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Natasha Shanta Reid (born May 31, 1981), better known by her Korean name Yoon Mi-rae (Korean: 윤미래), often stylized as Yoonmirae, is an American-born based South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer,[1] who is also a member of Korean hip hop trio MFBTY.[2]
Yoon Mi-rae | |
|---|---|
 Yoon Mi-rae in October 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Natasha Shanta Reid |
| Also known as | Yoonmirae, Tasha, Baby Tasha, T |
| Born | May 31, 1981 Fort Hood, Texas, U.S. |
| Origin | Seoul, South Korea |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Labels |
|
| Member of | |
| Formerly of | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 윤미래 |
| Hanja | 尹未來 |
| Revised Romanization | Yun Mi-rae |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yun Mirae |
Early life and education
Yoon was born on May 31, 1981, in Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos) in Texas, to a South Korean mother and an African-American father. Her father had been a radio D.J. 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 fifteen and later took a high school equivalence examination.[3][4][5]
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. The group debuted in 1997, when Yoon was 16.[6]
In 1999, she also formed hip hop and R&B duo "Tashannie" with rapper Lee Soo-a, who used the stage name "Annie".[7] They released one album, called Parallel Prophecies.[8] 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.[9][10]
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.[3][6] In 2006, she joined Jungle Entertainment, a label founded by her now-husband Tiger JK.[11] The following year, she released the album T3 – Yoon Mi Rae, on which she shared the difficulties she faced as a mixed-race musician in Korea. That year, she performed in Seoul, South Korea with American singer Amerie, who is also of African and Korean heritage.[6][12] 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.[13] She was also a judge on the third and fourth seasons of the television talent competition Superstar K.[14]
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, France.[15][16] MFBTY signed to Tiger JK's newly created Feel Ghood Music label later that year.[17] In September 2013, Yoon earned the #1 spot on Billboard's Korea K-Pop Hot 100 list with her song "Touch Love" from the South Korean drama Master's Sun.[18] In December 2014, Yoon released the single "Angel," which quickly became #1 on four Korean music charts.[19] 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.[20]
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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.[3][21]
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.[22][23] Yoon has also promoted awareness of multiculturalism within Korean families. In 2008, she volunteered for seven months at a multicultural youth camp.[24]
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Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOR [25] | |||
| As Times Goes By |
Track listing
|
7 |
|
| Gemini |
Track listing
|
15 |
|
| To My Love |
Track listing
|
7 |
|
| t 3 Yoonmirae |
Track listing
|
— | — |
| Gemini 2 |
|
26 |
|
| "—" denotes album did not chart. | |||
Collaborative albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOR [29] | |||
| 살자 (The Cure) (with Drunken Tiger & Bizzy) |
Track listing
|
11 |
|
| "—" denotes album did not chart. | |||
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| T Best Album |
Track listing
|
| "—" denotes album did not chart. | |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR [31][a] | ||||
| As lead artist | ||||
| "As Time Goes By" (시간이 흐른 뒤) | 2001 | — | As Time Goes By | |
| "Boundless Ocean" (끝없는 바다 저편에...) | 2002 | — | Gemini | |
| "To My Love" (Korean ver.) | — | To My Love | ||
| "Incomplete" (잊었니...) | 2007 | — | t 3 Yoonmirae | |
| "Please Don't Leave" (떠나지마) | 2009 | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Get It In" (feat. Tiger JK, Jung-in) | 2011 | 5 |
| |
| "This Love" (사랑이 맞을거야) | 2015 | 1 |
| |
| "Because of You" | 2016 | 19 |
|
SM Station Season 1 |
| "Jam Come On Baby" (잠깐만 Baby) | 36 |
|
Non-album singles | |
| "No Gravity" | 2018 | — | ||
| "Kawi Bawi Bo" (가위바위보) | — | Gemini 2 | ||
| "You and Me" (feat. Junoflo) | — | |||
| "Don't Forget Me" (잊어가지마) | 2019 | 45 | Non-album single | |
| Collaborations | ||||
| "Wonderful" (with Johan Kim) | 2007 | — | Non-album single | |
| "The Cure" (살자) (with Tiger JK and Bizzy) | 2013 | 3 |
|
The Cure |
| "Angel" (with Tiger JK and Bizzy) | 2014 | 2 |
|
WondaLand |
| "#Capture The City" (with Boys Noize) | 2015 | — | Non-album singles | |
| "You and I" (너와 나) (with Jeon In-kwon, Zion.T, Tiger JK, Galaxy Express and others) | — | |||
| "How Are You?" (잘 지내고 있니) (with Punch) | 2016 | 16 |
| |
| "Ghood Family" (with Tiger JK, feat. Bizzy, Black Nine, BB, MRSHLL) | 2017 | — | ||
| "Draw Your Love" (with Tiger JK and Bizzy) | 2019 | — | ||
| As featured artist | ||||
| "Positive Vibes" (Paloalto feat. Yoon Mi-rae) | 2010 | 77 | Lonely Hearts | |
| "Freaky Deaky Superstar" (두두루 와바루) (Korean ver.) (Drunken Tiger feat. Yoon-Mi-rae and Bizzy) | 2011 | 20 |
|
Non-album single |
| "Turned Off The TV" (TV를 껐네) (Leessang feat. Yoon Mi-rae and 10cm) | 1 |
|
Asura Balbalta | |
| "Without You Now" (이젠 너 없이도) (Euna Kim feat. Yoon Mi-rae, Tiger JK, Bizzy) | 2014 | 9 |
|
Non-album singles |
| "Beautiful" (Yoonhan feat. Yoon Mi-rae) | 2015 | — | ||
| "Forever" (반가워요) (Tiger JK feat. Yoon Mi-rae) | 71 |
| ||
| "Home" (Ailee feat. Yoon Mi-rae) | 2016 | 20 |
|
A New Empire |
| "Ghood Life" (MyunDo feat. Yoon Mi-rae and Bizzy) | 2017 | — | RGB pt.(0,255,0) | |
| "Clover" (Jin Longguo feat. Yoon Mi-rae) | 2018 | — | Non-album single | |
| "Silent Movie" (무성영화) (Yubin feat. Yoon Mi-rae) | 2019 | — | Start of the End | |
| "Linda" (Linda G (Lee Hyori) feat. Yoon Mi-rae) | 2020 | 4 | Durijyuwa X Linda X Let's Dance | |
| "Red Lipstick" (빨간립스틱) (Lee Hi feat. Yoon Mi-rae) | 2021 | 30 | 4 Only | |
| "Self Love" ( F.Hero feat. Tiger JK, Yoon Mi-rae, Billkin) | 2022 | Self Love | ||
Soundtrack appearances
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR [42] | ||||
| "Touch Love" | 2013 | 1 |
|
Master's Sun OST Part 4 |
| "I Love You" (너를 사랑해) | 2014 | 1 |
|
It's Okay, That's Love OST Part 6 |
| "I'll Listen To What You Have To Say" (너의 얘길 들어줄게) | 2015 | 7 |
|
Who Are You: School 2015 OST Part 3 |
| "Always" | 2016 | 2 |
|
Descendants of the Sun OST Part 1 |
| "You Are My World" (그대라는 세상) | 10 |
|
The Legend of the Blue Sea OST Part 2 | |
| "Goodbye" (with Ann) | 2017 | — | Queen of Mystery OST Part 4 | |
| "The Sky of My Youth" (젊은 날의 Sky) | — | Hit the Top OST Part 3 | ||
| "You, You, You" (그대 그대 그대) | 2018 | — | The Ghost Detective OST Part 5 | |
| "My Dream" | 2019 | — | Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung OST Part 2 | |
| "Flower" | 22 | Crash Landing on You OST Part 2 | ||
| "Say" | 2020 | 63 | Itaewon Class OST Part 8 | |
| "Lost" | — | Stranger Season 2 OST Part 5 | ||
| "It's My Life" | 2021 | 94 | Hospital Playlist Season 2 OST Part 10 | |
| "Law" (with Bibi) |
2022 | 14 | Street Man Fighter OST Part 3 |
- 2018: The Fan – Fan (Episode 1)
- 2016: Fantastic Duo – Contestant (Episode 17-20)
- 2011: Superstar K3 – Judge[48]
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee(s) / Work(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Korean Music Awards | 2008 | Best R&B & Soul Album | Yoonmirae | Won | |
| Best R&B & Soul Song | "What's Up! Mr. Good Stuff" | Won | |||
| MAMA Awards | 2007 | Best R&B Performance | "Have You Forgotten?" | Won | [49] |
| 2013 | Best OST | "Touch Love" | Won | [50] | |
| 2014 | "I Love You" | Nominated | [51] | ||
| Melon Music Awards | 2013 | Best OST | "Touch Love" | Won | |
| Mnet 20's Choice Awards | 2010 | 20 Most Influential Stars | Yoon Mi-rae | Won | |
| SBS Gayo Daejeon | 2002 | R&B Category Award | Won | ||
| Style Icon Awards | 2012 | People's Choice Award | Won |
Listicles
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- The Gaon Music Chart was established in 2010.
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