Hyun Jin-young

Debuting as Hyun Jin-young and Wawa in 1990,[6] Hyun released hit songs such as "Sad Mannequin", "Sexy Lady" and "You Are in My Unclear Memory".[1] Though album sales were mediocre, he gained popularity as a forerunner of hip hop music in South Korea, which at the time was a shock for most audiences.[3] At first, Wawa consisted of Koo Jun-yup and Kang Won-rae from Clon, later Lee Hyun-do and Kim Sung-jae, both of Deux fame,[5] and finally Sean, a future half of Jinusean. Hyun's career was damaged by a series of drug convictions from which it never fully recovered. He was incarcerated for marijuana use in 1991, then methamphetamines in 1993. Hyun later said he became addicted to methamphetamines after befriending a drug dealer inmate during his first stint in jail. Further arrests followed in 1995 and 1998.[7][8] In 1997, he formed a hip hop duo named I.W.B.H. with Lee Tak.[9]

In 2001, Hyun returned to the music scene with his fourth solo album, Wild Gangster Hip Hop.[9] The response from his fans was favorable. He checked himself into hospital in 2003 and underwent a drug rehabilitation program.[7] In 2006, he released his fifth album called Street Jazz In My Soul. This album contained jazz music, a departure from his exclusively hip-hop origins.[9] The following year, he began teaching at RAUM, a professional music academy in Gangnam.[6]

He was also a chief producer of SidusHQ.[10]