Profile Jessi: Redefining K-Rap and Hip-Hop in 2024

Who is Jessi?

Jessi, whose real name is Jessica Ho, was born in 1988 in New York City and grew up in New Jersey, USA. In 2003, she came back to Korea and participated in the talent show “Doremi Media” at the age of 15, before debuting in 2005 with the single “Get Up”. It has been 17 years since then, and Jessi’s path to success is one filled with hardship, determination, and passion. 

Career

Right from the beginning, Jessi was loyal to her free-spirited and rebellious concept. Unfortunately, among a sea of beautiful and cute female idols, Jessi was not able to shine, and her music, which has strong Western influences, did not click well with the Korean audience. 

Having learnt a lesson, Jessi entered a hiatus where she practiced relentlessly, before returning with an album 4 years later, only to fail once again. 

Despite her two failures, Jessi did not give up, and instead tried again as a member of the hip hop trio Lucky J. Alongside male rappers J’Kyun and J-Yo, the once youthful Jessi transformed into a more seductive and girlboss image. All of this work finally paid off as Lucky J’s 2014 single “Can You Hear Me” became popular, and Jessi started to become a familiar name to Korean netizens .

Soon enough, Jessi earned the chance of a lifetime when she was invited to participate in the Mnet show “Unpretty Rapstar”, where female rappers could freely show off their talents. This was Jessi’s first experience with rap, and also what kick-started a deep interest. 

With hardwork, a lot of practice, and strong striking visuals, Jessi soon became a prime contender in the show. From an R&B artist, Jessi started to sway people’s hearts with her rap tracks. In 2018, the female rapper ended her previous contract, and signed with PSY’s P-Nation the following year. From here, Jessi was no longer green in the field, but an experienced artist that totally owns the stage. 

Overtime, Jessi only becomes more daring and mature while performing. She is also a rare artist that openly admitted to have received plastic surgery, though the decision is not something she’s proud of. 

In 2020, Jessi truly exploded with her massive hit “NUNU NANA”, which topped all the charts and brought her fame to a whole new level. 

In 2024, the female rapper has returned with her new song “ZOOM”, and once again established her position in the entertainment industry. The song went viral on the video platform Tik Tok, and every young person in Korea has heard of Jessi’s name. The impact of “ZOOM” on international grounds is also remarkable. 

Another reason why Jessi is dearly loved by the public is her straight-forward personality that prompts the rapper to speak whatever’s on her mind. She never beats around the bush, and freely disses anti-fans. The artist also has a humorous personality that allows her to joke around and naturally interact with whoever she’s sharing the frame with. 

As of the moment, Jessi’s popularity has seen no sign of decline, and her standing in the industry has only become more stable. The rapper’s visuals are also no joke, and her talents only shine brighter over time. To the public and other artists, Jessi is a true boss who doesn’t hesitate to clap back to all her hates.   

Controversy

In the early hours of September 29, 2024, in the Apgujeong area of Seoul, CCTV captured a scene where Jessi’s fanboy A requested to take a photo with Jessi but was refused. As Jessi was about to leave, the fanboy was approached by a man who assaulted him. Jessi then quickly left the scene.

The victim reported the incident to the police and it was confirmed that Jessi was not involved in the assault and did not know the perpetrator. The female rapper later spoke out to explain and apologize.