JERRY.K, the rapper whose sharp social commentary made him one of the most distinctive voices in Korean hip-hop, passed away Monday after battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, for nearly two years. He was 42 years old.
A memorial has been set up at the funeral hall of Severance Hospital in Sinchon, Seodaemun District, western Seoul. The funeral procession is scheduled for Wednesday.
Born KIM JIN IL in 1984, he graduated from the Department of Communication at Seoul National University. He made his debut in 2001 as part of the rap duo LOQUENCE, alongside his high school classmate MAKESENSE. He later became one of the founding members of the hip-hop crew SOUL COMPANY before steadily building a solo career.
“I was suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumor, I underwent surgery and I am in recovery. I haven’t fully grasped [my situation] yet, but I hope that I will get better little by little,” he wrote on Instagram in May 2024.
The raw way he addressed human nature and social issues in his 2008 debut solo album, “THE ERLKING” (also known as “마왕” in Korean), became his signature throughout subsequent albums. The album also earned him the nickname 마왕 (mawang), which translates to “Demon King.”
JERRY.K founded his independent label DAZE ALIVE in 2011 and continued to explore the fault lines of Korean society with what critics described as an uncompromising gaze.
His third full-length album, “REALITY, ENEMY” (2014), was nominated for Best Rap & Hip Hop Album at the 12th Korean Music Awards, and “Call center” (feat. OOHYO) (2016), the title track of his fourth full-length album, received the same nomination at the 14th Korean Music Awards.
He released his fifth full-length album, “HOME” (2020), centered on themes of daily life and quiet healing, during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: SNS JERRY.K
