Gary
“2002”
(Loen Entertainment)

Rapper Gary of Leessang has widened his fan base with his steady role in the megahit game show “Running Man,” but his first studio-length album “2002” shows that he is first and foremost a musician.

Collaborating with artists like Koonta, Jay Park, John Park, Skull and Deepflow, Gary weaves together an album that bears the hallmarks of past Leessang hits -- strong featured vocals that provide choruses to anchor down the candid, sometimes explicit lyrics that are spit out at subtly erratic rhythms.

The first track “He’ll Do Well Anyway” kicks off with an intro that stops abruptly between measures and makes the listener focus before bringing in Gary’s words. The two title tracks, “Joa” featuring Jay Park and “Get Some Air” featuring Miwoo show different sides to Gary as a rapper. “Joa” is a playful track focusing on the physical intimacy of a relationship, while “Get Some Air” is about escaping the pressure of everyday life and others’ judgments. 

Other notable tracks are “Doong Doong” with Skull, who brings his reggae feel give the song some flair; “Mushi Mushi,” a loud booming song that brings to mind a freestyle rap battle; and “Shipapa,” where Leessang’s favorite vocalist Jung In and newbie Miwoo offer fresh, soaring hooks to punctuate Gary’s groovy rapping.

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)