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This post is by guest writer Jara Rowe.
The triple threat that is Jay Park released his third studio album titled Worldwide in November of 2015. This multi-talented man is not only known for being a great b-boy and dancer, a solid singer, and rapper, but also CEO of his own record label, AOMG. Worldwide is full of thick hip hop tunes, boasting an outrageous number of 27 featured artists to showcase hip hop in its purest forms. Through Worldwide, Jay is able to establish the type of artist he wants to be — spitting fire confidently next to mesmerizing beats.
Track 1 – Worldwide
Worldwide starts the album with a strong fantasy instrumental like the kind you’d hear from a music box, then quickly layers on a hot beat to amp up the hip hop mood. Jay calls on fellow rappers Dok2 and The Quiett in this track. The trio rap about their friendship and how they have gained popularity together. Jay states, “the sound of our music is ringing out worldwide, worldwide”, alluding to their global reach. The lyrical content reminds me of Drake’s Started from the Bottom.
Track 2 – Don’t Try Me
With melodic synthesizers and deep bass, Don’t Try Me is one of the most unique sounding tracks on Worldwide. The song gives off a west coast hip hop feel thanks to a g-funk vibe and the funky guitar riffs. Don’t Try Me features Ugly Duck and GRAY. The simplicity of the beat allows for the raps to flow well in and out of the melodic breaks.
Track 3 – My Last
Switching gears to a sweet and groovy track, My Last is up next. This song features GRAY and Loco from AOMG. The most R&B flavored track so far, Jay sings the majority of his verses as opposed to rapping. GRAY’s verse stands out most to me due to the more robotic delivery that counterbalances Jay’s sleek vocals. The rhythms are switched up at appropriate times to keep the song interesting. However, there isn’t a lot happening to make My Last pop amongst the other tracks on Worldwide.
Track 4 – 몸매 (Mommae)
Mommae is an absolute club banger! Jay and Ugly Duck rap over a super addictive bouncy lo-fi beat. GRAY really outdid himself with the production of this sizzling track. Jay also added just enough mainstream flow to his rap to make it easy to follow along. The pause breaks in the rapping and backbeat work well together to convey a conversation about a woman’s appealing body line.
Track 5 – 뻔하잖아 (You Know)
Another mainstream rap track, You Know features rapper Okasian. This is a smooth, relaxed hip hop number with a simple hook that is easy on the ears. Besides it being trouble-free, You Know is also very clever and playful. Jay and Okasian rap about thinking about a girl while they are drinking. I am a huge fan of the track’s production and lyrical content.
Track 6 – Cha Cha Cypher
Cha Cha Cypher has an interesting opening with various news clips assembled to introduce the track as well as the album. This song is produced like a true rap cypher. It’s a simple but addictive track with minimal synth and drum embellishments to conduct freestyle raps effortlessly. The cypher features several big names in the Korean hip hop scene: G2, Giriboy, VASCO, Day Day, Seo Chulgoo, and DJ Wegun.
Track 7 – 언제 (When)
Unique in its gritty and mechanical sound, When features the mega-talented Tablo. This rap track has a great mix of both Korean and English verses. The instrumental backbeat is a bit mundane, but these lyricist do a great job at exhibiting different intonations in their rap deliveries to add more flavor. The chorus is repetitive but an attention catcher at the same time.
Track 8 – 원해 (Want It)
Want It features two rappers that are familiar with controversies, Genius Nochang and B-Free. The raspy, grungy tone of their voices showed a lot of variation and fit well with Jay’s dramatic, exaggerated rap. However, Want It was too repetitive for my liking. The lyrical content was also subpar compared to other tracks on Worldwide.
Track 9 – My
The instrumental in My has eerie elements that puts me in the mind of an old black and white film. Lil Boi, a member of AOMG’s team on Show Me the Money 4, adds a new flow as the featured artist of the track. With cool verses and a repetitive chorus, Jay discusses everyone that supports him through his ups and downs in this mellow hip hop track.
Track 10 – 병신 (F*ckboy)
The beginning and chorus of F*ckboy is really muffled with sharp screeching sounds that’s quite off putting. However, once you make it past it, the verses are amazing. The rise and fall of the raps follow with the ups and downs of the backtrack closely. F*ckboy is a solid rap song that features more Show Me the Money 4 contestants like Sik-K and BewhY, and our good old friend Ugly Duck again.
Track 11 – B-Boy Stance
Going back to his dancer roots, Jay released B-boy Stance. Jay received help from Yankie, DJ Wegun, and DJ Friz in the making of this track. My interpretation of song is that Jay is the most carefree when he’s breakdancing. B-boy Stance is a fun and high-energy number with a cool turntable scratching intermission, but it lacks the special spark to standout amongst some of the other tracks.
Track 12 – Life
Life is indeed a track about Jay’s life. The crowd’s shouting voices and echoing instrumental embodies a darker, more serious atmosphere. Life is a heavily hip hop influenced track that includes vinyl scratches. Paloalto and Gaeko help Jay talk about his hardships in Life. I think Jay’s rap shines in this song and shows the most confidence when he’s telling his personal story.
Track 13 – Bo$$
BO$$ is a high energy rap track with a high-pitched comedic synth and dripping beats. This track has another repetitive chorus, but the flow and beat makes up for that. BO$$ features Yultron, Loco, and Ugly Duck, who help enhance the track. Each rapper has a distinct flow that keeps the song engaging. Jay says “turn up to this banger” and that is most definitely easy to do when the beat is this hot.
Track 14 – Lotto (remix)
Geegooin from Show Me The Money 4 partners up with Jay for Lotto (remix). Geegoon’s high-pitched voice works well with the instrumental and Jay’s articulation. The rappers rap about what they would do if they hit the lotto in this fun and daydreaming song.
Track 15 – 몸매 (Mommae) (remix)
Jay reached out to more of his colleagues Crush, Simon Dominic, and Honey Cocaine to spice up this already banging track. I would have liked to see Honey’s lyrical content be more in line with what the song is about, but it’s nice to have a female voice nonetheless. The remix definitely enhanced Mommae with a new, more seductive take. I didn’t know this song could get any sexier.
Track 16 – In This B*itch
Taking care of both rapping and vocals, Jay delivers a solid performance in In This B*tch. This track has a pretty catchy beat that has just the right amount of synth embellishments. However, I found the lyrical content a bit cliché. The lyrics talk about the typical things people believe that rappers care about most — money and other material things.
Track 17 – On It
On It was released far before the full album was released. It’s a rare number in the album with a more sentimental acoustic guitars instrumental and bluesy vocalist. With good delivery and flow, this is a very believable laid-back hip hop track. Spitting the bars in English, Jay exudes a strong sense of confidence.
Track 18 – Seattle 2 Seoul
Seattle 2 Seoul starts off with a jazzy aura thanks to the emotional horns. A staccato drum beat fades in and out as Jay switches between rapping and singing, which adds more depth to the awesome storytelling. An emotional track where Jay talks about dreams, responsibilities, and worries. He also takes the time to thank his fans stating: “if it wasn’t for the fans, I’d be working part time.” Seattle 2 Seoul does a great job at summarizing the entire album and is the perfect track to close out Worldwide.
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