Jessi (musician)

Jessi

Jessi at the Seoul Fashion Week 2016
Born Jessica Hyun-ju Ho
(1988-12-17) December 17, 1988
New York City, New York, U.S.
Other names Jessica H.O
Education Korea Kent Foreign School
Occupation
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Musical career
Genres
Instruments Vocals
Years active 2005–present
Labels YMC Entertainment
Associated acts
Stage name
Hangul 제시
Revised Romanization Jesi
McCune–Reischauer Jeshi
Korean name
Hangul 호현주
Hanja 胡賢珠
Revised Romanization Ho Hyeon-ju
McCune–Reischauer Ho Hyŏnju

Jessica Hyun-ju Ho (born December 17, 1988), better known by her stage name Jessi, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter based in South Korea. She was born in New York, raised in New Jersey, and moved to South Korea at the age of 15.[1]

Career

In 2003, Jessi successfully auditioned for Doremi Media, and moved to South Korea at age 15.[2] She released her debut single album "Get Up" in 2005, performing the title song on the TV program Music Bank. In 2006 the hip hop group Uptown featured her in their album "Testimony", replacing their original vocalist Yoon Mi-rae.[3] Her second single album, entitled "The Rebirth", was released in January 2009. After this release she took a break from music, and left Korea to return to America.[4]

In 2014, after a 5-year hiatus, Jessi returned as a member of hip-hop trio Lucky J with rapper J'Kyun and vocalist J-Yo.[5] Lucky J debuted with the digital single "Can You Hear Me" under YMC Entertainment in July of that year.[6] A month after their debut, Lucky J made an appearance in Mnet's music competition program Immortal Songs 2. On December 31, Jessi performed the rap verse in a collaboration stage with her labelmate Ailee and Sistar member Hyolyn. The trio presented the hit song Bang Bang at the end-of-year music program MBC Gayo Daejejeon.[7]

From January to March 2015, Jessi was part of the first season of Unpretty Rapstar, a spin-off of the program Show Me The Money.[8] Unpretty Rapstar is a female rapper survival program, where contestants compete for the chance to be featured on tracks in a compilation album. Jessi was chosen as the second-place winner of the show, by audience vote.[9] After her appearance on Unpretty Rapstar, Jessi featured in JYP's single "Who's Your Mama?" and its music video, which were both released in April 2015.[10] The track topped all nine major music charts in Korea as soon as it was released.[11] Throughout 2015, Jessi appeared as a guest in various popular variety shows, including Running Man and Happy Together.[12][13] She released her first ever solo rap single, "Ssenunni", on September 15.[14] Jessi's first live performance in the US was held on October 16. She performed at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, with hip-hop duo Mighty Mouth as her opening act.[15] When Unpretty Rapstar 2 aired, Jessi appeared in several episodes as a mentor. She and Cheetah, the winner of the previous season, were featured in Unpretty Rapstar 2 tracks produced by Verbal Jint.[16] In December 2015, Jessi performed her rap song "Ssenunni" at the Mnet Asian Music Awards.[17]

In 2016, Jessi starred as one of the permanent members in season 1 of popular korean variety show, Sister's Slam Dunk.[18]

Personal life

Jessi attended Korea Kent Foreign School along with Girls' Generation member Tiffany and ex-member Jessica Jung. Former CSJH The Grace member and current solo singer Stephanie Kim also attended the same school. Jessi successfully passed an S.M. Entertainment audition, the same company her three classmates were all under. However, she chose not to become part of the label, as she believed its approach to music did not match her style.[19] Before Jessi went on temporary hiatus from the music industry, she struggled to become accustomed to Korean culture.[4] She did not find immediate success after her debut, and was sometimes forced to sleep in saunas when she did not have enough money for a place to stay.[20]

In 2013, during her break from the music industry, a controversy about Jessi's involvement in an alleged assault surfaced.[21] The professed victim soon dropped the charges against the singer, and the investigation was closed.[22]

Jessi has been close friends with Tiffany of Girls' Generation since they attended the same high school. The two appeared on multiple TV shows together, including the reality show Sister's Slam Dunk and two episodes of Tiffany's style show Heart a Tag.[23][24] She is also friends with current soloist and former 4Minute member Hyuna, Hyolyn of Sistar, Hongki of F. T. Island, and Jackson of Got7.[25][26][27][28]

Discography

Extended plays

Filmography

Television

Year Title Network Episode Notes
2015 Unpretty Rapstar Mnet All Contestant (runner-up)
Real Men 3 MBC Cast member
King of Mask Singer MBC Episode 35 Contestant (with the stage name "Miss Korea")
2016 Sister's Slam Dunk KBS2 All Cast member
Duet Song Festival MBC Episodes 1, 2 Contestant with Kim Seok-goo
2017 High School Rapper Mnet All Judge

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2016 8th Style Icon Asia Awesome Swagger Herself Won
Cable TV Awards Cable Star Awards – Best Singer Won

References

  1. ↑ After School Club (episode 178 featuring Jessi)
  2. ↑ http://www.koreaboo.com/video/the-10-year-journey-from-jessica-h-o-to-lucky-js-jessi/
  3. ↑ http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/program/program_musicnews_frame.htm?No=4091&current_page=258
  4. 1 2 {Interview} ′Unpretty Rapstar′ Jessi Spills on Why She Left Korea, Struggling with Korean Culture and More
  5. ↑ http://www.allkpop.com/article/2014/07/jessica-ho-to-start-anew-under-ymc-entertainments-upcoming-group-lucky-j
  6. ↑ http://www.allkpop.com/article/2014/07/co-ed-hip-hop-trio-lucky-j-kick-off-their-activities-with-can-you-hear-me-mv
  7. ↑ "Ailee x Hyorin x Jessica H.O to take the stage with "Bang Bang" at MBC Gayo Daejejun". Retrieved 2015-09-04.
  8. ↑ http://www.soompi.com/2015/01/11/mnet-to-launch-koreas-first-ever-female-rapper-survival-show-unpretty-rapstar/
  9. ↑ http://www.allkpop.com/article/2015/03/and-the-winner-of-unpretty-rapstar-is/
  10. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/6531820/jy-park-whos-your-mama-jessi-mv/
  11. ↑ http://www.koreaboo.com/news/j-y-parks-whos-mama-tops-7-charts-first-place/
  12. ↑ {SBS Running Man} Yoo: "Jesse, eyelid surgery, the transition is much prettier."
  13. ↑ {KBS Happy Together} Suzy, Jessi, Seo Woo & more! (2015.04.23)
  14. ↑ "Jessi to Make a Hip Hop Comeback". soompi. Retrieved 2015-09-04.
  15. ↑ http://www.allkpop.com/article/2015/09/go-see-unpretty-rapstars-jessi-at-the-belasco-theater-in-los-angeles-on-october-16th/
  16. ↑ http://www.soompi.com/2015/09/18/sparks-fly-between-jessi-and-kittib-on-unpretty-rapstar-2/
  17. ↑ http://officiallykmusic.com/jessi-kills-it-at-2015-mamas-with-her-performance-of-ssenunni-video/
  18. ↑ "Jessi, Tiffany, Min Hyo Rin, and more get together for a viewing party of their new variety show!". Retrieved 2017-07-10.
  19. ↑ http://www.allkpop.com/article/2015/12/jessi-could-have-become-a-member-of-girls-generation
  20. ↑ http://www.soompi.com/2015/05/20/jessi-on-her-tough-unni-image-difficulties-after-debuting-and-not-paying-attention-to-haters/
  21. ↑ http://www.allkpop.com/article/2013/06/jessica-ho-accused-of-assaulting-a-woman
  22. ↑ http://www.allkpop.com/article/2013/06/ms-choi-drops-charges-against-jessica-ho-for-alleged-assault
  23. ↑ http://www.soompi.com/2016/4/06/jessi-and-girls-generations-tiffany-talk-about-their-friendship-at-unnis-slam-dunk-press-conference/
  24. ↑ http://www.soompi.com/2015/04/13/jessi-confirmed-as-first-guest-for-close-friend-tiffanys-style-show-heart-attack/
  25. ↑ "HyunA Invites Jessi Over to Enjoy the Food in Her Fridge on "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator"". soompi.com. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  26. ↑ http://www.koreaboo.com/buzz/7-female-idol-friendships-didnt-know-close/
  27. ↑ http://www.allkpop.com/article/2015/09/hongki-says-park-shin-hye-and-jessi-are-too-tough-to-mess-with
  28. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/711yNME7LG/
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