Cho Joong Hoon, also known as JoPD, has released a new album titled JoPD in Stardom Version 2.0. His first album (also called JoPD in Stardom) was wildly successful--the songs he posted up on the Internet recorded over 20,000 downloads per song, and 90,000 copies of Stardom v. 1.0 sold in just one week after its release date. His first album was a strictly solo endeavor, but Stardom Version 2.0 is a collaborative effort. It's a long CD, so you'll get your money's worth when you buy it.
The intro was recorded with Tasha (formerly of Uptown, now of Tashannie). The first measure should take you back to the 1980s when it was cool to waste time in the 1980s. This intro demonstrates why Tashannie's debut album is a hip-hop hit.
Ray Jay and Digital Masta helped out on Agdongi (Naughty Boy) , one of the best cuts on the album. This song has a sweet, layered sound. Track three,
Fever [MP3] is also a collaborative effort. This song features Lee Jung Hyun--you might recognize her name from the move A Petal. Ordinarily I'm not a big fan of a totally synthesized background, but I like the rhythm of this piece that the electric piano/synthesizer provides.
Narijeo 2 (Forget Me 2) [RealAudio] has a surprisingly delicate and simple introduction that dictates the tone of the entire song. It's impossible to accuse Cho Joong Hoon of formulaic music. Although the underlying influence is rap, he isn't afraid to blend his rap with other genres.
Eorunahi (Mature Boy) has a more recognizably hip-hop beat. Although JoPD is allegedly of the "East Coast" style, this track really has a Los Angeles sound reminiscent of WarrenG.
Garden of My Mind has a nice cowbell effect, otherwise the percussion is fairly standard. The hi-hat line is relatively complex in this quiet song. Kkasanoba (Casanova) is another collaboration, this time with Psy. This is an okay song with a hint of Middle East in the music behind the rap line.
Episode 1 has a tight trombone line that should encourage a dramatic ballroom dance. It's ideal for flashy, crowd-pleasing steps in an Open Latin competition. This is probably my favorite track. Ray Jay reappears on track nine, Donadona (Money Money) [MP3]. If you've got a weak heart, don't listen to this one--it has a wicked hesitation beat that will play games with your heartbeat if you're not careful.
Narijeo 1 (Forget Me 1) holds the tenth place on the CD. This has a completely different sound than Narijeo 2. It's much more electronic with a suggestion of the carnival and the club. Track eleven, Flame, features the work of Gina. She sings the more lyrical passages in English.
As the fans say these days, Dog Sori is "tight." The opening monologue clearly indicates what JoPD is all about--biting social commentary. The synthesizer in this track is almost discordant, creating a sense of unease right from the beginning. This song demonstrates why JoPD has fans. It's not because he can rap passably well. It's because he's not the polished, packaged deal you get with groups like H.O.T. He's raw and he's outspoken.
The sound of 2U, playa hataz 2 didn't really grab me, although I like the flying saucer sounds in the background. Hyongjangui Ishul (Dew on the Execution Ground) is slightly better. The rapid underbeat of this song creates a sense of urgency, appropriate for the subject of the song, but wearing on the listeners' nerves.
The final track is a remix of Casanova in case you didn't get enough of that song the first time around.
