Birth name Kim Han-bin Genres Hip hop, K-pop Music group iKON (Since 2015) Also known as B.I Parents Jeong Ju Kim | Name Kim Han-bin Role Rapper TV shows WIN: Who Is Next Years active 2013 (2013)–present Siblings Kim Han-byul | |
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Born October 22, 1996 (age 27) South Korea ( 1996-10-22 ) Occupation(s) rapper, lyricist, composer, producer, choreographer, leader Labels YG Entertainment(2013–present) Similar People Bobby, Jung Chanwoo, Song Min‑ho, Beenzino, Verbal Jint | ||
Kim Han-bin (Hangul: 김한빈; born October 22, 1996), better known by his stage name B.I (Hangul: 비아이), is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is the leader of the South Korean boy group iKON, signed under YG Entertainment.
Contents
- 19962011 Early life and appearances
- 20112014 WIN Who Is Next and Show Me The Money
- 2014present Mix Match and iKON
- References
In 2013, he made his first television appearance in the Mnet reality program WIN: Who Is Next as a member of "Team B". He later appeared in the 2014 follow-up Mix & Match, successfully forming part of iKON's lineup alongside bandmates Jinhwan, Bobby, Junhoe, Donghyuk, Yunhyeong and Chanwoo. Also in 2014, he appeared alongside Bobby in the third season of the rap contest Show Me The Money.
As a member of iKON, he is credited with a role in the production and songwriting of all of the tracks in their 2015 debut album Welcome Back.
1996–2011: Early life and appearances
B.I was born on October 22, 1996, in South Korea. He made his first musical appearance at the age of thirteen, featuring on MC Mong's 2009 single "Indian Boy", for which he appeared in the music video and live performances. He also had a cameo appearance in MC Mong's following music video, "Horror Show".
2011–2014: WIN: Who Is Next and Show Me The Money
He joined YG Entertainment in January 2011. Along with fellow trainees Bobby, Kim Jin-hwan, Yunhyeong, Junhoe, and Donghyuk he went on to become part of the six-member trainee group "Team B", participating in Mnet's 2013 reality-survival program WIN: Who Is Next. Teams A and B competed in the show for the chance to debut as a group under the name "Winner", with the losing team either disbanding or being rearranged. The show consisted of three battle rounds consisting of song arrangement, and dance performance, after which the public voted for the winning team. B.I was designated as the leader of Team B and took the lead on their choreography and arrangements, earning composition credits for the songs "Climax" and "Just Another Boy". Ultimately, Team B lost the competition, with Team A going on to debut as Winner.
In May 2014, YG Entertainment announced that B.I and Bobby would be competing in the third season of Mnet's rap survival program Show Me the Money. B.I joined the YG team under mentors Masta Wu and Tablo of Epik High and progressed to the top 8, releasing the self-composed single "Be I" to chart success before being eliminated in the seventh episode. In August, Winner debuted with the single "Empty", which was co-composed by B.I as a gift, and went on to top multiple music charts.
2014–present: Mix & Match and iKON
Following the end of "Show Me The Money 3", YG announced that the Team B members would be returning to compete in another reality survival show entitled Mix & Match, which had already begun filming during the time B.I. and Bobby were filming for Show Me the Money 3. While B.I, Bobby, and Jinhwan were confirmed for three of the seven spots available as official iKON members, the remaining three members of Team B competed with three new trainees, Jung Chan-woo, Yang Hong-seok and Jung Jin-hyeong, for the four remaining places on the team. During the airing of Mix & Match, B.I earned production credits for two more songs: the Team B single "Wait for Me" as a composer and lyricist and the Epik High collaboration track "Born Hater". Along with being a featured rapper alongside Beenzino, Verbal Jint, Bobby, and Winner's Mino, B.I was credited as a co-composer alongside DJ Tukutz. B.I went on to debut in iKON with fellow members, Bobby, Jinhwan, Yunhyeong, Junhoe, Donghyuk and Chanwoo on September 15, 2015 with the track My Type.
