B.A.P made their musical debut with the single "Warrior" on January 26, 2012, followed by the release of their debut EP Warrior in February 2012.
Career
2011: Pre-debut
Group leader[3]Yongguk was the first member to be introduced in 2011, featuring on labelmate Song Ji-eun's song "Going Crazy".[4] He also made a solo debut on August 12 with the single "I Remember", featuring Beast's Yang Yo-seob.[5] Himchan was the second member to be introduced to the public, as an MC for MTV Korea television program The Show.[6] On November 23, Zelo was introduced as the third member of the group through a collaboration with Yongguk as the group Bang&Zelo.[7][unreliable source?] The duo released the single "Never Give Up".[8][unreliable source?]
2012: Warrior, Power, No Mercy, Crash and Stop It
In January 2012, the group starred in the reality program Ta-Dah, It's B.A.P, which aired on SBS MTV.[9] The show focused on how the six members play the role of aliens from a different planet who worked together to debut as B.A.P and invade Earth to help save their dying planet, Planet Mato.[9] On January 25, the group's debut single "Warrior" was released, with MTV Korea describing it as "powerful and charismatic".[10][11] Nancy Lee of Enews World noted that the group had set out to differentiate themselves from the "pretty-boy" male idol archetype prevalent in the K-pop music industry with their "tough, bad boy image".[12] On February 3, 2012, the corresponding EP Warrior entered Billboard's World Albums Chart at #10.[13] In South Korea, Warrior sold over 10,000 copies within just two days of release.[14]
B.A.P's third EP, No Mercy, was released digitally on July 19 and physically on July 24. On August 30 the repackaged version of the EP, renamed Crash, was released.
On October 23, B.A.P released their fourth single and EP, titled "Stop It".
In May, King Records, the Japanese record label that once signed Rain, signed B.A.P.[1] They released their first Japanese music video for "Warrior" on YouTube on September 13, and their album and single were officially released on October 9.[22]
The group's sixth EP, Badman, was released on August 6 with the promotional singles "Coffee Shop", "Hurricane" and "Badman".[23][unreliable source?]
2014: First Sensibility, world tour, B.A.P Unplugged 2014 and lawsuit
On February 3, 2014, B.A.P released their first full-length studio album First Sensibility, containing a total of thirteen tracks including the title track "1004 (Angel)".[24][unreliable source?] Upon its release, the album topped the Billboard World Albums Chart, proving the group's international popularity.[25] In Korea, First Sensibility also topped the Hanteo and Gaon monthly charts for February.[26][unreliable source?][27][unreliable source?] The group took their first music show win on Show Champion with "1004 (Angel)"[28][unreliable source?] and went on to take two more wins with the single.
On April 3, B.A.P released their third Japanese single, "No Mercy", and ranked at #2 on Oricon's daily and weekly singles charts.[29][unreliable source?]
On August 11, they released their fourth Japanese single, "Excuse Me".[32][unreliable source?] On October 27, TS Entertainment announced that they had cancelled the South American portion of the concert tour, in order to give the group members time to rest.[33]
On November 27, it was reported that the group had filed a lawsuit against their label to nullify their contract, claiming unfair working conditions and profit distribution, including statements claiming that of the US$9 million the group had earned over the three years, each member had been paid a total of US$18,000.[34] However, the following day, TS Entertainment issued a press release refuting the claims made, stating that there were "neither such maltreatment to the artists nor unfair clauses in the contract".[35] Their statements were challenged when B.A.P released another statement claiming lack of accountability and saying that they were considering filing for defamation of character.[36]
2015: Settlement with TS and Matrix
On August 1, 2015, B.A.P. returned to TS Entertainment after both parties reached a settlement.[37][unreliable source?] They made their comeback with their eighth EP, Matrix, and the title track "Young, Wild & Free". The free showcase "BAP 151115" was held on November 15 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza[38][unreliable source?] and the music video for "Young, Wild & Free" was released the following day.[39][40][unreliable source?] On November 27, 2015, exactly one year after the lawsuit, they received a music show win for the single on Music Bank.
2016: Carnival, Put 'Em Up, Noir, and Fly High, Bang Yongguk's Hiatus
In February, they released their fifth extended play, Carnival, containing six songs. In March, they released their first Japanese studio album, Best. Absolute. Perfect. The album contained thirteen songs. Three of them ("New World", "Kingdom", and "Back in Time") were original Japanese songs. Between April–July, B.A.P performed on their Live On Earth 2016 tour, including dates in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Italy, Finland, Germany, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., and Russia.[41][42]
In August, they released the fifth single "Put 'Em Up". On October 25, 2016, TS Entertainment revealed that Yongguk will not be participating in the promotions for B.A.P's upcoming full-length album, Noir, due to anxiety disorders.
In November, B.A.P returned with their second studio album, Noir along with the music video for title song "Skydive". With Noir, B.A.P reclaimed their title as the K-Pop act with the most No.1 Albums on Billboard's World Album chart.[43] Noir included standout track "Confession", a duet by rappers Bang Yongguk and Zelo set to a symphonic chorus that directly addressed their feelings during the lawsuit and subsequent hiatus.
On November 18, the music video for their 6th Japanese single, Fly High was published on YouTube, while a physical release on December 7 included the song "Fire Flame" and a Japanese version of "With You".[citation needed]
2017–2019: Rose, Blue, Ego and departure from TS Entertainment
In March 2017, B.A.P released their sixth single album, Rose. Yongguk returned from his four-month hiatus to join the rest of the group for promotions. The lead track, "Wake Me Up", was recognized by Billboard's Jeff Benjamin as the group's "most personal and accomplished single yet".[44] The EP focused on social issues, with the "Wake Me Up" [45] music video addressing mental health issues, whilst the first track "Dystopia" directly attacked the idea of living in any so-called utopias, disregarding them all as illusions.
On June 28, 2017, the group's second Japanese studio album, Unlimited, was released.
On September 5, 2017, B.A.P released their seventh single album, Blue, with "Honeymoon" serving as the title track.[46]
On December 13, 2017, B.A.P released their eighth single album, Ego, with "Hands Up" serving as the title track.[47][unreliable source?]
On March 28, 2018, B.A.P released their third Japanese studio album, Massive.
In 2018, members Yongguk and Zelo left the group after their contract with TS Entertainment expired on August 19 and December 2, respectively. On February 18, 2019, the remaining four members also left TS Entertainment.[48] However, member Jongup confirmed the possibility of reunion in the future.[49]
Artistry and influences
During the group's debut, all of the members dyed their hair blonde.[50] The group's members have played a role in their image and musical direction, and commentators have noted a distinction between their "tough, bad-boy" image and other K-pop boy groups.[12]
The group's leader Yongguk has previously made comments on the influence that African American musicians have had on him, citing 50 Cent, P. Diddy, Pharrell and other rappers as musical influences.[51] He played a role in the production of all the tracks on B.A.P's debut EP Warrior.[50][52][unreliable source?] In addition, group member Himchan is a multi-instrumentalist influenced by Korean traditional music.[53][54][unreliable source?] He plays a number of traditional instruments including daegeum, janggu, kkwaenggwari and jing in addition to more traditional instruments including guitar, piano, and violin.[54] All of the group's members are influenced by R&B musicians; Jongup has cited hip hop and dance music as influences and said that Chris Brown is one of his idols, while Zelo has said he looks up to will.i.am and Kanye West.[55]Daehyun cites Shin Yong-jae among his musical influences while Youngjae cites neo soul musicians as well as Musiq Soulchild and Jay Park.[56]
B.A.P has been named a "versatile group" by MTV Korea,[11] with Yun Seong-yeol of Star News Korea lauding their charisma and on-stage performances, as well as Yongguk and Zelo's rapping and Daehyun and Youngjae's vocal abilities.[57]
^"송지은 래퍼" 방용국, 과거 힙합씬 활동사진 공개 ‘훈훈포스’ [TS Entertainment reveals past photos of Ji Eun's rapper, Bang Yong Guk]. Newsen Power News (in Korean). Newsen. March 8, 2011. Archived from the original on March 15, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
^1theK (원더케이) (March 6, 2017), [MV] B.A.P _ WAKE ME UP, archived from the original on October 12, 2017, retrieved August 3, 2017((citation)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ abHwang Mi-Hyeon (February 6, 2012). "B.A.P "지구정복! 결코 헛된 꿈이 아니랍니다"[인터뷰" [B.A.P is determined to conquer the world with their music]. OSEN (in Korean). Intigram. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
^Hwang Hyo-Jin (March 7, 2012). "B.A.P – My name is 젤로, 종업". 10asia News (in Korean). 10asiae. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
^Hwang Hyo-Jin (March 7, 2012). "B.A.P – My name is 영재, 대현". 10asia News (in Korean). 10asiae. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
^Park, Mi-ae (January 22, 2015). "[24th 서울가요대상]엑소, 2년 연속 대상 수상...역시 대세" [[24th Seoul Music Awards] Exo won the grand prize for 2 years in a row...also trending] (in Korean). E Daily. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Naver.
^"So-Loved Awards 2013". Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (in Korean). January 17, 2014. Archived from the original on April 23, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
^Gil, Hye-seong (December 10, 2012). "빅뱅·2NE1, 유럽K팝어워즈 남녀그룹상..B.A.P, 신인상" [Big Bang, 2NE1 wins Male and Female Group Award at Europe K-pop Awards ... BAP, Rookie of the Year Award]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 23, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022 – via Naver.
^"So-Loved Awards 2013". Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (in Korean). January 17, 2014. Archived from the original on April 23, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
^"So-Loved Awards 2014". Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (in Korean). December 1, 2014. Archived from the original on April 23, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
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