| Kero One | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Alias: | Kero Uno |
| Origin: | San Francisco, California |
| Years Active: | 2002–present |
Kero One is a Korean-American hip hop MC, producer, and DJ from San Francisco, California.[1] He has been recognized for re-introducing the jazz rap sound in the early to mid 2000s with his jazz-hop album Windmills of the Soul.[2]
Kero One originally worked as a web designer, making 50 copies of his first single with home equipment and personal credit cards. He released his first 12" record, Check the Blueprints in 2003 on his own imprint, Plug Label. Of the 50 copies that were eventually distributed around the world, one reached a tiny record store in Tokyo, Japan. A few weeks later, it was found by a Japanese DJ who played it at a club that night and received dozens of inquiries, including a Japanese label executive who immediately contacted Kero One and asked for 3,000 copies of the record.[3]
In 2012, Kero one released his fourth solo album, Color Theory, which raised over $10k from fans to pay for the mastering and engineering costs through Kickstarter. His lead single "What Am I Supposed to Do" charted on Radio Nova (France), J*Wave Japan, and WDR Funkhaus europa radio in Germany. The song received a major endorsement from Stevie Wonder, who asked Kero One to perform it at Wonder's 17th Annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert on December 15, 2012 at Nokia Live Theatre with Bruno Mars.[4]
Later, Kero One formed a new collaboration project, Kesna Music with YouTube singer Esna Yoon. They released their single "Is It Love?" on July 16, 2013.[5]
In 2015, Kero One brought his signature jazz-hop sound to Korea, producing a song called "Ordinary Love" for Korean rapper Park Kyung of Block B and Park Bo-Ram, which hit #1 on Melon charts. Later that year, Kero One released a future soul album under the alias "Kero Uno", called Reflection (noitcelfer) Eternal which made it to Reddit's ListenToThis best of 2015 albums list.[6] Also in 2016, South Korean longboarder Hyo Joo Ko used Kero One's 2012 song "So Seductive" in one of her Instagram videos. When Kero One reposted the video on his Facebook page it went viral, reaching 26 million views. The viral video brought Hyo Joo Ko international fame and renewed interest in Kero One's older song.[7]
| Year | Title | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Windmills of the Soul | Plug Label | |
| 2006 | Windmills of the Soul Instrumentals | Plug Label | |
| 2008 | Kero One Presents..Plug Label | Plug Label | |
| 2009 | Early Believers | Plug Label | |
| 2010 | Kinetic World | Plug Label | |
| 2012 | Color Theory | Plug Label | |
| 2015 | Reflection Eternal | Plug Label | |
| 2017 | Kero & Azure | Plug Label |
| Year | Title | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | "A New Day Dawns" | Plug Label | |
| 2017 | "Let Me Show You" | Plug Label | |
| 2015 | "Princess Diamond" featuring Kelsey Bulkin | Plug Label | |
| 2012 | "What Am I Supposed to Do?" featuring Suhn | Plug Label | |
| 2010 | "When the Sunshine Comes" featuring Ben Westbeech | Plug Label | |
| 2008 | "Get Down" featuring Aloe Blacc | Plug Label | |
| 2006 | "In All the Wrong Places/ Give Thanks" (Sound Providers Remix) | Plug Label | |
| 2005 | "My Story" | Plug Label | |
| 2005 | "Keep It Alive" | Plug Label | |
| 2003 | "Check the Blueprints" | Plug Label |
| Year | Title | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | "Bad Habits" Crazyboy of J-Soul Brothers | Avex Japan | |
| 2016 | "Ogeul Ogeul" featuring Park Kyung of (Block B) | Seven Seasons | |
| 2015 | "Ordinary Love" featuring Park Kyung (Block B) and Park Bo-ram | Seven Seasons | |
| 2013 | Kesna Music - Is It Love? | Plug Label | |
| 2012 | Kero One - Love's Gonna Getcha (feat. Dynamic Duo & DFD) | Plug Label | |
| 2012 | Kero One - Love's Gonna Getcha TV Instrumental (feat. Gaeko of Dynamic Duo) | Plug Label | |
| 2012 | Sam Ock - Pieces (feat. Kero One) | SAM OCK | |
| 2010 | Anan Ryoko - Forever We Will Be (feat. Kero One) | Blues Interactions, Inc. | |
| 2009 | Kero One - When the Sunshine Comes (feat. Epik High) | Plug Label | |
| 2009 | Kero One - Let's Just Be Friends (feat. Dynamic Duo) | Plug Label | |
| 2009 | Kero One - Keep Pushin' (feat. Tablo of Epik High) | Plug Label | |
| 2009 | Kero One - Goodbye Forever (Choice 37 Remix) (feat. Ben Westbeech & Choice 37) | Plug Label | |
| 2009 | Epik High - Rocksteady (feat. Kero One, Dumbfoundead, MYK, Rakka) | Map The Soul Inc. | |
| 2009 | Epik High - Map The Soul [Worldwide Version] (feat. MYK, Kero One) | Map The Soul Inc. | |
| 2008 | Talib Kweli - "In the Pocket" (Kero One Remix) | Manhattan Records/HMV | |
| 2008 | Nomak feat. Abstract Rude - "Hi, Mom! - A Prayer For World Peace" (Kero One Remix) | Huge Soul | |
| 2008 | Pe2ny - "Wake Up" (feat. Kero One, Myk) | Mnet Korea | |
| 2008 | Rashaan Ahmad - "Here We Go" (prod. by Kero One) | Om hiphop | |
| 2008 | DJ Motive - "Reach for the Star" (feat. by Kero One) | Mohowks Records | |
| 2007 | Dynamic Duo - 지구본뮤직 (feat. Kero One) | CJ Music | |
| 2007 | Lanu - "It's Time" (feat. Kero One) | Tru Thoughts/Ubiquity Records | |
| 2007 | Choice 37 - "Conversate" (feat. Kero One & El Gambina) | Subcontact Records | |
| 2007 | Himuki - Innervision (feat. Kero One) | S.O.U.Records/Milkdipper/Nunki Inc. | |
| 2006 | Surreal & DJ Balance - Yeah Boy (Beat By Kero One)(feat. Theory Hazit) | Hiphop IS Music |
