Drunken Tiger () was a Korean hip-hop group that debuted in 1999 and has since released several albums and won numerous awards. They are known as pioneers of Korean hip-hop who helped bring the genre into the mainstream.
The group's original line-up consisted of central member Tiger JK, as well as DJ Shine. Micki Eyes, DJ Jhig, and Roscoe Umali later joined the group. In 2013, Tiger JK moved away from making music under the group's original name and formed MFBTY with his wife Yoon Mi-Rae and Bizzy. In 2018, Tiger JK released a final self titled album under the Drunken Tiger name, featuring Yoon Mi-Rae and Bizzy alongside a number of other artists.
History
1998-2000: Debut and early controversy
In 1998, Korean-American rappers Tiger JK and DJ Shine teamed up to form Drunken Tiger. They released their first album, Year of the Tiger in Korea in 1999. At the time, the album was controversial given its explicit lyrics and rejection of mainstream K-pop norms. Unlike their K-pop counterparts, Drunken Tiger wrote their own lyrics, expressed anti-establishment views, and did not perform choreography. However, the album's singles, "I Want You" and "Do You Know Hip-hop," are now considered Korean hip hop classics.
2000-2004: Drug charges and early success
In 2000, Drunken Tiger released their second album, The Great Rebirth, and introduced new members DJ Jhig, Micki Eyes, and Roscoe Umali. The album did well on music charts and established the group as "the first commercially successful true hip hop group" in Korea.
However, in the midst of the group's success, Tiger JK was arrested for using methamphetamine in Korea in 1999. Tiger JK said that, though he had used drugs in the past, he had not used them in Korea, and he said that he was ultimately found guilty due to false testimony from the members of the hip hop group Uptown, who has also been arrested on drug charges. Tiger JK spent a month and a half in jail and was sentenced to two years probation. As a result, Drunken Tiger was banned from performing on public media for two years. However, after appealing the decision, the ban was lifted, allowing the group to release their third album in 2001.
2001's The Legend Of..., is one of Drunken Tiger's most successful albums. Their single "Good Life" became a huge hit, topping Korean music charts for weeks. They went on to win Best Hip Hop Performance at the 2001 MNET Music Video Festival and the Hip-Hop/Rap Award at the 2001 Seoul Music Awards.
The group released the albums Foundation and One Is Not A Lonely Word in 2003 and 2004, respectively. By this point, Drunken Tiger's appeal had grown internationally, with the group gaining fans and performing in countries including Japan, China, and Taiwan.
2005-2012: Departure of DJ Shine and continued success
In 2005, during the debut of the group's sixth album, 1945 Liberation, founding member DJ Shine announced he would leave Drunken Tiger. Tiger JK continued using the group's name as a solo artist, and, with the success of the fifth album, signed endorsement deals with Hite Beer and Reebok. In 2006, Tiger JK established his own hip-hop label, Jungle Entertainment, which became the new home of Drunken Tiger.
The release of Drunken Tiger's seventh album, Sky Is The Limit, marked another high point in Drunken Tiger's career. Although Tiger JK's ability to perform was inhibited by his recently diagnosed acute transverse myelitis, the album's single "8:45 Heaven," a tribute to his late grandmother, became a fan favorite and won Best Hip Hop Song at the 2008 Korean Music Awards.
Drunken Tiger released its eighth album, Feel gHood Muzik, in 2009. The double-disc album featured American hip-hop legend, Rakim, as well as Roscoe Umali, who had not appeared on the last few Drunken Tiger releases. The album sold over 100,000 copies, and all 27 tracks debuted on the Top 100 K-Pop Singles chart. The album ultimately won Record of the Year at the 2010 Seoul Music Awards and Best Hip Hop Album at the 2010 Korean Music Awards. Drunken Tiger released the song, Doo Doo Doo Wap Ba Balu, in 2011 featuring the top 13 contestants of Korea's Next Top Model (season 2).
2013-present: Forming MFBTY and Feel Ghood Music
In 2013, Tiger JK and label mates Yoon Mi-rae and Bizzy released the song, "Sweet Dream," under the group name MFBTY. An acronym for "My Fans [are] Better Than Yours," the name MFBTY started as a joke between Tiger JK and fans on Twitter. Although the name was meant to be temporary, the three artists have made subsequent releases as MFBTY, as well as under their solo names.
Later that year, the three artists left Tiger JK's own Jungle Entertainment and signed to his new label, Feel Ghood Music. In September, they released the album The Cure, under the name Drunken Tiger ft. Yoon MiRae and Bizzy. The album, which peaked at #6 on the K-Pop Hot 100 chart, was a tribute to Tiger JK's father, who was battling cancer at the time.
In 2015, MFBTY released the album Wondaland, which was an immediate success. Hours after its release, 17 of the top 20 songs on Daum's music chart were from Wondaland. The album ultimately reached #8 on Billboard's World Albums chart. Tiger JK said the reason he wasn't making music under the name Drunken Tiger anymore was because his young son did not like the word "drunken." In 2018, Tiger JK released a final self titled album under the Drunken Tiger name, featuring Yoon Mi-Rae and Bizzy, as well as other artists including Dok2, Eun Ji-won, RM, and Junoflo.
Members Tiger JK (Seo Jung-kwon) — 1998–2018 DJ Shine (Lim Byong-wook) — 1998–2005 DJ Jhig (James Jung) — 2000–2003 Roscoe Umali — 2000–2002 Micki Eyes (Mike Amiri) — 2000–2002, 2018
Discography
Studio albums TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsSales KOR Year of the TigerReleased: February 2, 1999 Label: Doremi Media Format: CD, cassette 20KOR: 97,496+ The Great RebirthReleased: March 29, 2000 Label: Doremi Media Format: CD, cassette 3KOR: 137,035+ The Legend Of...Released: March 22, 2001 Label: Doremi Media Format: CD, cassette 7KOR: 166,900+ Foundation (뿌리)Released: February 25, 2003 Label: Doremi Media Format: CD, cassette 8KOR: 117,164+ One Is Not A Lonely Word (하나하면 너와나)Released: August 13, 2004 Label: Doremi Media Format: CD, cassette 4KOR: 54,982+ 1945 Liberation (1945 해방)Released: August 12, 2005 Label: Doremi Media Format: CD, cassette 3KOR: 40,178+ Sky Is The LimitReleased: September 5, 2007 Label: CJ E&M Format: CD, cassette Feel gHood Muzik : The 8th WonderReleased: June 29, 2009 Label: Jungle Entertainment Format: CD The CureReleased: September 13, 2013 Label: Feel Ghood Music, Kakao Entertainment Format: CD, digital download 11KOR: 6,811+ Drunken Tiger X : Rebirth Of Tiger JKReleased: November 14, 2018 Label: Feel Ghood Music, Genie Music, Stone Music Entertainment Format: CD, digital download 22KOR: 4,437+
Singles Title Year Peak chart positions Album KOR "I Want You" (난 널 원해)1999 rowspan="16" Year of the Tiger"Do You Know Hip Hop?" (너희가 힙합을 아느냐?)"Fetticini" (위대한 탄생)2000The Great Rebirth"Good Life"2001The Legend Of..."Is Ask Hizay?""Because I'm A Man" (남자기 때문에)2003Foundation"Thumb" (엄지 손가락)"Liquor Shots" (술병에 숟가락)2004One Is Not A Lonely Word "Convenience Store" (편의점)"Isolated Ones! Left Foot Forward!" (소외된 모두, 왼발을 한 보 앞으로!)20051945 Liberation"Uncensored Love Song" (심의에 안 걸리는 사랑노래) "Happiness Is" (행복의 조건) 2007Sky Is The Limit"8:45 Heaven""I Hate Myself" (내가 싫다)"True Romance"2009Feel gHood Muzik : The 8th Wonder"Monster""The Cure" (살자)2013 3The Cure"Beautiful Life" 20 "Yet" 2018 —Drunken Tiger X : Rebirth Of Tiger JK "Bumaye" (범바예) —"Mantra" (끄덕이는 노래) —
Awards
Mnet Asian Music Awards YearCategoryNominated workResult1999Best Hip Hop Performance"Do You Know Hip-Hop"2001"Good Life"2003"Because I'm A Man"2004"Liquor Shots"2005Music Video of the Year"Isolated Ones! Left Foot Forward!"2007Best Hip Hop Performance"8:45 Heaven"
Seoul Music Awards YearCategoryNominated workResult2001Hip Hop/Rap AwardDrunken Tiger2010Record of the YearFeel gHood Muzik : The 8th WonderHip Hop/Rap AwardDrunken Tiger2019Hip Hop/Rap AwardDrunken Tiger
Golden Disk Awards YearCategoryNominated workResult2005Best Music Video"Isolated Ones! Left Foot Forward"2009Best Disk of the YearDrunken Tiger
Korean Music Awards YearCategoryNominated workResult2008Best Hip Hop Song"8:45 Heaven"2010Best Hip Hop AlbumFeel gHood Muzik : The 8th Wonder
Select live performances DateConcert titleCityOther performersMay 13, 2006Movement ConcertSeoul, South KoreaYDG, Epik High, Eun Ji-won, Buga Kingz, Dynamic Duo, Leessang2006Seoul, South KoreaJay-ZJuly 21, 2007Summer Big4 Concert - Exciting StarSeoul, South KoreaEpik High, Dynamic Duo, Yoon Mi-raeNovember 30, 2007Linkin Park Projekt Revolution World TourSeoul, South KoreaLinkin Park, Dynamic DuoSeptember 27, 2009R16 Korea (World BBoy Series)Incheon, South KoreaRakaa (of (Dilated Peoples), Epik HighJuly 22–23, 2011Caribbean Bay Summer Wave FestivalYongin, Gyeonggi Province, South KoreaT-Pain, 2PM, Will.i.am, Yoon Mi-rae, and moreAugust 5, 2011Super Traxx ConcertIncheon, South KoreaTaeyang, Miss A, G-Dragon & T.O.P, Yoon Mi-rae, B.o.B.December 2, 2011The Jungle Concert in L.A.Los Angeles, California, United StatesYoon Mi-rae, Leessang, Bizzy, Jung InJuly 14–15, 2012Caribbean Bay Summer Wave FestivalYongin, Gyeonggi Province, South KoreaTaio Cruz, Ludacris, M-Flo, Yoon Mi-rae, and moreAugust 10–12, 2012World Electronica CarnivalGapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, South KoreaYoon Mi-rae, Daishi Dance, Shinichi Osawa, DJ Shadow, Benny Benassi, Far East Movement, and more
External links Drunken Tiger official website Drunken Tiger official website
References