It was rare at the time for idols to be so involved in their music, and he quickly became known as one of the earliest K-pop stars to fight for the right to produce and write. During their seven years as a group, they tackled taboo topics like depression, anxiety, societal pressure and politics with their lyricism – often with Bang at the forefront as songwriter and producer. Right from their debut with the anthemic, hip-hop heavy “Warrior” in 2012, the septet made a name for themselves as one of the most outspoken and brave artists in K-pop. Most fans will know Bang Yongguk as the enigmatic leader of the pioneering K-pop group B.A.P. Photo: Courtesy of CONSENT, exclusively for Rolling Stone India *** Bang Yongguk is Rolling Stone India’s ‘Production’ cover star for the K-Music Special Issue. “The ego I showed on the studio album was the one deep in my inner side, but through this EP, I wanted to say that I am back in the world as a monster.” It’s his first album release since his debut LP BANGYONGGUK in 2019, and a lot has happened since then, but Bang has reforged himself to deliver a message that the world needed and still isn’t afraid to dig deep into what other artists usually keep at bay. I guess I’m thinking that way, seeing myself change from moment to moment, while making music.” He’s in the last leg of the promotions for his big comeback EP 2, and the world is still reeling from the powerful punch the record packs combined with the thrill of his return. “I sometimes think of myself as a monster when I look back,” Bang says when we finally connect for the conversation I’ve been waiting nearly a decade to have. It’s a depth that I later realized was resilience. The intensity of the lyrics and the detail in the production will catch you off-guard, because there’s a depth to it all that won’t ever leave you. This was music I was already familiar with, but if you ever decide – like me – to go through all of Bang’s previous interviews, his 2020 self-made documentary Something To Talk About and every single track in his repertoire all at once, you’ll find yourself breaking at several points.
The weight of the respect his name carries sat heavy on my shoulders as I began to draft my questions for this interview, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.įirst off, there was a lot to absorb, because his thirst for creation is endless. There are a lot of names in the Korean music industry who have shifted the way we perceive K-pop stars, but this rapper, songwriter and producer brought in a human aspect to the scene, which at the time of his debut, wasn’t something that people sought from idols. (Bang Yongguk’s cover included inside the issue)īang Yongguk is the most honest artist I’ve ever come across. In November 2017, "Bang Bang" was certified six-times platinum by the RIAA, and has sold 3.4 million copies in the US since its release.This cover story appears in Rolling Stone India’s K-Music Special Issue, on sale now. The single was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 57th Grammy Awards (2015), and won Favorite Song of the Year at the 2015 Kids' Choice Awards. The song also reached the top ten in fourteen countries top ten of the charts including Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, and South Korea. It also marked as Nicki Minaj’s first number one single on the chart and became the first song ever by a lead female rapper to debut at the top spot, and the second song by a female rapper to debut at number one overall since Lil Kim’s feature on Lady Marmalade in 2001. It debuted at number one in the United Kingdom becoming Grande's second top ten single and second number one debut that year. It is also included on the deluxe version of Grande's second studio album My Everything (2014), serving as the third single from that album."Bang Bang" debuted at number six and later reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.
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The song was first sent to hot adult contemporary radio on 28 July 2014 through Republic Records and released as a digital download the next day by Lava and Republic Records as the lead single from Jessie J's third studio album Sweet Talker (2014). It was written by Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Rickard Göransson and Minaj, and produced by Martin, Göransson and Ilya, with Kuk Harrell serving as a vocal producer. "Bang Bang" is a song recorded by English singer Jessie J, American singer Ariana Grande and American rapper Nicki Minaj.