Woo Ji-ho (Korean: 우지호; born September 14, 1992), known professionally asZico (Korean: 지코), is a South Korean rapper, record producer, and singer-songwriter. He debuted as the leader of the boy bandBlock B in 2011 and made his first solo release in 2014.[1][unreliable source?]
Zico was born inDohwa,Seoul on September 14, 1992.[6][unreliable source?] He was a Vocal Performance major at Seoul Music High School.[7] In the lyrics of his song "Release", he mentions that he spent a year studying abroad in both Canada and China, as well as three years in Japan. Meanwhile, he had referred to his time in Japan within his song "Osaka" with fellow Korean musician ELO.[8]
He began his musical career as an underground rapper, going by the name "Nacseo" (낙서), meaning 'doodle' or 'scribble' in Korean. He promoted as Nacseo in theJapanese underground hip hop scene alongside the crews "Dope Squad" and "Undisputed".[9] He auditioned forSM Entertainment as a teenager.[10]
In 2009, he officially debuted in a duo withPark Kyung named 'Harmonics' in Korea with the digital single "The Letter".[9] He joinedStardom Entertainment in 2009.[11] He featured inIU's song "Marshmallow" as well asCho PD's "Expectations for K-Hip Hop" and Jung Seul-gi's "Outsiders".[12]
In 2010, he released his first mixtape called,Zico on the Block. The mixtape was well received by the Korean hip hop scene.[13]
Zico debuted as the leader of Block B on April 15, 2011 with their first promotional single "Freeze". Zico had produced their debut mini-albumWelcome to the Block.[14][unreliable source?] The KoreanMinistry of Gender Equality and Family and public broadcast channelKBS banned the songs "LOL" and "Did You or Did You Not" from minors. When asked about the banning, he said:
"It's not that we don't consider the regulations when we're producing the songs, but I did often think that our freedom of expression was being interrupted. Still, I do acknowledge that as a producer that creates songs meant for the public, it was a shortcoming of mine to not have paid more attention to the regulations."
That year he featured inHyuna's debutmini-albumBubble Pop! on the track "Just Follow".[12] He promoted with her on Korean music shows from July to August.[16] He attended the 2011MTV EMAs inBelfast, Northern Ireland as part of Block B[17][unreliable source?] and on November 27 began hosting theSBS-MTV interactive radio show "Studio C!" with rap duoMighty Mouth.[18][unreliable source?] Zico made an appearance atSwings' It's My Year II concert, performing "I'm Still Fly" and "Cocks".
Zico performed atPhantom's concert on May 17 and at the ONE Hiphop Festival on September 7.[26] In August, Zico was dissed inDeepflow [ko]'s response toSwings' "King Swings", a diss track over the instrumental from "Control".[27][unreliable source?] In it, Deepflow accused Zico andJay Park of only being in hip hop for the money.[28][unreliable source?] Later, rapper Aphelia created a diss track called "Zicontrol", specifically speaking of his frustration with Zico's guaranteed popularity as anidol compared to the difficulty of being a hip hop artist alone.[29][full citation needed]Dead'P [ko], in the track "Rap Game Control", also expressed frustration over idols portraying themselves as "hip hop" and the integration of mainstream K-pop culture into the underground hiphop scene.[30][unreliable source?] On October 18, Zico and fellow Block B memberP.O walked during Seoul Fashion Week for the brand Dominic's Way by designer Song Hye-myung (송혜명).[31][unreliable source?] In November, Zico was featured in IZE magazine,[32] and publiclytweeted about how the intrusion ofsasaeng fans into his life forced him to constantly change his phone number to avoid their communications.[33] He performed at theSBS Gayo Daejeon 2013 as part of a collaborative hip-hop stage featuringMFBTY,B.A.P.'sBang Yongguk, andEun Jiwon.[34][full citation needed]
On November 7, Zico released his official solo debut single entitled "Tough Cookie" featuring the rapper Don Mills.[1] He was criticized for wearing a jacket emblazoned with an AmericanConfederate flag in the single's accompanying music video and the use of the homophobic slur "faggot" in the song's lyrics.[50] Zico's label officially addressed the issue saying the homophobic implication of the term had been unintended and that Zico held no prejudice towards sexual minorities.[51] He performed a collaborative stage withSeo Taiji for the2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards, performing theSeo Taiji and Boys' song "Come Back Home".[52][unreliable source?]
On February 13, 2015, Zico released "Well Done", his second single, featuringJa Mezz.[53][unreliable source?] In March, he provided the soundtrack for Beyond Closet's 2015 S/S runway at New York Fashion Week. He also graduated from the Dong-Ah Institute of Media and Arts with a bachelor's degree.[54][unreliable source?] February 2015 also saw Zico join the cast of the female rap competition showUnpretty Rapstar for the second episode, as a producer.[55][56][unreliable source?] He produced the song "Up All Night" for contestantYuk Ji-dam;[57][unreliable source?] the song's chorus then became a part of the "Say It! Yes or No" skit on the Korean sketch-comedy showGag Concert.[58] In May 2015, it was announced that Zico would be appear for the entire season ofShow Me the Money 4 as a producer withPaloalto ofHi-Lite Records.[59][unreliable source?] After a car Zico was riding in crashed July 8 because the manager driving it was drunk,[60][unreliable source?]Show Me the Money said it was considering removing him as producer.[61][unreliable source?] Zico was cleared of responsibility for the crash by police, however,[62][unreliable source?] and the show kept him on.[63][unreliable source?] He produced the song "Turtle Ship" for the show, and it was followed by "Moneyflow", which was released on August 7,[64] and "Fear", which was released on August 21.
In October, Zico released his own version of "Up All Night" titled "Say Yes or No", featuring the rappersPenomeco andThe Quiett.[65][unreliable source?] He also featured on "Traveler", the seventh track off(x)'s fourth album4 Walls.[66][unreliable source?] His single "Boys and Girls" was released on November 3, and was the number one song on theGaon Digital Chart for all of November.[67] In November, he released his first solo EP,Gallery, with title track "Eureka".[68] On January 25, 2016, Zico released two songs, "It Was Love", featuringLuna fromf(x), and "I Am You, You Are Me". In mid-November 2016,Jellyfish Entertainment announced thatGugudan'sKim Se-jeong would release a song produced by Zico. The song, "Flower Road", was created by Zico during an episode of the variety showTalents for Sale.[69][unreliable source?] The song topped numerous Korean real-time digital charts when it was released on November 23, 2016,[70] and it was nominated for a 2017Melon Music Awards Hot Trend Award.[citation needed] Later that month, it was announced that Zico,Crush, andDean would collaborate on a single called "Bermuda Triangle", released November 28. The song also hit number one on various Korean real-time digital charts upon its release.[71] In addition, Zico, Crush, and Dean performed at the 2016Mnet Asian Music Awards on December 2,[72][unreliable source?] where Zico won Best Male Artist.[73][unreliable source?]
2017–2018:Television and departure from Seven Seasons
In January 2017, Zico performed in London as part of a collaboration with the fashion label MISBHV for London's Fashion Week.[74][75] Zico released the digital single "She's a Baby" on April 13; the song topped seven of Korea's real-time music charts on the day of its release.[76] On May 10,Psy released one of two title tracks, "I Luv It", which Zico co-wrote, from his album4X2=8.[77] Zico released an album of his own,Television, on July 12, 2017. The album contains two title tracks, "Artist" and "Anti"; "Artist" topped several of the real-time charts on its release.[78] On April 4, it was announced that Zico would joinDean as one of the producing teams for the sixth season ofShow Me the Money.[79][unreliable source?] The show began airing on June 30;[80][unreliable source?] songs produced by Zico and Dean include "Yozm Gang", "Where U At", and "Red Sun".[81][unreliable source?][82] The team's final contestant, Hangzoo fromRhythm Power, won the season, narrowly edging out the rapper Nucksal.[83][unreliable source?] Zico's participation in a song onTaeyang's solo album,White Night, was announced August 14.[84][unreliable source?] In the spring of 2018, Zico served as a music producer for the MNET showWanna One Go Season 3: X-CON, creating the song "Kangaroo" for theWanna One subunit Triple Position.[85]
It was announced on July 3, 2018, that Zico would be releasing a single album at the end of the month that would contain a song featuring the singerIU.[86] Two days later Zico's first solo concert was announced, with two shows, August 11 and 12, at theSK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Seoul, and an international tour planned for September and October.[87] The Seoul shows sold out almost immediately after tickets went on sale to the public July 16.[88] Two days later, two shows in Tokyo, Japan, were announced for September 1 and 2, 2018.[89] On August 13, concert promoter My Music Taste announced that Zico would be touring Europe from September 26 to October 2, visiting Madrid, London, Berlin, Warsaw, Amsterdam, and Moscow.[90] On August 28 it was announced that Zico would also tour Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City in the United States in late October.[91][92] In September 2018, it was announced that Zico would attend theSeptember 2018 inter-Korean summit inPyongyang, North Korea, as a cultural representative of South Korea.[93] On November 23, 2018, Seven Seasons announced that Zico had not renewed his contract with the label, while the other six members of Block B had. In a statement, Seven Seasons said that it was discussing future group activities with all seven Block B members.[94][95]
2019–present: KOZ Entertainment, "Any Song" and conscription
In January 2019, it was announced that Zico had established his own label, KOZ Entertainment, which he planned to use to develop other artists as well as his own career.[96][97] On March 2, 2019, it was announced that the mayor of Seoul,Park Won-soon, would appoint Zico as a goodwill representative for the city.[98][99] In August, the hip-hop crew Fanxy Child, consisting of Zico,Dean,Crush,Penomeco, Millic and Staytuned, held two sold-out concerts in Seoul, coinciding with the release of the crew's single, "Y."[100]
On September 30, 2019, the digital EPThinking Part.1 was released as the first half of the two-part studio album, titledThinking.[101][102][better source needed] The second half of the studio albumThinking Part.2 was released on November 8, 2019.[103] On January 13, 2020, Zico released hishit single "Any Song".[104][105] The song initially gained popularity on the video sharing appTikTok with the hashtag "Any Song Challenge"; the challenge has been credited with restoring TikTok's popularity in Korea.[106][107] "Any Song" was a commercial success in South Korea, debuting at number one on theGaon Digital Chart, where it spent a total of seven non-consecutive weeks, breaking the record forthe most weeks at number one in the Gaon Chart's history.[108][109] It was certified platinum by theKorea Music Content Association (KMCA) and listed as the most-streamed song in South Korea for the first half of 2020 by the Gaon Chart.[110]
On July 1, Zico released his third EPRandom Box, with its title track "Summer Hate" featuringRain.[111] It was announced on July 21 that Zico would beginthe conscription required of South Korean men on July 30, serving as a public service worker.[112] On November 18, 2020, it was announced thatHYBE Corporation, formerly Big Hit Entertainment, would acquire Zico's production company KOZ Entertainment, which launched in January 2019.[113][114] Since April 2021, after the rebranding of KOZ's parent company, HYBE Corporation, the company became part of HYBE Labels, Hybe's entertainment and music production division. KOZ Entertainment, as well as its sister companies, work independently from HYBE while receiving creative support.[115][116]
In May 2022, a few weeks after completing his public service, Zico announced his return to theSUMMER SONIC 2022 festival in Japan, six years after he last performed there.[117]
In July 2022, it was announced that Zico would be attending the Hip-Hop Playa Festival 2022 taking place September 17-18.[118] On July 27, 2022, Zico released his fourth EPGrown Ass Kid, with its title track "Freak".[119] In November 2022, Zico was named one ofGQ Korea's Men of the Year.[120]
On May 30, 2023, the boy groupBoyNextDoor debuted under Zico's label KOZ Entertainment, a subsidiary ofHybe Labels.[121]
Zico is a devoutRoman Catholic with his baptismal name "John the Apostle" tattooed on his chest, along with a portrait of his mother and below it the phrase "God save Paulus".[127][unreliable source?]He also has an older brother,Woo Tae-woon, who was a former member of idol groupSpeed. Zico studied at the Dong-Ah Institute of Media and Arts University (a technical college specializing in media design, production, and communications) between 2013 – February 13, 2015.[128]
^"MTV Korea "Let Me Show" Block B Cut"(video).Youtube. BlockBIntl Subbing. June 9, 2011.Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. RetrievedJuly 6, 2014.MC: I also heard that you were an SM Entertainment trainee. Zico: I wasn't an SM Entertainment trainee. When they first begin planning a group, they put you through casting and a bunch of camera tests for a few months. While going through that process, there were a lot of times where I almost was a member and almost wasn't. MC: There are rumors amongst the fans that you almost became a SHINee member. Zico: For now, please don't believe those rumors. For now.
^translation by BlockBIntl (November 11, 2014).지코 "동성애 존중...비하 절대 NO" 깊은 사과 Zico, "Respect for homosexuals... NO degradation [intended]," a deep apology.The Fact.Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. RetrievedNovember 11, 2014.He did not use the word 'faggot' with the intent to be derogatory toward homosexuals. It was used only as a borrowed word and as part of the musical narrative. If he had known that it had a meaning of being derogatory towards homosexuals, he would have strictly censored it [from the song]...Just as Zico has freedom in his music, he has no prejudice or negative intention with respect to homosexuals, and he has respect for sexual minorities. He had no intention to be derogatory towards homosexuals and would like to express his deepest apologies toward all those who were hurt by his actions.
^Jeong, Byeong-geun (March 19, 2020).지코, '아무노래'로 가온차트 최초 7주 1위 [Zico ranked first in the 7-week Gaon Chart with'No Song'].The Fact (in Korean).Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. RetrievedJune 12, 2020 – viaNaver.
^Jeong, Byeong-geun (March 18, 2020).[TF초점] 지코, 'Gee'·'마지막 인사' 소환하는 '아무노래' [[TF Focus] Zico,'No Song' summoning'Gee'·'Last Greeting'].The Fact (in Korean).Archived from the original on June 14, 2020. RetrievedJune 13, 2020 – viaNaver.
^Sun Mi-kyung (April 29, 2022)."지코, 오늘(29일) 소집해제...싸이 협업으로 활동 재개[공식]" [Zico, canceled today (29th)... Resuming activities with Psy collaboration [Official]].Osen (in Korean).Naver.Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. RetrievedApril 29, 2022.
^Park, Ji-yoon (September 2, 2022)."유인나·지코·이진호·유정, 쿠팡플레이 예능 '체인리액션' MC 확정" [Yoo In-na, Zico, Lee Jin-ho, and Yoo-jeong confirmed as MCs for Coupang Play's 'Chain Reaction'] (in Korean). The Fact.Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. RetrievedSeptember 2, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Park, Ah-reum (February 16, 2023)."수수행' PD "도경수X지코→양세찬 고삐 풀린 여섯 남자 무지성 버라이어티" [Su-Su-haeng' PD "Do Kyung-soo X Zico → Yang Se-chan Unbridled 6 Men Ignorance Variety] (in Korean). Newsen.Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. RetrievedFebruary 16, 2023 – viaNaver.
^Park Jung-sun (November 22, 2022)."이은지·미미·엄지윤·채수빈·지코, 'SNL 코리아' 시즌3 호스트" [Eunji Lee, Mimi, Jiyoon Uhm, Soobin Chae, and Zico host 'SNL Korea' Season 3].JTBC (in Korean).Archived from the original on October 3, 2024. RetrievedNovember 22, 2022 – viaNaver.
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