Natasha Shanta Reid (born May 31, 1981), better known by her Korean name Yoon Mi-rae (), often stylized as ''Yoonmirae'', is an American-born South Korean-based solo rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer,
who is also a member of
Korean hip hop
Korean hip hop, also known as K-hip hop or K-rap, is a subgenre of Korean popular music.
It is widely considered to have originated in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and has since become increasingly popular, both in Korea and abroad.
While K ...
trio
MFBTY.
Biography
Early life and education
Yoon was born on May 31, 1981, in
Fort Hood
Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. Named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, it is located halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas. The post is the headquar ...
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
to a South Korean mother and an African-American father. Her father had been a radio DJ while serving with the U.S. military in South Korea in the district of Uijeongbu. Yoon's father cites his record collection as an influence to pursue her music career. After she moved to South Korea as a child, she often faced
discrimination because of her
mixed heritage. Yoon dropped out of school at age 15 and later took a high school equivalence exam.
Discovery, Uptown and Tashannie
Yoon was discovered in 1995 when she accompanied a friend to an audition for a new Korean hip hop group. She did not audition herself, but a World Records representative heard her singing outside of the audition room and signed her to join a new group called
Uptown
Uptown may refer to:
Neighborhoods or regions in several cities
United States
* Uptown, entertainment district east of Downtown and Midtown Albuquerque, New Mexico
* Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina
* Uptown, area surrounding the University of C ...
. The group debuted in 1997, when Yoon was 16.
In 1999, she also formed hip hop and R&B duo "Tashannie" with rapper Lee Soo-a, stage name "Annie". They released one album, called ''Parallel Prophecies''. Yoon's name, Natasha, was hard for South Koreans to pronounce, so she used the name "Tasha," in order to better appeal to the intended audience.
Uptown broke up in 2000 after several group members were arrested on drug charges. Yoon's then-boyfriend, rapper
Tiger JK, was also arrested and spent a month and a half in jail. Yoon herself went into hiding during that period.
Solo career and MFBTY
Yoon debuted as a solo artist in 2001, under the moniker "T" which she shortened even more from "Tasha". She released her first album, ''As Time Goes By'' that same year. Her second album, ''Gemini'' and her third album, ''To My Love'', were released the following year in 2002.
In 2006, she joined
Jungle Entertainment, a label founded by her now-husband
Tiger JK. The following year, she released the album ''T3 – Yoon Mi Rae,'' on which she shared the difficulties she faced as a mixed race artist in Korea. That year, she performed in Seoul, South Korea with American singer
Amerie
Amerie Mi Marie Nicholson ( Rogers; born January 12, 1980) is an American singer. Born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, she gained an appreciation of the classical arts from her mother Mi Suk Rogers and of music from her father Charles Rogers, and ...
, who is also of African-American and Korean heritage.
In 2012, Yoon became the face of the computer brand
Hewlett-Packard in Korea, having signed a one-year contract to appear in their print media and radio advertisements. She was also a judge on the third and fourth seasons of the television talent competition ''
Superstar K
''Superstar K'' ( ko, 슈퍼스타 K) is a South Korean television talent show series which is held yearly. First held in 2009, Superstar K has increasingly gained more attention, considered the biggest audition program in South Korea. Superstar ...
''.
Yoon,
Tiger JK and rapper
Bizzy, formed the hip hop trio
MFBTY (My Fans Better Than Yours) in 2013. The group's first single, "Sweet Dream," ranked #1 on three Korean music charts shortly after its release. They had debuted the song at a concert in
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ci ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
. MFBTY signed to Tiger JK's newly created
Feel Ghood Music label later that year.
In September 2013, Yoon earned the #1 spot on
''Billboard'''s
Korea K-Pop Hot 100
The K-pop Hot 100 is a music singles chart in South Korea, launched by ''Billboard'' in conjunction with ''Billboard'' Korea () on August 25, 2011. It is the second Asian ''Billboard'' chart after the Japan Hot 100. The chart used the same multime ...
list with her song "Touch Love" from the South Korean drama ''
Master's Sun''.
In December 2014, Yoon released the single "Angel," which quickly became #1 on four Korean music charts. Also that month she revealed that the American film ''
The Interview'' used her song "Pay Day" without permission, and that she was taking legal action.
Personal life
In June 2007, she married
Tiger JK in a private ceremony in a Buddhist Temple. The wedding occurred a month before the death of Tiger JK's grandmother who had wanted to see them wed before her passing. Yoon gave birth to their son Jordan Seo in March 2008.
Yoon and her husband are advocates against child abuse. In 2011, they appeared in a photoshoot with their son in
''Vogue'' Korea for the "Stop Child Abuse & Love Children" campaign. They also filmed a public service announcement for the World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse, performing at the 2011 Child Abuse Awareness Concert. In 2012, South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare commended the couple for their efforts in promoting child abuse prevention.
Yoon has also promoted awareness of multiculturalism within Korean families. In 2008, she volunteered for seven months at a multicultural youth camp.
Discography
Studio albums
Collaborative albums
Compilation albums
Singles
Soundtrack appearances
Television appearances
* 2018:
The Fan - Fan (Episode 1)
* 2016:
Fantastic Duo – Contestant (Episode 17-20)
* 2011:
Superstar K3 – Judge
Awards
MelOn Music Awards
, -
, align="center", 2013
, align="center", Yoon Mi-rae
, align="center", Best Original Soundtrack
,
Mnet Asian Music Awards
The MAMA Awards (formerly Mnet Asian Music Awards) is a major music awards ceremony presented annually by entertainment company CJ E&M. First held in South Korea, the majority of prizes has been won by K-pop artists, although there are other As ...
, -
, align="center",
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ...
, align="center", "Have You Forgotten?"
["2007 Mnet KM Music Festival Part1"](_blank)
''MAMA''. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
, align="center",
Best R&B Performance
,
, -
, align="center",
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...
, align="center", "Touch Love"
, align="center" rowspan=2,
Best Original Soundtrack
,
, -
, align="center",
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, align="center", "I Love You"
,
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yoon, Mi-rae
1981 births
Living people
20th-century South Korean women singers
21st-century South Korean women singers
American emigrants to South Korea
American musicians of Korean descent
Uptown (band) members
Jungle Entertainment artists
Korean Music Award winners
MAMA Award winners
South Korean women rappers
South Korean hip hop singers
South Korean female idols
South Korean people of African-American descent
South Korean rhythm and blues singers
Southern hip hop musicians
Melon Music Award winners