Swings (rapper)
South Korean rapper (born 1986)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Moon Ji-hoon (Korean: 문지훈, born October 14, 1986), better known by the stage name Swings (스윙스), is a South Korean rapper. Formerly under the label Brand New Music, he is currently signed to P Nation.[1][2][unreliable source?]
October 14, 1986
Swings | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Swings in 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Moon Swings, Jonathan Moon |
| Born | Moon Ji-hoon October 14, 1986 |
| Origin | Sungkyunkwan University |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | Rapper |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Labels |
|
| Website | wejustmusic.com |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 문지훈 |
| RR | Mun Jihun |
| MR | Mun Chihun |
Career
Swings debuted in 2008 with the extended play Upgrade.[3] He joined the hip hop group Uptown in 2009 but left by the end of the year.[4] He released his first full-length album, Growing Pains, in 2010.[5]
He gained popularity after competing on the second season of the TV rap competition Show Me the Money in 2013.[6] That summer, Swings triggered a "Control Diss Phenomenon" within the Korean hip hop scene with the release of his diss track "King Swings Part 2", over the instrumental of Big Sean's "Control", in which he accused rapper Simon Dominic of not protecting his Supreme Team member E-Sens from an alleged slave contract offered by label Amoeba Culture.[7][unreliable source?][8][unreliable source?] Swings was named Artist of the Year for 2013 by Korean hip hop magazine HIPHOPPLAYA.[9][unreliable source?]
The "Control Diss Phenomenon" marked a significant point in Swings' career. At the time, diss battles were relatively uncommon in South Korean hip hop, which had adopted the genre's culture later than other markets. The event encouraged other rappers to engage in competitive battles, helping to establish diss culture as a more prominent part of the South Korean hip hop scene.[10]
In 2014, he returned to Show Me the Money as a producer for its third season, alongside established rappers including San E and Tablo.[11][unreliable source?]
Swings left the label Brand New Music in August 2014 to focus his own record label, Just Music. The label currently represents the rappers Black Nut, Giriboy, Genius Nochang, C Jamm, and Vasco.[2][12]
In April 2017, it established its second label, Indigo Music. It has become one of the most notable hip-hop labels, recruiting Yang Hongwon (previously known as Young B), Kid Milli, Justhis, Jvcki Wai, and Noel as its artists.[13]
Psy announced on Instagram on April 29, 2021, that Swings had signed a contract with P Nation.[14] Three years following his signing, he announced his eighth studio album Upgrade V as his first release under the company, to be released on March 8, 2024.[15]
Personal life
Swings is a fluent English speaker, having lived in Atlanta, Georgia, and studied English at Sungkyunkwan University.[16][unreliable source?]
He enlisted in the South Korean military in November 2014, despite being exempt from mandatory military service due to psychological disorders.[17][unreliable source?] He was discharged from the military in September 2015 due to his mental health. Swings said that he has been receiving treatment since he was young for illnesses including obsessive–compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and bipolar disorder.[18][unreliable source?]
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| KOR [19] | ||
| Growing Pains | — | |
| Upgrade II |
|
— |
| Vintage Swings |
|
— |
| Levitate 2 |
|
— |
| Upgrade III |
|
44 |
| Upgrade 0 |
|
61 |
| Upgrade IV |
|
46 |
| "—" denotes release did not chart. | ||
Extended plays
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| KOR [19] | ||
| Upgrade |
|
— |
| Mood Swings II Part 1: Major Depression (감정기복 II Part 1: 주요 우울증) |
|
31 |
| Mood Swings II Part 2: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (감정기복 II Part 2: 강박증) |
|
— |
| Mood Swings II Part 3: Psychotherapy (감정기복 II Part 3: 심리치료) |
|
— |
| The Intr0 |
|
— |
| "—" denotes release did not chart. | ||
Mixtapes
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| #1 Mixtape Vol. II |
|
| #1 Vol. II Instrumental |
|
| Levitate 1 |
|
| Levitate 3 |
|
| Crumbs (부스러기) |
|
Charted singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
Sales (DL) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR [20] | ||||
| As lead artist | ||||
| "Instincively Remix" (본능적으로 Remix) feat. Yoon Jong-shin, Taeyang |
2011 | 59 |
|
Non-album singles |
| "I'll Be There" feat. Jay Park |
79 |
| ||
| "Would You" (줄래) feat. Seo In-guk |
2013 | 28 |
| |
| "A Real Lady" feat. Beenzino, Gray, Zion.T |
9 |
| ||
| "Bulldozer" (불도저) | 2014 | 36 |
| |
| "Victorious" (이겨낼거야 2) feat. Gray |
57 |
|
Mood Swings II Part. 1: Major Depression | |
| "Fallin'" feat. Jay Park |
23 |
|
Non-album singles | |
| "The Wrong Way" (역주행) feat. Dok2, Genius Nochang |
73 |
| ||
| "Her Number" (전화번호) feat. Verbal Jint, 40 |
9 |
|
Mood Swings II Part. 2: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | |
| "Gravity" feat. Mad Clown, Giriboy |
34 |
| ||
| "Pool Party" | 14 |
|
Non-album singles | |
| "Rap Star" | 85 |
| ||
| "My Ballad" feat. Kim Ye-rim |
60 |
|
Vintage Swings | |
| "Your Soul" | 2016 | 98 |
|
Non-album single |
| "On My Way" feat. Gray, Bewhy |
94 |
|
Mood Swings II Part. 3: Psychotherapy | |
| "Clock Out" (퇴근) feat. Jay Park, Crush |
2017 | 88 |
|
Non-album single |
| Collaborations | ||||
| "Money" with P-Type |
2013 | — |
|
Non-album singles |
| "Brilliant Is..." with Skull, Haha, Geeks, Zico, Mad Clown, Double K, Zizo, Soul Dive, Heo Kyung-hwan, Kim Ji-min feat. Gill, Jungin |
75 | N/a | ||
| "A Real Man" with Ailee |
2014 | 4 |
| |
| "Trap" with U Sung-eun |
27 |
|
My Secret Hotel OST | |
| "Not Enough" with Kid Milli and Mad Clown featuring Yumdda and pH-1 |
2019 | 37 | Show Me the Money 8 Episode 1 | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||
Filmography
Television
| Year | Program | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Show Me The Money 2 | Mnet | Contestant |
| 2014 | Show Me The Money 3 | Mnet | Judge/Producer with San E |
| 2017 | High School Rapper | Mnet | Judge |
| 2017 | Mix Nine | JTBC | Rap Instructor |
| 2018 | Show Me the Money 777 | Mnet | Judge |
| 2019 | Show Me the Money 8 | Mnet | Judge[40] |
| 2020 | Show Me the Money 9 | Mnet | Contestant (4th)[41] |
Variety shows
| Year | Title | Network | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Not the Same Person You Used to Know | Mnet | Main Guest | With Giriboy, Han Yo-han (rapper, songwriter), Superbee (rapper), Kwon Hyuk-soo, Im Bo-ra (Swings' girlfriend), Jenny Kim (Swings' mother)
Episode 4 |
| 2020 | King of Mask Singer | MBC | Contestant | as "Advent of a Bill-god" (Episodes 259–260)[42] |