Music
From 2NE1 to collaborations with Skrillex and Diplo, CL is one of South Korea's biggest pop stars.
CL is one of the biggest stars on the K-pop scene and now she is conquering the U.S.
The 24-year-old South Korean singer and rapper, born Lee Chae-rin, got her start with the all-girl K-pop group 2NE1, which have consistently dominated their country's pop charts with songs like "I Am the Best," "Fire" and "Lollipop," and their high-gloss videos have a tendency to go extremely viral, such as this one below for "Come Back Home."
In 2009, CL began making a push as a solo artist. She released some singles, such as "The Baddest Female," which blends many styles of music, from hip-hop to dubstep. She has also been involved in several big collaborations, and in 2014 she linked up with Skrillex and Diplo for " Dirty Vibe," which also features G-Dragon from the K-pop group Big Bang, and her most recent track is the Diplo-produced "Dr. Pepper."
This summer, CL has been one of the biggest draws on Diplo's Mad Decent Block Party circuit. The party stops in Los Angeles Sept. 19-20 with artists Major Lazer, Diplo, T-Pain, Vic Mensa, Cut Copy and more at LA Center Studios. Both days will be livestreamed via Red Bull TV. Stay tuned for livestream schedule.
In preparation for Mad Decent Block Party, here are the South Korean star's five most essential tracks.
1. Uhm Jung-Hwa, CL and DISCO: "DJ"
One of CL's first song credits was as a rapper on Uhm Jung Hwa's song "DJ." This song was recorded about a year before she joined 2NE1. Watch a live performance of it below, and see how dangerous Chae-rin was on the microphone from day one.
2. 2NE1: "I Am the Best"
2NE1 have some huge singles that are insanely catchy. "I Am the Best," from their second EP, was produced by Teddy Park and released in 2011. It took the No. 1 spot in the South Korean charts and the video has been watched on YouTube more than 131 million times. This is one of those songs that, even if you think you have never heard it, you have heard it. It's everywhere.
3. CL: "The Baddest Female"
This non-album single, released in 2013, marked CL's big move as a solo artist. She came out super strong for her first solo tune, claiming to be "The Baddest Female." That's a bold statement, but one that she can back up.
4. Skrillex, Diplo, CL and G-Dragon: "Dirty Vibe"
It makes perfect sense that CL would eventually connect with producers Skrillex and Diplo, which is exactly what she did on this single from Skrillex's "Recess" album. Also featuring G-Dragon, it was released late last year and made it onto the top 20 of Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs charts. The video premiered right here on Red Bull Music, and if you haven't watched it yet, hit play below and prepare to have your mind blown.
5. Diplo, CL, Riff Raff and OG Maco: "Dr. Pepper"
If there was ever any doubt CL loves "Dr. Pepper," this song put those doubts to bed. She linked up once again with producer Diplo — not to mention fellow rappers Riff Raff and OG Maco — on this track released by Mad Decent in May. The video is just as wild as you'd expect.
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