Dumbfoundead has a one of a kind story that exemplifies the power of hip-hop in today’s world. From being a minority to finding his place in the vast landscape of rap music, Dumbfoundead has solidified himself as “the real deal”.
Jonathan Park, Korean name “박성만”, has been surrounded by hip-hop his entire life. Known as one of the best battle rappers of our time, Park has continued to push the envelope of his music. As he continues to build his repertoire into studio produced music, his legacy continues to grow.
Although Dumbfoundead has seen great success with his musical trials throughout his time, many Americans still don’t know of the Korean-American rap star. His background and growth in hip-hop is something I’ve never quite seen before.
Dumbfoundead’s Early Life
Park was originally born in Buenos Aires, Argentina alongside his South Korean refugee family. When he was young, his mother would smuggle both his sister and him across the Mexico border into the US. When he was three-years-old, his family would settle down in Korea Town, Los Angeles.
This decision of relocation would form Park’s entire life. Even today, he continues to claim Korea Town and the area around it. As a Korean-American, it would help him find his own identity and get in touch with his people’s culture.
His love for hip-hop would be realized in California after attending a MacArthur Park community center. This is where he would meet rap legends such as Mark Luv of Zulu Nation and Ezrock. This interaction would spur him to practice freestyle rapping.
As he began to practice his craft, he would find himself involved in the world of battle rap. A high-school friend would drive him to Project Blowed in South Central Los Angeles, the esteemed open-mic workshop. This is where he would begin to master the freestyle side of rap that he’s known for now.
He would drop out of high school at 16 and move into an apartment with his sister. This is where he would begin to focus on being a full time musician in order to bring the money in to support both himself and his family.
From this point on, Dumbfoundead would continue to make connections with esteemed artists throughout the rap scene. He would travel throughout the states to perform in a number of rap battles. As he was continuing to work on his craft, he would also build his name along with it.
Battle For The Ages
Dumb would solidify himself as a top-level battle rapper through his stints in GrindTime, King of the Dot, and Stomping Groundz. Each battle seemed to raise the bar in the number of views online. Park built himself a passionate following as he continued to trample over whoever would oppose him.
He would even compete alongside duo partner and fellow Swim Team member Sahtyre in the 2007 World Rap Championship. These high profile appearances would bolster his star power in the battle world.
Perhaps Dumb’s most profound and defining moment in his music career is when he was featured in his battle rap return at OVO’s King of the Dot Blackout 5. There he would face off against Wildin’ Out veteran Conceited. Known for his quickwitted puns and signature “Hol up’… I just dissed you!”, it was a match for the centuries.
This battle would be one of his last in the scene. Toting wise words about gun violence, racism and his come-up, Park blew Conceited out of the water. He even took a chapter from B-Rabbit’s “8 Mile” battle versus Papa Doc, commenting on his own ethnicity before Conceited could get to it.
Solo-Dolo
Park has found himself in a number of different rap groups throughout his career. Including the original Project Blowed Collective, Thirty Fish and the Swim Team.
2011 would see Dumb’s first solo album release titled DFD. This album would be followed by two more in 2012 and 2013. DFD, Take the Stares and Old Boy Jon would all be produced by Duke Westlake, a dear friend of his.
He would continue to build his brand and work alongside major artists in the rap game. Some of these names include Korean powerhouse Epik High, Jay Park, Atmosphere, Anderson Paak, E-40 and many more. The stars around him saw his potential shine, and took the opportunity to work alongside the budding rapper.
One of his biggest tracks thus far is when he appeared on viral sensation Keith Ape’s IT G Ma remix, featuring Waka Flocka Flame and A$AP Ferg. Ape’s song took the world by storm, and Park found himself in a win-win position by being able to work alongside the Korean trap star.
The Korean-American artist continues to create music and expand his horizons in the scene. Most recently, his 2018 EP “CAFE BLEU” has been making waves.
To this point, Dumbfoundead has released a total of four studio albums and a multitude of different singles. With this much experience under his belt, Park is expected to continue carrying the torch of Korean-American hip-hop.
Alongside his project releases, he’s been playing an instrumental role in bringing Korean hip-hop to the limelight in the States. Working alongside Korean superpowers such as DPR Live and Epik High, Dumb has been putting on for his culture since day one.
More Than Music
If you’re caught up in the podcast hype, you would know that Dumbfoundead made his own successful podcast. Known as “Fun with Dumb,” the podcast hosts a impressive cast of guests including a number of different successful overseas artists.
Not only is he interviewing musicians, but he has guests from all different disciplines of entertainment. This includes one of my personal favorites, America’s Got Talent winner Shin Lim. Park offers an interesting, one of a kind look into the life of the esteemed hip-hop artist. (If you have time, I HIGHLY recommend giving Fun with Dumb a listen.)
Dumbfoundead has formed his own career path through determination and dedication. Not only has he set himself up for success, but he has extended his wings to benefit those of his culture to succeed. As Korean rap continues to move throughout the world’s Billboard charts, it’s easy to connect how Dumby’s influence has led him to this point.
As Park continues to evolve his art and career, it’s only a matter of time until his importance to the scene is commonly accepted among hip-hop enthusiasts across the world.
