Swings (rapper)
Swings | |
---|---|
Birth name | Moon Ji-hoon (문지훈) |
Also known as | Moon Swings, Jonathan Moon |
Born | October 14, 1986 |
Genres | Korean hip hop |
Occupation(s) | Rapper |
Years active | 2008–present |
Labels | Brand New Music, Just Music Entertainment |
Associated acts | Uptown, Overclass(오버클래스), San E, Verbal Jint, Illest Konfusion, Taeyang |
Website |
www |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 문지훈 |
Revised Romanization | Mun Ji-Hun |
McCune–Reischauer | Mun Chihun |
Moon Ji-hoon (Korean:문지훈, born October 14, 1986), better known by the stage name Swings (Korean:스윙스), is a South Korean rapper. Formerly under the label Brand New Music, he is currently contracted under his own record label, Just Music Entertainment.[1][2]
Career
Swings debuted in 2008 with the extended play Upgrade.[3] He joined the hip hop group Uptown in 2009 but left by the end of the year.[4] He released his first full-length album, Growing Pains, in 2010.[5]
He gained popularity after competing on the second season of the TV rap competition Show Me the Money in 2013.[6] That summer, Swings triggered a 'Control diss phenomenon' within the Korean hip hop scene with the release of his diss track "King Swings Part 2", over the instrumental of Big Sean's "Control", in which he accused rapper Simon Dominic of not protecting his Supreme Team member E-Sens from an alleged slave contract offered by label Amoeba Culture.[7][8] Swings was named Artist of the Year for 2013 by Korean hip hop magazine Hiphop Playa.[9]
In 2014, he returned to Show Me the Money as a producer for its third season, alongside established rappers including San E and Tablo.[10]
Swings left the label Brand New Music in August 2014 to focus his own record label, Just Music Entertainment. The label currently represents the rappers Black Nut, Giriboy, Genius Nochang, CJamm, and Vasco.[2][11]
Personal life
Swings is a fluent English speaker, having lived in Atlanta, Georgia, and studied English at Sungkyunkwan University.[12]
He enlisted in the South Korean military in November 2014, despite being exempt from mandatory military service due to psychological disorder.[13] He was discharged from the military in September 2015 due to his mental health. Swings said that he has been receiving treatment since he was young for illnesses including obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and bipolar disorder.[14]
Discography
Albums
- Growing Pains (2010)
- Upgrade II (2011)
- Vintage Swings (2014)
- Levitate 2 (2016)
Extended plays
- Upgrade (2008)
- Swings #1 Mixtape Vol. II (2013)
- Mood Swings II, Pt. I: Major Depression (2014)
- Mood Swings II Pt. 2: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (2014)
Singles
- "500Bombs" (2010)
- "Instinctively Remix" (with Yoon Jong Shin and Taeyang) (2011)
- "Stand Up, Japan!" (with Beenzino, San E, Verbal Jint, Dead'p, L.E.O, Baby Bu, and Dawn) (2011)
- "I'll Be There" (feat. Jay Park) (2011)
- "It's All Good" (2011)
- "Swings Rising" (2011)
- "The King Is Back" (2011)
- "I'm Strong" (feat. RIMI and Optical Eyez XI) (2011)
- "Arrogant Bastard" (2011)
- "Would You?" (feat. Seo In Guk) (2013)
- "A Real Lady" (feat. Beenzino, Gray, and Zion.T) (2013)
- "Rain Showers" (with Giriboy and C Jamm) (2014)
- "Hongkiyoung #2" (with Giriboy and Nochang) (2014)
- "I'm Going" (with Giriboy, C Jamm, and Vasco) (2014)
- "Fallin'" (2014)
- "Just" (with Giriboy, Vasco, and Nochang) (2014)
- "The Wrong Way" (feat. Dok2 and Nochang) (2014)
- "Pool Party" (2014)
- "A Real Man" (with Ailee) (2014)
- "Rap Star" (2014)
- "Be Right Back" (2014)
Soundtrack singles
- "Money" (with P-Type and Kang Min-hee) from the Incarnation of Money soundtrack (2013)
- "Trap" (with Yu Sung-eun) from the My Secret Hotel soundtrack (2014)
Charted songs
Year | Title | Peak position | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
KOR [15] | |||
2010 | "Instinctively" (by Yoon Jong Shin feat. Swings) |
1 | |
2011 | "Banana" (by G.NA feat. Swings and JC지은) |
30 | |
2012 | "Happy Brand New Year" (with Verbal Jint, Phantom, As One, Miss $, N-SON, and Bumkey) |
24 | |
2013 | "Would You?"
(feat. Seo In Guk) |
28 | |
"A Real Lady" | 9 |
| |
"That You're Mine" (by Huh Gak feat. Swings) |
1 |
| |
"Where Did You Sleep"
(by San E feat. Verbal Jint and Swings) |
9 | ||
2014 | "You Make Me Feel Brand New"
(with Verbal Jint, San E, Bumkey, Phantom, and Kanto) |
13 | |
"Black"
(by 40 feat. Swings) |
36 | ||
"Just Another Rapper"
(with Verbal Jint and San E) |
23 | ||
"The Wrong Way"
(feat. Dok2 and Nochang) |
73 | ||
"Her Number"
(feat. Verbal Jint and 40) |
9 | ||
"Gravity" | 34 | ||
"Pool Party" | 14 | ||
"A Real Man" (with Ailee) |
4 |
|
References
- ↑ "15 Korean Rappers You Should Know That Aren't Psy". XXL Magazine. 2013-02-12. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- 1 2 "Swings Leaves Brand New Music to Focus on His Own Agency Just Music". Soompi. 2014-08-29. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "Swings, [Upgrade] Track List 공개". Hiphop Playa (in Korean). 2008-04-20. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
- ↑ "스윙스의 단독 콘서트, 'FREEDOM CONCERT ' 홍보영상 공개" [Swings release promotional video for solo concert 'FREEDOM CONCERT']. Hiphop Playa (in Korean). 2009-12-15. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
- ↑ "첫 번재 정규 앨범 '성장통' 스윙스(Swings) 인터뷰". Hiphop Playa (in Korean). 2010-03-24. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "Show Me The Money". Korean Hip Hop. 2014-06-08. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "Hip Hop Battle heating up in Korea, Swings lashes out at Simon D in his newest track". Allkpop. 2013-08-23. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "A Concise Guide to the "Diss" Battles Involving E-Sens, Amoeba Culture, Simon D and More". Soompi. 2013-08-26. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "Swings and Bumkey Win "HIPHOPPLAYA Awards 2013" Artists of the Year". Soompi. 2014-03-08. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "San E, Swings and Tablo Will Appear on "Show Me the Money 3" As Producers". Soompi. 2014-05-03. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "Just Music Releases 'Ripple Effect' Compilation Album". Hip Hop Korea. 2014-06-16. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "Rapper Swings Is An English Major At Sungkyunkwan University". Soompi. 2014-07-17. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "Swings to enlist in standard military after being turned down by KATUSA". Allkpop. 2014-11-15. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "Rapper Swings Announces He Was Discharged Early From the Army for Mental Health Reasons". Soompi. 2015-09-11. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ "Gaon Digital Chart" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
- ↑ Sales references for "A Real Lady":
- "Gaon Download Chart, August 2013 (see #20)". Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
- "Gaon Download Chart, September 2013 (see #80)". Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
- ↑ Sales references for "That You're Mine":
- "Gaon Download Chart, August 2013 (see #7)". Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
- "Gaon Download Chart, September 2013 (see #55)". Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2015-03-26.
- ↑ Sales references for "A Real Man":
- "Gaon Download Chart, August 2014 (see #14)". Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
- "Gaon Download Chart, September 2014 (see #28)". Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
- "Gaon Download Chart, October 2014 (see #99)". Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2016-03-26.