singer G-Dragon's first album Heartbreaker. It was released about a month after the release of his song "Breathe"....
" were alleged to be similar to Flo Rida's
Flo Rida
Tramar Dillard , better known by his stage name Flo Rida , is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from...
"Right Round
Right Round
“Right Round” is a song performed by American rapper Flo Rida featuring pop singer Kesha from R.O.O.T.S., his second studio album. It was released to radio as the album's lead single on January 27, 2009 and was digitally released on February 10 by Poe Boy Entertainment and Atlantic Records...
" and Oasis's
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
"She's Electric", respectively. However, EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, the record label that distributed "Right Round" said that they saw no similarities between these two songs. On March 6, 2010, YG Entertainment announced that they personally contacted Flo Rida's representatives requesting that he feature in G-Dragon's live album, Shine a Light, to which Flo Rida accepted.
In support of his album, G-Dragon staged his first solo concert at the Olympic Park
Olympic Park, Seoul
The Seoul Olympic Park, shortened to Olpark, is an Olympic Park built to host the 1988 Summer Olympics. Olympic Park is located in Songpa-gu, Bangi-dong.- Competition facilities :*Olympic Velodrome, Seoul*Olympic Fencing Gymnasium...
in December 2009. Entitled Shine a Light, the name of the concert was derived from the lyrics to his song "A Boy
A Boy
"A Boy" is a song recorded by the South Korean singer G-Dragon. It was released as the fourth and final single from his debut album Heartbreaker...
". The concert subsequently sparked controversy following complaints of obscenity and suggestive content. The Korean Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs later asked the government prosecutors to investigate if G-Dragon or YG Entertainment violated laws on obscene performances in his concert. He was found innocent and was cleared of all charges on March 15, 2010.
In November 2010, YG Entertainment announced the collaboration album
GD & TOP
GD & TOP is the debut album of South Korean artists G-Dragon & T.O.P, members of Big Bang. Released on December 24th, 2010, the album marks the first collaboration between the two away from their group. The duo promoted the album extensively, including a world-wide premiere showcase and numerous...
from G-Dragon and bandmate T.O.P. Preceding the release of the album, the duo held a world-wide premiere showcase for their album at Times Square in Yeongdeungpo of Seoul, South Korea, which was also broadcast live on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. To promote their album, the duo released three singles: "High High," "Oh Yeah," and "Knock out." All three singles preceded the release of the album. The singles were commercial successes: "High High" was a chartopper while "Oh Yeah" and "Knock Out" both peaked at number two and number three respectively. The album was released on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
, and debuted at number one on the Gaon Chart with pre-orders of 200,000 copies.
With a collaboration with Park Myung Soo, they created a duo called GG for the Infinite Challenge
Infinite Challenge
Infinite Challenge is a Korean television entertainment program, distributed and syndicated by MBC. As of June and July 2009, it still has the largest market share for its timeslot, between 13.8 percent and 19.7 percent of Korean television viewers watched Muhan Dojeon at 6:40 PM every Saturday...
Seohae Ahn Highway Song Festival 2011. They released their song 'Having an Affair' featuring Park Bom
Park Bom
Park Bom , is a South Korean idol singer, Born in Seoul, South Korea, she eventually moved to the United States where she learned English. She is the main vocalist of girl group 2NE1, where her stage name became solely "Bom"...
from 2NE1
2NE1
Both the song and the group became popular online: Fire topped Mnet's online chart and 2NE1 became a popular search term. The group was awarded three Cyworld Digital Music Awards; "Lollipop" and "Fire" both won "Song of the Month" and the group won "Rookie of the Month" for May 2009...
on June 2, 2011, which became an 'All Kill' on various Korean music charts.
Image and artistry
[T]he right kind of music is not made once the artist feels that music is work. [W]hen one is working on music, performing or just having fun, [...] it directly influences the music [...] The more I work, the more I feel like I'm learning and maturing at the same time. — G-Dragon
Public image
Described as the "most fashionable" one in his group, G-Dragon's role in influencing fashion trends in South Korea have garnered him awards such as the "Style Icon of 2008" and the award for "Most Influential Men of 2008" sponsored by Arena magazineArena (magazine)
Arena was a British monthly men's magazine. The magazine was created in 1986 by Nick Logan, who had started The Face in 1980, to focus on trends in fashion and entertainment. British graphic designer Neville Brody, who had designed The Face, designed Arena's launch appearance.The magazine featured...
. Fashion icon Kang Dong Wan have also acknowledge G-Dragon's influences, calling him a "fashionista."
While promoting Heartbreaker, his change in hairstyle from dying it to blonde gained popularity among his fans and became one of the top hairstyles of the year. Additionally, his constant sporting of triangular scarves became a trend among teenagers and were later nicknamed the "Big Bang scarves."
Despite his influences, G-Dragon has admitted to being self-conscious of his role as a musician, noting how he had "changed many things including the tone of my voice because I was conscious about my job when I was in front of others." Aware that his public image is important when promoting his materials, G-Dragon notes that "what the public perceives of [my physical appearance] is my doing so it's my fault if I give off the wrong intention." He also strongly opposes the idea of singers as "products" of the entertainment industry.
Marijuana usage
On October 5, 2011 it was reported that G-Dragon was caught by authorities for smoking marijuana. His urine test came back negative but a weak positive for Marijuana was detected from testing the content in his hair. The results indicating a miniscule amount, his age, remorse, student status and because it was a first offense resulted in a indictment and he was not charged. He allegedly inhaled the drug from a cigarette offered to him by a fan in Japan during a celebration party back in May. He was the only one at the party tipped off to authorities back in Korea. The tests were done in early June and the results came back in July. Only when the results came out did he recall the incident and confessed that although he thought the offered cigarette was not like a normal cigarette he still smoked it, but upon realizing that it was marijuana he immediately flushed it away.-
Because he was not charged he was able to continue promotions as normal and did not lose any endorsers. However the story came out in October and he voluntarily stopped promotions due to the negative reaction from fans and the public.
Musical style, lyrics and composition
Inspired by music by the Wu-Tang ClanWu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
, G-Dragon participated in the annual hip hop Flex album in 2001 at the age of 12, establishing his career as an artist. During the early days of Big Bang's career, the band was market predominately as a hip-hop group, though they went on to experiment with electronic music
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
and setting it as the new music trend in Korea. From previous exposure to a range of genres with Big Bang, G-Dragon incorporated a mix of dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
, hip-hop, and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
songs into Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker (G-Dragon album)
-Controversy:G-Dragon was accused of plagiarism by Sony Music, as his tracks "Heartbreaker" and "Butterfly" are similar to Flo Rida's "Right Round" and Oasis's "She's Electric", respectively. EMI1, who also has rights to "Right Round" said that they saw no similarities between these two songs...
. During the production for the collaboration album GD & TOP
GD & TOP
GD & TOP is the debut album of South Korean artists G-Dragon & T.O.P, members of Big Bang. Released on December 24th, 2010, the album marks the first collaboration between the two away from their group. The duo promoted the album extensively, including a world-wide premiere showcase and numerous...
, G-dragon opted for a more hip-hop sound, though he does acknowledge that R&B, acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
, and electronic music heavily influenced it.
Since becoming a solo artist, G-Dragon has maintained tight control over his music, stating that "each feeling [in creating the music] is different," using his emotions to direct the lyrical content and the composition of his songs. In attempts to distinguish himself from other artists and composer, G-Dragon admits to "giving twist and turn at every corner and evoking [a] different story" with each part of his music, acknowledging that although the chorus is the catchiest part of the song, he wants all the parts to his song to be remembered. Prior to his establishment as a solo artist, he was also involved with the production of Big Bang's albums, writing and composing majority of their songs.
G-Dragon's contributions to his own music have garnered him praises and criticism alike. Preferring to pen lyrics that "sound like an actual story", the Korea Times have praised him as a "genius singer-songwriter", though the rapper has expressed being uncomfortable with the label. His effort to create melodies won him praises as one of the best composers of 2008, with many pop culture critics and industry representatives choosing him as the "musician whose future they anticipate the most." His rap lyrics have also placed him fourth during a vote for "Most God-like" rapper in Japan. The rapper also topped Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
listing of "Most Hardworking Idol". Regardless, G-Dragon has undergone accusations of plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
, most notably for the song "With U", which he composed for Big Bang, and "Heartbreaker" and "Butterfly", which he performed independently.
Discography
Studio albums- HeartbreakerHeartbreaker (G-Dragon album)-Controversy:G-Dragon was accused of plagiarism by Sony Music, as his tracks "Heartbreaker" and "Butterfly" are similar to Flo Rida's "Right Round" and Oasis's "She's Electric", respectively. EMI1, who also has rights to "Right Round" said that they saw no similarities between these two songs...
(2009)
Collaboration albums
- GD & TOPGD & TOPGD & TOP is the debut album of South Korean artists G-Dragon & T.O.P, members of Big Bang. Released on December 24th, 2010, the album marks the first collaboration between the two away from their group. The duo promoted the album extensively, including a world-wide premiere showcase and numerous...
with T.O.P (2010)
Live albums
- Shine a Light (2010)
TV shows
- 2008 Family Outing (Guest ep 7 & 8) - SBS
Awards
| Years | Awards |
|---|---|
| 2007 |
|
| 2009 |
Cyworld Digital Music Awards Cyworld Digital Awards Which is a Cyworld BGM Blog is a South Korea community site in Korea, "Cyworld" is based on the BGM chart that started in 2006 the first Republic of Korea, No.1 representative of the Digital Music Awards... : Song of the month (September) "Heartbreaker" Melon Music Awards The Melon Music Awards is a major music awards show that is held annually in South Korea. It is known for only calculating digital sales and online votes to judge winners.-Artist of the Year :-Album of the Year :... : 2009 Album of the Year "Heartbreaker" Melon Music Awards The Melon Music Awards is a major music awards show that is held annually in South Korea. It is known for only calculating digital sales and online votes to judge winners.-Artist of the Year :-Album of the Year :... : 2009 Top 10 |
| 2010 |
Cyworld Digital Music Awards Cyworld Digital Awards Which is a Cyworld BGM Blog is a South Korea community site in Korea, "Cyworld" is based on the BGM chart that started in 2006 the first Republic of Korea, No.1 representative of the Digital Music Awards... : Ting’s Choice Award Cyworld Digital Music Awards Cyworld Digital Awards Which is a Cyworld BGM Blog is a South Korea community site in Korea, "Cyworld" is based on the BGM chart that started in 2006 the first Republic of Korea, No.1 representative of the Digital Music Awards... : Bonsang Award
|