Jay B (제이비) (formerly known as JB) is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and actor currently signed under CDNZA Records. He is the leader of the boy group GOT7, the subunit Jus2, the duo JJ Project, and R&B soul crew Offshore. He is credited for songwriting and composing under the name DefSoul.
I. Pre-Debut
Jay B was born Lim Jaebeom (임재범) on January 6, 1994 in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province. After seeing g.o.d. perform, he developed the dream to become a singer. During middle school, he started b-boying and began taking part in competitions under the name Defsoul. In 2009, he was scouted by JYP Entertainment at a b-boy event. While he wasn't initially interested in attending the audition, he did so at the urging of his father. In the final round of auditions he was paired with future groupmate Park Jinyoung. The two tied for first place among the 10,000 applicants.
II. Career
In 2011, Jay B was cast in the role of Jang Woojae in the TV drama Dream High 2 under the stage name JB (to avoid confusion with singer Yim Jaebeom). In May 2012, Jay B and Jinyoung debuted as the duo JJ Project with the single album Bounce. In March 2013, Jay B appeared on the MBC drama When a Man Falls in Love.
On January 16, 2014, Jay B debuted as a member of the boy group GOT7 as leader and a vocalist.
In 2019, Jay B debuted in the subunit Jus2 with fellow GOT7 member Yugyeom and attended Yves Saint Laurent 20SS men's Collection show in Los Angeles as a representative of Korea. In December 2019, he launched the JB Collection, a summer themed clothing line with Represent.
On January 19, 2021, following the expiration of his contract, Jay B left JYP Entertainment and began using the stage name Jay B. On May 2021, it was announced that he would be signing an exclusive contract with H1GHER MUSIC Three days later he released his first solo single "Switch It Up" featuring rapper Sokodomo. On May 25, 2021, Jay B became the first Korean soloist to debut on the Billboard R&B Digital Song Sales Chart.
On July 22, 2021, it was announced that he would be releasing his first solo mini album, SOMO:Fume on August 26. In September 2021, he participated in "Feel the Rhythm of Korea 2" a promotional campaign sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
On September 25, 2021, Jay B will hold his first solo global fan meeting.
III. Discography
| Artwork | Title | Type | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOMO: Fume | Mini Album | August 26, 2021 |
IV. Filmography
IVI. Dramas
| Year | Title | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Dream High 2 | JB/Jang Woojae | KBS |
| 2013 | When a Man Falls in Love | Seo Mijoon | MBC |
| 2015 | Dream Knight | JB | Youku Toudu |
IVII. Variety Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Romantic & Idol | Season 1 Cast | tvN |
| 2016 | Celebrity Bromance | with Yoo Youngjae | MBigTV |
| 2018 | Hyena on the Keyboard | Producer (Ep. 6-8) | KBS 2 |
| 2019 | Prison Life of Fools | Cast Member | tvN |
| 2021 | King of Mask Singer | Contestant | MBC |
V. Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | APAN Music Awards | Best All Arounder | Won |
VI. Trivia
- Jay B has five cats.
- Once while he was practicing Bboy, he knocked his head on the floor because of a wrong move. He laid on the floor for 10 minutes before his hyungs wake him up. Because of that he temporarily lost his memories, when he got home, he couldn’t remember the password and stayed outside his house because his parents were already sleeping.
