Artist Bio: Ra.D (라디)

Profile

Full name: Lee Doo Hyun
Date of Birth: 1980
Profession: singer-songwriter, producer
Debut Album: My Name is Ra.D (2002)

Career
Ra. D is a Korean R&B singer-songwriter and producer who combines R&B, soul, and hip hop sounds to create a very unique and original style of music. After establishing his own record label (RealCollabo), Ra.D re-emerges on the music scene with his second solo album after a 6 years hiatus. Ra.D also actively participates in the production of many artists’ albums such as Cho PD, Dynamic Duo, and 2PM. He also worked with international artists such as Jose Feliciano, and Amy Pearson through an American Music Label ‘BeLikeWater’. Other artists under his label are Brother Su and Joo Yeong.

In 2010, his second album, Vol. 2 – Realcollabo, won the ‘Best R&B and Soul Album’ at the 7^th Annual Korea Music Awards. 

Ra.D is currently working as a DJ for Daum Music of Korea's website 'Daum'. (2011)

Personal Life
The song "I'm In Love" was written by Ra.D to propose to his wife, Kelley, and together, they wrote "Couple Song".  They also have a son together. 

Discography

Albums

Vol 1     My Name is Ra.D            2002
Vol 2     Realcollabo                      2008
Vol 2.5  Realcollabo + RMX         2009
Vol 3     Soundz                             2014

Mini-Albums
작은 이야기 (Small Story)     2013

Digital Singles
오랜만이죠 (Feat. 신지수) [It's been so long feat. Sin Ji Soo]   2013
어떤 설레임 (Dating Agency: Cyrano Part 3 OST) 2013
Fly Away     2014

Others

Christmas Card From Realcollabo   2009 
Wish Me A Merry Christmas          2013

Collaborations

Kebee - Constellation (feat. Ra.D) (2007)
Dynamic Duo - 어머니의 된장국 [Mother's Miso Soup] (Feat. Ra.D) (2008)

Dynamic Duo - 아버지 [Father] (Feat. Ra.D) (2008)

Standing Egg (스탠딩에그) – 사랑에 빠져본 적 있나요(Have You Ever

                         Been In Love) with Ra.D (Acoustic Ver.) (2011)

Eluphant - 미래로 돌아가자 (2011) (feat Ra.D) (2011)

Lee Seung Gi -연애시대 Time for Love (feat. Ra.D, 한효주) (2011)
IU - Teacher feat. Ra.D (2011)
GaIn - Take Out with Ra.D (2012)
Shin Seung Hoon (신승훈) - 그랬으면 좋겠어 (I Hope) (With Ra.D)  (2013)

Selected Production Credits 
A list of songs he produced can be found here

Source: kbs world, realcollabo.com 

Ra.D - Yoo Hee Yeol's Sketchbook Performances 10/01/29

Ra.D (라디) is a underground Korean R&B/Soul/Hip Hop singer-songwriter that produces very unique R&B sounds. He rarely appears on TV, so it's surprising to see him on Sketchbook (10/01/29). He is a very talented singer/songwriter/producer.

Watch the performances below:

"Goodbye" (from Vol. 2 - 2008)



"Mal Love" (from Vol 2.5 - 2009)




Extra:
There is a clip of Ra.D singing "너와 함께 있음을 (Lullaby RMX)" at his studio. His vocal is very smooth and distinctive. I really like this song! 

Kpop – List of R&B releases 2010

Just summarizing all the R&B (includes R&B/pop, R&B/ballad, R&B/Soul) releases by Korean artists for the year 2010. I hope I didn't miss out anyone...

January             
4Men – The 3^rd Generation (full album)

February          
Brother Su (브라더수) - It Was You (digital single) 

March               
One Way – OneWay Street (mini-album)

4Men – Baby Baby + 4Men (mini-album)

All That (올댓) – Love Jam (EP)

Yoon Jong Shin – Monthly Project Album 2010 April (digital single)

Rain – Back to the Basic (mini-album)

April                 
Yoon Jong Shin – Monthly Project Album 2010 May (digital single)

2NISE – She Said (mini album)

           

May                 
Yoon Jong Shin – Monthly Project Album 2010 June (digital single)

Gummy – Loveless (mini album)

June                  
T-Blue (티블루) – The First Storee (EP)

Code-V – Poisoning (mini-album)

July                  
TaeYang – Solar (full album)

Se7en – Digital Bounce (EP)
Jay Park – Nothing on You (EP)
Yoon Jong Shin – Monthly Project Album 2010 August (digital single)

August              
Hwanhee – H-Hour (EP)
Yoon Jong Shin – Monthly Project Album 2010 September (digital single)
Wheesung – Realslow is Back (EP)

September       
4Men & E-Tribe – You (EP)

G.O. & Nassun – O-IWI-O (digital single)

October            
4Men – Sorry (EP)

2AM – Saint O’Clock (full album)
Yoon Jong Shin – Monthly Project Album 2010 October (digital single)
Yoon Jong Shin - Vol. 12 行步2010 (full album)

November         
T-Blue – Transform (digital single album)

Lena Park – Cover Me Vol. 1 (full album)
Brown Eyed Soul – Vol. 3 Brown Eyed Soul (full album)

December         
Gummy & Bobby Kim – Love Recipe (digital single
Joo Yeong (주영) – Same as You (digitial single album)

All That – Vol. 2 Love Me (full album)
One Way – Rainy Days (digital single album)

Wheesung – Winter Night (EP)

T-Blue – Blue Christmas (digital single album)  

BEAST – My Story (EP) 

Z-Chen & Fish Leong - '一家一 (One plus One)' (2010)

Yeah!! Something new by Z-Chen. It's a slow-tempo R&B love ballad with sweet lyrics about love and marriage as they sing smoothly, "Addition of love:/ one plus one equals infinity/ increase in love with love.../ one plus one equals to our home."

This duet is in Fish Leong's new album 'What Love Songs Didn't Tell You'.  Z-Chen also mentioned that this song is a gift to people that are getting married in 2011.

Note: 1+1 in Chinese is actually written like this: 一加一, but 加 sounds exactly like 家, which means home. So yea, smart word play.


Listen here:

Album Review: All That (올댓) – ‘Vol. 2 Love Me’

Album release date: December 2010
Genre: R&B, Kpop

Rating: 4/5       
Review by: jct

Note: All That (올댓) is a Korean R&B duo consisting of Kuan (vocalist) and EachONE (composer, song writer, producer).
__

On their second album, All That continues to release more smooth and sensual love songs that are well-sung. All That and Vol. 2 Love Me are a breath of fresh air compared to some Kpop artists who are simply R&B poseurs. All That is definitely a true R&B artist.

Smooth and Sensual 

On their second album, All That delivers music that’s made to swoon the ladies. The album is filled with a variety of ballads: love, lust, and pain, such as “You’re So”, “Take It Off (Feat.Bom-B, CEEJAY Of Fresh Boyz)”, and “Pouding Luv”, respectively. The album’s title track, “Still You feat. Gilme” is mid-tempo R&B song about a broken heart as they sing, “Do you remember walking down the street hand in hand/ Do you remember where we first met/ Do you remember where you confessed/ It is still vivid the day we broke up, no longer in love”. However, the title track doesn’t seem to stand out as much as the album’s other romantic and sensual songs such as “You’re So”, “Closer”, “Pouding Luv”, and “Erase (Feat.J’Kyun)”.

The album contains smooth and romantic materials that fit perfectly well with the tone of the album and some even sound sexy. All That is a perfect R&B duo with Kuan as the vocalist, singing with confidence and purpose on each and every track, and EachONE’s excellent songwriting and production skills on almost all the songs. One possible flaw with the album is the abundant amount of guest appearances which may take away the shining moments of the original artist's vocals. Although the hip hop component is a nice blend with R&B, the rap seems to be too excessive on some parts and the foul language in the rap is simply not necessary. However, the other R&B guest appearances certainly fit well with the songs as they help bring out the emotions of the songs nicely.

It’s rare for Korean artists to deliver a well-rounded album filled completely with R&B music, but All That’s second album is just such an album. It’s charming, sensual, original, and most of all - truly R&B. Overall, Vol. 2 Love Me is recommended for those who enjoy R&B music.

Tracklist
1. All That 2010 (Feat.Carry Diamond)
2. Take It Off (Feat.Bom-B, CEEJAY Of Fresh Boyz)
3. You’re So
4. Luv U Girl
5. Closer
6. Poundin Luv
7. Interlude 1
8. 참을게 (I’ll Resist)
9. I Need Ur Luv (Feat.DirtyBlood)
10. Break Up (Feat.Eunice)
11. 여기까지야 (Up To Here)
12. 아직도 널 (Feat.길미) (Still You feat. Gilme)
13. 지워 (Feat.J’Kyun) (Erase)
14. Interlude 2
15. 보내고 (Feat.Soulman) (Sending You Away)
16. 아직 Remix (Not Yet)
17. 늦었지만 (Even Though I’m Late)

About R&B

R&B (rhythm and blues) is a popular genre of African American music originated in the 1940s with singers who sang jazz, blues and gospel music. The "rhythm" part of the term comes from the music mainly depends upon a four-beat measure or bar, and employs a backbeat (beats two and four accented in each measure). The "blues" part comes from the lyrics and melodies of the songs, which were often sad, or 'blue' which is related to the music's emergence in the World War II era. Over time the name was shortened to R&B.

The typical instruments are, but not limited to, drum kit, double bass, saxophone, horns, piano, organ, and electric guitar. However, R&B has developed significantly since the 1940s. In 1950s, R&B was applied to more blues, gospel and soul music. By the 1970s, it covered soul and funk. From 1980s and onwards, we have a newer style of R&B which is known as contemporary R&B.

Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of pop, funk and soul, and originates from North America in the early 1980s. The typical instruments include synthesizers, keyboard, and drum machine. In the beginning, the beats had a more jazz feel with smooth and distinct vocal arrangements. However, today, electronic influences and hip hop are becoming an increasing trend.  

A subgenre within contemporary R&B is the Quiet Storm. It is a broad term given to an array of mellow, and slow tempo contemporary R&B, soul and smooth jazz music. It also includes Neo-Soul and more mellow and soulful side of smooth jazz.

Glenn Lewis - 'Good One' (2010)

Glenn Lewis is a Canadian R&B/Neo-Soul singer-songwriter. He recently released a new single called 'Good One' which will be on his new album that is due in early 2011. It's a really nice song about being fortunate to have a special person in his life.

Aside: He had a hit single, "Don't You Forget It" back in 2001, which you might remember...

Listen to "Good One" below:



Lyrics: 


Said I know I got... 
Said I know I got... 
I got me a good one (repeat x4) 


Whenever I need you you're always there 
You're even there the times I didn't even know you better 
And whenever I call girl you answer 
Damn girl you're so good I think you can be the cure to cancer 


Girl ohhhh sometimes I can't believe that He sent you to me 
Ohhhh I get this feeling I never had it in my soul 
As sure as the the sky holds the sun 
Said I know I got me, I got me a good one. 


So baby whenever you need me, don't hesitate to call 
'cause I'm your friend when you feel you've got no friends at all 
Lay your head on my shoulder & tell me all about it 
& when we're done talking we can make love all around 


Ohhhh sometimes I can't believe that He sent you to me 
Ohhhh I get this feeling I never had it in my soul 
As sure as the the sky holds the sun 
I know I got me, I got me a good one 


Said I know I got... 
Said I know I got.. 
I got me a good one (repeat x4)


Lyrics credit: onlylyrics.com