With the real name Jo Dong-rim, Mad Clown is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer. The genius artist, born on March 25, 1985, in Evanston, Illinois, moved to South Korea as a baby. At age 14, he returned to the U.S. to study, where he discovered hip-hop, especially inspired by 2Pac, before returning to Korea to pursue music as his career.

Mad Clown debuted in 2008 with the single “Luv Sickness.” He released his first EP, Anything Goes, in 2011 and his big breakthrough came in 2013 with “Stupid in Love,” a duet with Soyou from Sistar. This song topped the Gaon Singles Chart and stayed #1 on the K-pop Hot 100 which is considered a huge success.

After this hit, he followed up with several EPs: “Ferocity (2014),” “Piece of Mine (2015),” “Love Is a Dog from Hell (2017),” and “0 (2020).” At Starship Entertainment, he collaborated with big names like SISTAR’s Hyorin and Crunch, explaining in an interview that he joined Starship because of his love for Hyorin.

Mad Clown first gained attention on Show Me The Money 2 (2013) as a contestant. He later returned as a producer and judge on seasons 5, 7 (under the alias “Mommy Son” with a pink mask), and 8. During SMTM5 in 2016, he even gave a sweet public shout-out to his wife on stage: “In this skewed and harsh world, I’ll become your circle.” Gosh! What a romantic man!

As “Mommy Son” in SMTM777 (2018), he wore a mask to explore creative freedom, explaining it gave him space to have fun without expectations, although he was soon unmasked.

His younger brother is actor Jo Hyeon-cheol, who has starred in dramas like “Inspector Koo,” “D.P. 2,” “Revenant,” and “Hotel Del Luna.” In May 2016, he married a non-celebrity and welcomed a son in 2017, and In September 2022, he revealed that he and his wife divorced the year before, ending five years of marriage, and committed to co-parenting their son.

Mad Clown is known for honest, heartfelt lyrics. In a 2018 interview with San E, he said, “If I hear it and it’s good, then it’s real.” He tells real stories in his music, covering heartbreak (“Love Is a Dog From Hell”) and life challenges. He relies on family influences as well, noting that his mother and aunt helped write one of his songs. In early 2015, after releasing Piece of Mine, he admitted feeling relieved by the positive feedback and said he took two months to produce it carefully.

He is known for his emotion and honesty because his rap often moves listeners with raw feeling. Mad Clown has collaborations with top artists like Soyou, Hyorin, and San E, which he proved have boosted and sharpened his creative spirit. He has also released some K-Drama OSTs like “Once ”Again” from “Descendants of the Sun,” “The Third Charm” from “When it Rains,” “Tonight (ft. BoA)” from “The Best Hit,” and “Chocolate Cherry Night (feat. Yozoh) from High School Love On.”

He is a strong, emotional voice in Korean hip-hop. With honest lyrics, top collaborations, heartfelt stories, and a playful creative side, he connects deeply with fans. His journey from underground rapper to hit-maker and TV mentor shows his talent and heart. If you are yet to listen to him, you can catch up on Apple Music and  Spotify.