WHO IS pH-1?

 

pH-1 from his real Korean name Park Jun-won, is a South Korean, American rapper based in Seoul.

Aged 30, he was born in South Korea before moving to Long Island in New York when he was 12 years old. He studied biology at Boston College and then worked in a web development agency before returning, in 2016, to South Korea, to pursue a musical career.

 

Member of H1GHR Music label since 2017, his stage name actually comes from the alliance between his American name (Park Harry) and the number 1 implied by his Korean name (Park Jun-won).

 

 

HIS DISCOGRAPHY AND MUSIC CAREER

 

pH-1 began his career in 2016 with his singles “Wavy” and “Perfect” before signing in 2017 under the new label H1GHR Music.

 

His first EP “The Island Kid” under H1GHR Music was released on October 18, 2017 and his first album “HALO” on March 28, 2019.

 

But that's not all, he has also released several singles in recent years: 2018: Gatsby

2018: harry

2018: loves

2018: staying

2019: Summer Episodes

2020: Nerdy Love

 

pH-1 works in collaboration and also appears on many featuring with other Korean artists like Sik-K, Jay Park, Penomeco, Owen Ovadoz, Jooyoung or Junny, to name a few:

 

2017: iffy (feat Sik-K & Jay Park)

2018: Good Luck (feat. Woodie Gochild, HAON & Sik-K)

2018: GARASADAE (feat. Sik-K & Woodie Gochild) 2019: GIDDY UP (feat. Sik-K, HAON, pH-1 & Jay Park)

2019: Sik-K - WATER (feat. Woodie Gochild, HAON, pH-1 & Jay Park).

 

He also participated in “Show Me the Money 777” in 2018 a popular TV show in South Korea. This show highlights, in the form of rap contests, different rappers from all walks of life.

 

The career of pH-1 is no longer limited only to South Korea as last October, he was invited to support Jay Park during his European tour.

He was supposed to perform for his first solo tour in Europe in March 2020 but it has been postponed until next September. Meanwhile fans of the rapper can console themselves with his brand new mixtape; “X”, the worst mixtape, released on May 8.

 

 

 

 

ABOUT THE MIXTAPE, NOT SO DESCRIBED AS AN ALBUM…

 

This whole project is a perfect melting pot of different styles which rap is nowadays inspired from. In this mixtape not so described as an album on purpose, pH-1 brought all together his strong desire to show an unusual side of the music he usually offers to us and artists (including producers) he wanted to work along with for a long time ago.

 

To sum up, X (Mixtape) is an essay on something far away from pH-1 usual soft / chill style. However it must be seen as an opportunity for the artist to draw a brand-new music experiment rather than introducing us to a permanent musical style switch.

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Track list + review​

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1. 사인회 (Feat. Kid Milli) (Prod. GroovyRoom) (MEET N GREET)

2. OKAY (Feat. Simon Dominic, MUSHVENOM) (Prod. GroovyRoom)

3. PACKITUP! (Prod. BMTJ)

4. BLAME MY CIRCLE (Feat. JUSTHIS, Owen) (Prod. GRAY)

5. TELÉFONO (Feat. 김하온, Woodie Gochild, 박재범, 식케이) (Prod. WOOGIE)

6. 센 척 (Prod . GRAY) (FRONTIN)

7. ANYMORE (Feat. ASH ISLAND) (Prod. GRAY)

8. I CAN TELL (Feat. BRADYSTREET, 버벌진트) (Prod. Mokyo)

9. MORAGO (Feat. Blase, 쿠기) (Prod. Slom)

10. DRESSING ROOM (Prod. Mokyo)

 

 

• ​MEET N GREET (feat. Kid Milli) (prod. GroovyRoom):

 

The mixtape set off a terrific start with the first track MEET N GREET featuring Kid Milli. The production by GroovyRoom is very lively.

 

Lyrics are sometimes crude but sincere, pH-1 gives us the background of his thought and tells us about what can bring success, positive or negative things.

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• OKAY (feat. Simon Dominic & MUSHVENOM) (prod. GroovyRoom)

 

Also produced by GroovyRoom, tones of this title are both eloquent and soft thus creating a slightly “melancholic” vibe that lends itself perfectly to words and voices.

 

Still speaking of success and what it brings, this time lyrics are a little more “negative”. pH-1, Simon Dominic and MUSHVENOM then speak, each for themselves, of jealousy that success can engender and consequences that flow from it.

 

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• ​PACKITUP! (prod. BMTJ)

 

Main song on his mixtape “X”, pH-1 comes back in force with the MV of “PACKITUP!”. A high quality MV where you can see a revolted pH-1 with just as revolting lyrics. Diss track targeted or simply lyrics that reflect the harsh reality of the industry, the fact remains that with this title, we can only witness the power of his flow.

 

MUSIC VIDEO DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY, FOCUS ON PACKITUP! (Prod. BMTJ)

 

PACKITUP! is without doubt a diss track and despite the fact there aren't clues on who is precisely the target it might be addressed to the whole rap industry.

 

Not only on being the main track supporting this mixtape PACKITUP! got a strong impact with the music video.

 

MIA had the opportunity to receive some information from the MV's Director:

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“ I believed the people playing golf have a different social disposition from the main character who steals and drives the car. But the driver stealing their golf clubs to smash the car while they enjoy watching this scene is ironic. The driver is merely mad at his broken down car, but this gives joy to the male golfer while it's shocking to the woman golfer. ”

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• ​BLAME MY CIRCLE (feat. JUSTHIS & Owen) (prod. GRAY)

 

Produced by GRAY, in very “Old School” tones, BLAME MY CIRCLE combines softness with the power of the three rappers flows. The lyrics are believed but very strongly reflect their moods. Hard words therefore, but correct, and which make this song a real hit resembling hits of the 90/2000 years.

 

• ​TELEFONO (feat. Sik-K, HAON, Woodie Gochild & Jay Park) (prod. WOOGIE)

 

“TELEFONO” is an HIT made in H1GHR Music. Featuring artists of the label, TELEFONO ranks directly in the top 3 of the label's fans. The vibes are somewhat reminiscent of their previous hit “GIDDY UP”.

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• FRONTIN (prod. GRAY)

 

Second title of the mixtape produced by GRAY. The beat is soft and the music is very chill, once again recalling the old school years and the style of pH-1, which we used to hear so far.

 

pH-1 opens his heart to this song of "love" and talks openly about his fears and feelings. A nice melody with angelic notes.

 

• ​ANYMORE (feat. ASH ISLAND) (producer GRAY)

 

Still produced by GRAY, “ANYMORE”, in emo-rap tones, this song is a perfect renewal for pH-1. ASH ISLAND, featuring on it, brings his musical universe to it and perfectly completes the song.

 

Sadder and darker lyrics that complement the song's emo-rap vibe very well.

 

• ​I CAN TELL (feat. BRADYSTREET & Verbal Jint) (prod. Mokyo)

 

Featuring with BRADYSTREET and Verbal Jint, produced by Mokyo, this song offers us tones that are rather leaning on trap music. A new style that pH-1 tries out and it works!

 

• ​MORAGO (Feat. Blase, 쿠기) (Prod. Slom)

 

Produced by Slom, this track is composed of a soft percussion perfectly placed with notes reminiscent of traditional Korean music 산조.

 

With Blase and Coogie on this song, the three voices are in perfect harmony. Their percussive flow combining with the melody is flawless

 

 

• ​DRESSING ROOM (prod. Mokyo)

 

After a powerful mixtape, pH-1 gives us a last smooth song on which we want to simply let ourselves go.

 

A chill and bright melody brought from the collaboration between pH 1 and Mokyo which conclude this genius mixtape.

 

 

 

SOUND AND CONCEPT, BEHIND X (Mixtape) 앨범

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Over the production of X (Mixtape) 앨범 pH-1 worked in collaboration with many known artists and producers from South Korea hip hop scene. Unfortunately due to the artist’s tight schedule we weren’t able to have an interview with pH-1 himself but we receive some informations about the mixtape from his label, H1GHR, which we would like to thanks for letting us learn more about X (Mixtape) 앨범.

 

pH-1 tried out different styles of sounds he had wanted to try for a long time. This includes trap, boombap, emorap, slime and more.

 

"X" holds several different concepts. It could be the public's image that I am soft and mushy is wrong, or a throwback to pH-1's sharper style during his New York period in the past. The X also represents collaborations with multiple artists and the ten songs on this mixtape.

 

 

 

pH- 1 will come back in Europe for a solo tour (we hope that everything will be alright by then) next September :

 

• September 18 Paris

• September 20 London

• September 22 Amsterdam

• September 23 Berlin

 

Do not miss the opportunity to have a good time on his old songs but also on this powerful mixtape he has just offered us!