GOT7: GOT7’s leader turns 27

GOT7’s leader JAY B is turning 27 years old!

On this special day for LIM JAEBEOM who is celebrating his 27th birthday, let’s have a look back on his career and let’s see what he’s up to today!

From leading GOT7, a K-POP band known for their performance skills, to making a name for himself in the K-R&B scene with his solo projects, JAEBEOM is a prime example of raw talent.

Like several other members of the group, it is through dance that JAEBEOM‘s passion for music was born. School was not his thing and so he poured all his energy into his passion: breakdance – most of his free time was spent in rehearsals with the crew he joined during his middle school years.

Breakdancing was a real outlet that was useful to overcome his loneliness and the troublesome doubts of his teenagehood. It was during a breakdance competition that he was noticed by talent hunters from the JYP Entertainment, who invited him to audition for the 5th talent auditions in 2009. This competition was a turning point in the career of the young artist as we know him today.

Among more than 10,000 participants, JAEBEOM and JINYOUNG, who formed a duo despite having just met,  ended up in a tie for the first place. The two teenagers then joined the agency as “trainees”.

This training period, though it was long and tedious, was also rich in experiences, sown with doubts, trials, and sometimes tears. However, it remains a time cherished by JAEBEOM because it was very rewarding time. It is, in fact, during this period that the future leader of the group discovered his love for singing thanks to the many lessons he was able to attend. D’ANGELO‘s “Feels Like Makin’ Love” was JAEBEOM’s first inspiration as a vocalist and as a songwriter.

After two and a half years of training, the latter debuted first as an actor in the series “Dream High 2” then as the leader of the duo JJ Project in January and May 2012, always alongside his audition partner- PARK JINYOUNG.

They had a busy year as a rookie duo, between filming a program to show the backstage of their activities, performing their EP “BOUNCE” or even participating in JYP Nation concerts and WONDER GIRLS concerts.

If the duo was only active for a year, the JJ Project boys reappeared two years later, in January 2014, along with 5 new other members, under the name GOT7 with the single “Girls, girls, girls“. Meant to be a Hip-Hop group, GOT7‘s music evolved over time and since 2017, leader JB‘s self-composed songs have been selected as well-received title songs and popular B-sides; these songs have gradually shaped the group’s musical identity. He is one of the most involved members when it comes to composing songs for the group since the EP “GOT LOVE?“, released in 2014. JB was also a part of the highly anticipated return of the duo JJ Project with critically acclaimed album “Verse 2“ in 2017 and he was part of a new sub-unit in 2019, alongside GOT7 YUGYEOM, with the album “FOCUS“. He has participated in nearly all Korean and Japanese albums of both GOT7, JJ Project and JUS2 as a lyricist and composer.

GOT7 is now in its 7th year of activity and came to be described as a successful band in terms of awards, charts and with a music quality and performance that is growing from albums to albums. By nurturing his talents within the group, JB, or JAY B, has confirmed his status of leader, main vocalist and dancer. There is no doubt that JB‘s vocals stage presence and songwriting skills had a strong impact on their growth. 

These skills have also played a huge part in his own personal projects on Soundcloud and within ØFFSHORE, the crew he is a part of. In 2016, he released his first mixtape “1/? Vol.1” as DEF. which contains RNB tracks showcasing a new side of himself.

From solo mixtapes to ØFFSHORE EPs, DEF. has been showcasing his artistry and skills as a talented vocalist with a peculiar singing tone but also as an amazing storyteller. His songs encapsulate relatable stories, poetry-like lyrics and abstract meanings depicting common feelings, allowing his listeners to be immersed in his world and to wander in their own perceptions of emotions and surroundings.

ØFFSHORE is a crew of 9 singers, songwriters and producers that was created around 2016 and has added members since then. They have a very versatile music style, creating and producing songs for themselves but also for a wide range of K-POP, K-Hip-Hop and K-R&B artists such as GOT7, WANNA ONE or even JEEBANOFF. They have worked with DEF. since 2016 for his solo mixtapes but also for his group, various ØFFSHORE members are credited along with GOT7 leader as the composers of the group latest title track “Last Piece”. 

DEF. is slowly but surely building himself a reputation as KR&B artist along with his crew, he has been collaborating with various renowned artists such as WAVYCAKE or JEEBANOFF. 

LINK : a compilation playlist of songs written or composed by JAEBEOM. 

JB or DEF.?

His passion for music, the quality of craft and his versatile artistry has grown tenfold during his career within the group and has also grown outside of it, taking various forms which can be categorized by various pseudonyms – JB, or JAY B, and DEF. each highlighting his work in the mainstream and the underground scene.

This parting within himself, between his personas, JAEBEOM has been very vocal and clear about it, even stating: 

“The name JB reflects more of what the company had in mind when GOT7 first came about rather than my own opinion. I was already using the name of Defsoul back than and I think of it as myself. I think it’s a name that I can use to share more honest candid stories of my own. […] I cherish all three the same.”

By embracing this wider music spectrum, JAEBEOM is slowly but surely achieving his dream of making good music that will be heard by many. And by doing so, by being unapologetically himself, he comes off as strikingly relatable. He is looking to find himself in front of his fans’ very eyes through his songs and his artworks, he is not one to shy away from himself, doubts, flaws and all even; if it means breaking society’s codes.

#Jaebeom "Rather than thinking in two separate categories of masculine and feminine, I just express the things that I like in the way that feels like me. Of course, my definitions change from time to time. And when I was growing my hair out at first I thought would look feminine. pic.twitter.com/D56qr5J9OC

— 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙹𝚊𝚎𝚋𝚎𝚘𝚖 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍 (@jaebeomwords) September 22, 2020

remember when jaebeom interviewed by Allure. he wants to do things as long as he wants to even if you need to break the “idol-rule”. i love how he’s being himself pic.twitter.com/hR2zg5vzov

— gita (@beomysoul) December 28, 2020

Apart from the artistic position which has been assigned to him within the group, and like his members, JB has demonstrated his versatility and his growing talents. JAEBEOM definitely used his years in the industry to grow and better himself as an artist, embracing various talents, be it in singing, songwriting, composing songs or even photography and performance skills. It is not a surprise why he was chosen to receive a “Best All Rounder” award at the 2020 APAN Music Awards.

He is a natural born leader, despite the burden it was on the shoulders of such a young person at the time and the hustle of dealing with various personalities within the group. By being a responsible figure, expressive and raw, JAEBEOM fulfills his wish to become an example for the masses, through the way he guides his group but also by his actions and words.

nichkhun talking about his talk with jb pic.twitter.com/o7CmDMqD6k

— yeet (@vocalistcyj) November 6, 2017

201229 긋밤☕️

🌴i feel that the more I live, life isn’t easy. But I hope u can be all wise people. Compromising but still voicing your opinions. I wish that my real besties in life aren’t overwhelmed by their lives. I hope that you’re all at ease…. pic.twitter.com/jBbjZxg2y0

— 🌴💭 (@940106_Jaebeom) December 31, 2020

[180506] EOY Tour in Seoul Day 3

Jaebeom's ending ment :
I just love to do music, and want to show you what i can show you, i will continually work on it for you…#GOT7 #Jaebeom #JB @GOT7Official pic.twitter.com/nXKHYUL6VT

— Fenny (@fenn1301) March 9, 2019

While remaining close to the fans, he set healthy boundaries, is always pretty clear about is and isn’t acceptable, and is more so willing to have deep conversations with them.

He was able to catch the eyes of fans, to affect and encourage others to think through his words, his transparency and the various forms of art through which he was able to express himself. JAEBEOM has been able to grow and improve, he is an artist that is everlastingly growing – like a chrysalis on the verge of hatching. And that’s what moves the heart and mind of fans.

Fans quickly took over their social media accounts to celebrate one of their favorite artists’ birthday; sharing fan projects, artworks and memories of the latter’s path, under the hashtags #OurMasterpieceJBDay and #재범아_생일축하해_앞으로도_행복하자 that trended worldwide.

the way the WHOLE of Coex is just full of jaebeom pic.twitter.com/lXlwcprWi5

— emily (@jiaersfendigirl) January 4, 2021

We cannot wait to see JAEBEOM‘s artistic growth in 2021!

We wish a very happy birthday to leader of GOT7 and member of ØFFSHORE, LIM JAEBEOM!

You can find his discography down below:

JJ PROJECT – GOT7 – SOUNDCLOUND – ØFFSHORE

Journalist: Lilies
Translator: Lilies
Sources: SNS GOT7 Official, SNS DEF., FOR_OFFSHORE, JAEBEOMWORDS*