Kero One

Kero One originally worked as a web designer, making 50 copies of his first single with home equipment and personal credit cards. He released his first 12" record, Check the Blueprints in 2003 on his own imprint, Plug Label. Of the 50 copies that were eventually distributed around the world, one reached a tiny record store in Tokyo, Japan. A few weeks later, it was found by a Japanese DJ who played it at a club that night and received dozens of inquiries, including a Japanese label executive who immediately contacted Kero One and asked for 3,000 copies of the record.JpopAsia. [http://www.jpopasia.com/celebrity/keroone/ "Kero One’s bio"] ‘’jpopasia’’. Accessed 2013-03-13.

In 2012, Kero one released his fourth solo album, Color Theory, which raised over $10k from fans to pay for the mastering and engineering costs through Kickstarter. His lead single "What Am I Supposed to Do" charted on Radio Nova (France), J*Wave Japan, and WDR Funkhaus europa radio in Germany. The song received a major endorsement from Stevie Wonder, who asked Kero One to perform it at Wonder's 17th Annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert on December 15, 2012 at Nokia Live Theatre with Bruno Mars.Ethel. (2013-01-24) [http://audreymagazine.com/behind-the-scenes-stevie-wonder-concert-ft-kero-one/ "Behind The Scenes | Stevie Wonder Concert ft. Kero One"] Audrey Magazine. Accessed 2013-03-13.

Later, Kero One formed a new collaboration project, Kesna Music with YouTube singer Esna Yoon. They released their single "Is It Love?" on July 16, 2013.a-Tunes.net. (2013-04-23) [http://a-tunes.net/2013/04/23/kero-one-esna-form-kesna-music/ “Kero One & Esna Form Kesna Music”] a-Tunes.net. Accessed 2013-07-17.

In 2015, Kero One brought his signature jazz-hop sound to Korea, producing a song called "Ordinary Love" for Korean rapper Park Kyung of Block B and Park Bo-Ram, which hit #1 on Melon charts. Later that year, Kero One released a future soul album under the alias "Kero Uno", called Reflection (noitcelfer) Eternal which made it to Reddit's ListenToThis best of 2015 albums list.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/listentothis/comments/41jgyv/official_rlistentothis_best_of_2015_600_hours_of/|title=Official /r/ListenToThis Best Of 2015 - 600+ hours of the best overlooked music from the last year • /r/listentothis|website=reddit|date=18 January 2016|access-date=2016-04-11}} Also in 2016, South Korean longboarder Hyo Joo Ko used Kero One's 2012 song "So Seductive" in one of her Instagram videos. When Kero One reposted the video on his Facebook page it went viral, reaching 26 million views. The viral video brought Hyo Joo Ko international fame and renewed interest in Kero One's older song.vogue.com [http://www.vogue.com/article/skater-south-korean-ko-hyojoo-longboarding-kero-one "Meet Ko Hyojoo"]

• 5th Best Indie hiphop of 2004 on MSN music{{Cite web |url=http://pluglabel.com/IMAGES/kero_images/press/best%20indie%20kero.jpg |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715093525/http://pluglabel.com/IMAGES/kero_images/press/best%20indie%20kero.jpg |archive-date=2011-07-15 |url-status=dead }}
• 4th Most Downloaded artist on Cnet's Download.com{{Cite web |url=http://pluglabel.com/IMAGES/kero_images/press/k_cnet.gif |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715093741/http://pluglabel.com/IMAGES/kero_images/press/k_cnet.gif |archive-date=2011-07-15 |url-status=dead }}
• 2nd selling underground hiphop album on HMV and Tower Records Japan{{Cite web |url=http://pluglabel.com/IMAGES/kero_images/press/underground1_hmv.gif |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061214180850/http://pluglabel.com/IMAGES/kero_images/press/underground1_hmv.gif |archive-date=2006-12-14 |url-status=dead }}
• 2nd most downloaded album on iTunes Japan{{Cite web |url=http://www.pluglabel.com/IMAGES/press/itunes/itunesjapan2.png |title = Itunesjapan2.PNG (1154x630 pixels) |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131180127/http://www.pluglabel.com/IMAGES/press/itunes/itunesjapan2.png |archive-date=31 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}
• Landed on Reddit's ListenToThis best of 2015 albums list{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/listentothis/comments/41jgyv/official_rlistentothis_best_of_2015_600_hours_of/|title=Official /r/ListenToThis Best Of 2015 - 600+ hours of the best overlooked music from the last year • /r/listentothis|website=reddit|date=18 January 2016|access-date=2016-04-11}}

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080624022431/http://www.pluglabel.com/artists/kero/kero_bio.htm KERO ONE - BIOGRAPHY]
• [http://allhiphop.com/stories/reviews/archive/2006/02/05/18134588.aspx Reviews of Windmills of the Soul]
• [http://rapnews.co.uk/?p=620 Windmills of the Soul : rapnews.co.uk]
• [http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2006_02_windmillsof.html Windmills of the Soul : RapReviews.com]
• [http://www.lessonsix.com/2010/07/kero-ones-kinetic-world-reviewed/ Kinetic World : Lesson Six]
• [http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/2767683 DJ Deckstream - Soundtrack 1.5]
• [http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/2684626 Nomak Re-Calm]
• [http://allhiphop.com/stories/reviews/archive/2006/02/05/18134588.aspx Allhiphop.com review] (February 26, 2006)
• [http://www.platform8470.com/interviews/interview.php?intid=74 Platform8470 interview April 12, 2009]
• {{cite web|url=http://www.ohdangmag.com/archive/features/keep_it_alive_an_interview_wit.html|title=KEEP IT ALIVE: An Interview with Kero One|last=Vinas|first=Len |others=John Coyne (photos) |date=March 10, 2007|publisher=Oh Dang!|accessdate=2009-04-22}}

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Category:American musicians of Korean descent

Category:American rappers of Asian descent

Category:Musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area

Category:Hip-hop record producers

Category:Musical groups established in 2003

Category:Living people

Category:Rappers from the San Francisco Bay Area

Category:21st-century American rappers

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)