Epik High (ì—픽하ì´) is an alternative hip hop group from Seoul, South Korea, composed of three members—Tablo (타블로; Real name: Daniel Armand Lee, Lee Seon-woong (ì´ì„ ì›…)), Mithra Jin (Mithra 眞, ë¯¸ì“°ë¼ ì§„, ë¯¸ì“°ë¼ çœž; Real name: Choi Jin (최진)), and DJ Tukutz (DJ 투컷; Real name: Kim Jeong-sik (ê¹€ì •ì‹)). All three members of Epik High can sing, write lyrics, and compose and arrange music. Their music has been known to be a "lyrical piece of literature" and "urban poetry", lyric orientated, soulful and often witty while addressing serious social issues such as identity, discrimination, community, unity and change as a whole.
Tablo is the rapper, singer, lyricist, and composer of Epik High. Tablo has a Masters Degree from Stanford University (California, USA) where he majored in English Literature and Creative Writing. When he was 17 years old he wrote the song Rainy Christmas with the famous Korean singer Kim Gun-mo. While attending Stanford University, Tablo was part of an underground hip hop group known as 4n Objects, which caught the attention of CB Mass and Drunken Tiger, leading to them eventually offer to support Tablo in releasing a solo album in Korea.
Mithra Jin is the rapper and lyricist of Epik High. Mithra Jin had been featured on over 11 major albums in Korea even before Epik High's debut. Mithra Jin and Tablo met through the Movement Crew (a collaboration of hip hop artists who are determined to promote social and political awareness through hip hop culture and music), during a freestyle contest in Seoul. Mithra Jin was pursuing a solo career of his own, but with his artistic vision and style matching so well with Tablo's, the two decided to join together.
