One of the leading entertainment companies in Korea have started expanding their business since the start of 2014. In 2015, they launched their first ever entertainment sub-label, HIGHGRND, spear-headed by Tablo and focuses in the indie and alternative music scene. The label currently houses 7 names including the Black Skirts, Code Kunst, Hyukoh, Incredivle, Punchnello, Millic and Offonoff.
A year after, YG announces that they have founded another sub-label with YG’s main producer, Teddy, taking over. The first artists revealed to be part of the label were Kush and Zion.T They have announced auditions for the label just recently. Before they even announce the next artist to be revealed under their umbrella, we have already found names that are already working with them.
Two of the names under TBL is Boram who is probably their creative director and Wo JinSeo who is probably also a director and producer. Their specific roles are still unclear but they surely are names we should look out for.
JOE RHEE
Joe Rhee is a singer and producer that has been active underground for quite a while already. He is known to be in the same crew as the rapper, KeeBomb. He has done numerous collaborations including those with Owen Ovadoz, San E, KeeBomb, Basterd and Young Lion. You probably have already heard his name in some songs back then. As a fan of Joe Rhee’s, I am really excited to see what he can offer under TBL. Although we haven’t seen him with the other producers at TBL, his Instagram profile states that he is part of the label.
DRESS
Dress is a producer, singer and songwriter that started his career last year with collaborations with Lydia Paek, Babylon, Wall-E and Se-A. Better listen to his Soundcloud and get a taste of his music. I am hoping that being in The Black Label, Dress would be given more opportunities to collaborate with other artists and have his songs out. He produces such good music and I believe he fits the label too much.
R.TEE
RTee is a producer and DJ. He actually is the reason why the term “DJ Idol” became to be, insisting that he is just not a DJ rather, an artist. Other than doing sets in clubs he performs at, he has ventured into producing his own songs and releasing them as his singles, collaborating with idols such as 4minute, EXID’s Hana and G.Na. He became part of the DJ survival show “HEADLINER” and managed to become one of the top 3 against DJ Schedule1 and King MCK, who eventually won the contest. Recently, at a university festival, R.Tee performed with Zion.T.
And there’s one more person I wish was really now part of The Black Label. DJ Dopsh. His profile doesn’t state if he is part of the label. However, he has been spending a lot of time with Zion.T and Dress inside TBL just recently. He was also the DJ at Zion.T’s set at the ULTRA Music Festival held June 10 to 12. The last known label Dopsh was in is Grandline and he just recently dropped a project with INCH.
As a fan of Dopsh and Buckwilds, I would really love to see him start work with The Black Label. It’s about time a Buckwilds member sets foot on YG ground.
With all of these producers joining The Black Label, we can only expect so much from them. All that’s left is to have performing artists flowing through their music. Whoever becomes part of TBL will have my full support, not just because I am also a YG Stan but because I know that these people wouldn’t get in if Teddy and the others didn’t see potential in them.
