Cheetah (rapper)

In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.
Cheetah
Background information
Birth nameKim Eun-young
Born (1990-05-25) May 25, 1990 (age 34)
Busan, South Korea
GenresKorean hip hop
OccupationRapper
Years active2010–present
LabelsMLD
Korean name
Hangul
치타
Revised RomanizationChita
McCune–ReischauerCh'it'a
Birth name
Hangul
김은영
Revised RomanizationGim Eun-yeong
McCune–ReischauerKim Ŭnyŏng

Kim Eun-young (Korean: 김은영; born May 25, 1990), known by her stage name Cheetah (치타), is a South Korean rapper. Cheetah rose to fame as the winner on the TV competition Unpretty Rapstar.[1] She debuted in 2010 with the song "Stop (Money Can't Buy Me Love)" as a part of the duo Blacklist and was signed under C9 Entertainment. In April 2020, she left C9 Entertainment, which she belonged to from her debut, and founded the one-person agency, Ceuda Entertainment.[2]

Career

Before debuting in the music industry, Cheetah originally performed as an underground rapper on the streets after dropping out of high school.[3][4] However, in July 2010 she officially debuted with the song "Stop (Money Can't Buy Me Love)" as a part of the hip-hop duo, Blacklist.[5] With fellow member Lucy, the duo released two songs, "Nothing Lasts Forever" and "Stop". However, the group disbanded shortly afterwards.

After Blacklist, Cheetah made several solo appearances including featuring on other rappers' tracks and also appearing on the rap contest TV show Show Me The Money.[6] In 2012, she joined hip-hop artist Crush in another duo group, called Masterpiece.[7] The duo released the single, "Rollercoaster" in May 2012. Again, the group performed poorly with the public and resulted in disbandment.

In 2014, Cheetah released her first EP, called Cheetah Itself.[8] The mini-album showcased her powerful rap and drew attention to her talent as a solo artist. The album aided in placing her on the contestant roster for the rap survival spin-off of Show Me The Money, Unpretty Rapstar.

In early 2015, Cheetah was revealed to be one of the contestants on the TV show Unpretty Rapstar.[6] The competition notably included Lucky J member Jessi, AOA's Jimin, and other underground female rappers. In the show's finale, Cheetah was announced as the winner.[9]

Since her rise in popularity from her appearance and win on Unpretty Rapstar, Cheetah has also appeared in multiple endorsements and fashion spreads. The rapper also participated in designing and releasing a fashion line in collaboration with Push Button.[10]

In March 2015, Cheetah was reported as preparing for a new album, to be released later in the year.[11]

Cheetah released her first single since appearing on Unpretty Rapstar. The song My Number was released on August 2, 2015.

In October 2015 Cheetah collaborated with Kim Junsu on his EP and featured in the track Midnight Show. In the same month, despite being known as a rapper, Cheetah appeared in the MBC singing variety show King of Mask Singer as a jazz singer.[12]

In January 2016, she appeared as a mentor in Produce 101 and continued to reprise her role in the second season, in Produce 48 and in Produce X 101.[13]

In 2018, she released her first Korean-language studio album 28 Identity.

In April 2023, she signed with new agency MLD Entertainment.[14]

Personal life

In January 2007, Cheetah was crossing a street when she was hit by a bus, leading to her hospitalization.[3][4] Cheetah was sent into a coma for an extended period of time with little chance of waking up. However, she recovered without any major complications, although she lost the ability to sing due to the continued use of a respirator. Cheetah has stated that this traumatic experience is what drove her to succeed and "live with no regrets".[15]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[16]
28 Identity — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Extended plays

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
[16]
Cheetah Itself — —
Jazzy Misfits — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

Title Year Peak chart
positions 		Sales (DL) Album
KOR
[17]
As lead artist
"Expectation" (기대)
feat. Morra 		2014 — — Cheetah Itself
"Coma 07'" 2015 4 Unpretty Rapstar 1
"Like Nobody Knows" (아무도 모르게)
feat. Ailee 		4
"My Number" 18 Non-album singles
"Star Wars" — —
"Not Today" 2016 —
"Style Diet"
feat. Kangnam 		2017 — —
"Blurred Lines"
feat. Hanhae 		— 28 Identity
"I'll Be There" 2018 —
"Stagger" —
"Flight"
feat. Chaboom 		2019 — Non-album single
"Need Your Love 2020 — Jazzy Misfits
"Sorry" (개) — Non-album singles
"Villain"
feat. Jamie 		2021 —[a]
Collaborations
"My Type"
with Jessi feat. Kangnam 		2015 2 Unpretty Rapstar 1
"Can You Feel Me" (사랑이 온다)
with Baek Ji-young 		2016 7 Non-album singles
"Get It?"
with Younha and Ha:tfelt 		2016 — —
"Don't Speak"
with Ali 		2017 —
"I Am"
with Lee Hong-gi 		2018 — DO n DO
"HAN"
with Park Bom 		2019 — Queendom < Cover Contest >, Pt. 1
"Fall in Fall (Live ver.)" (가을타나봐)
with Yoon Min-soo 		— The Call 2 Project No.1
"First Impression" (첫인상)
with Hwang Chi-yeul 		— The Call 2 Project No.2
"My Love" (님아)
with Yoon Min-soo, Song Ga-in 		— The Call 2 Project No.4
"Bastard" (놈놈놈)
with Yoon Min-soo, Baekho 		— The Call 2 Project No.5
"Don't Worry " (건강하고 아프지마요)
with Yoon Min-soo, Song Ga-in, Baekho 		— The Call 2 Final Project
"Witch" (마녀사냥)
with Yeeun, Jiwoo, Jamie, Hyoyeon 		2020 — Good Girl Episode 3
"Moonlight"
with Jamie 		— Good Girl Final
"With A Song"
with JeA, Hayoung, Eunkwang, Parc Jae-jung 		— Non-album single
Soundtrack appearances
"Side Road" (골목길)
as Naratmalssami 		2015 — — King of Mask Singer Episodes 27
"Ari" (아리) 2019 — Black Money OST
"Feel It!" 2020 — Good Casting OST Part 1
"Memories of a Shot" (한잔의 추억) — OLD X NEW OST
"We're All Lonely People" (외로운 사람들) 2021 — [Vol.83] You Hee yul's Sketchbook:
53th Voice 'Sketchbook X CHEETAH'
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Appearances in albums

Title Year Album
"Magic Carpet Ride (매직 카펫 라이드)"
as Naratmalssami with Park Jung-ah		 2015 King of Mask Singer Episodes 27
"Come follow me"
with Yang Mira		 2017 Hip-hop People 2 FINAL I
"Q" Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend (Kim Hee-Gap & Yang In-ja Part. 2)
"Dare to stop" (감히 막아)
with YDG		 2019 KILLBILL 3rd stage

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2020 Jazzy Misfits Sun-deok Film debut[24]

Television series

Year Title Role Notes
2016 My Horrible Boss Herself Cameo (Ep. 13)

Variety show

Year Title Notes
2012 Show Me The Money Contestant
2015 Unpretty Rapstar Contestant; winner
King of Mask Singer Contestant as "Naratmalssami" (Ep. 27)
2016 Hip Hop Tribe Producer
Produce 101 Trainer
Hip Hop Tribe 2: Game of Thrones Producer
Two Yoo Project Sugar Man Contestant with Kangnam; winner (Ep. 18)
2017 Produce 101 Season 2 Trainer
Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend Contestant (Ep. 303)
Strong My Way Cast member
2018 Living Together in Empty Room Landlord (Ep. 24–26)
Produce 48 Trainer
High School Rapper Mentor
Mimi Shop Cast member
Strong My Way 2 Cast member
2019 Target: Billboard - Kill Bill Contestant
Produce X 101 Trainer
2020 Player 7 Contestant
Good Girl Contestant
King of Mask Singer Contestant as "Virgin Ghost" (Ep. 267–268)[25]
2021 We Become One 2021 Host [26]
Mobi's Marvel Cast Member [27]
Chosun Panstar judge [28]
Awesome Romance Host[29]
2021–2022 Goal Girls Cast Member; Season 2[30]

Notes

  1. ^ "Villain" did not enter the Gaon Digital Chart, but peaked at number 195 on the Gaon Download Chart.[22]

References

  1. ^ Lee, Wooyoung (2016-04-12). "[Hallyu power] Han Dong-chul, mastermind of Korean hip-hop boom". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  2. ^ "치타, 1인 기획사 크다엔터테인먼트 설립". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). 2020-04-20. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
  3. ^ a b "[KR] 꽃보다 덤불 – CHEETAH". Naeil Shot. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  4. ^ a b "[ENG] [University Tomorrow – vol. 370] Cheetah – Interview". The Sunny Town. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  5. ^ "Creators of Tashannie Introduce New Female Hip-Hop Duo". Soompi. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  6. ^ a b "Mnet to launch first ever female rapper survival show". Soompi. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
  7. ^ "Talented hip hop duo Masterpiece will debut". Korea.com. Archived from the original on 2015-06-24. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
  8. ^ "Cheetah Itself - EP by Cheetaa". iTunes. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  9. ^ "Winner of "Unpretty Rapstar" Crowned, Last Track Features Ailee and Is Produced by MC Mong". Soompi. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  10. ^ "[KR] CJ O-Shopping, Rapper Cheetah & Designer Park Seunggeon Collaboration Fashion Item Exclusive Launching!". Beauty Hankook. Archived from the original on 2015-06-24. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
  11. ^ ""Unpretty Rapstar" Cheetah returning with new album in May". Koreaboo. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
  12. ^ MBCentertainment (2015-10-04), [King of masked singer] 복면가왕 - "Naratmalssami"'s Identity! 20151004, retrieved 2016-08-04
  13. ^ Cheetah. "프로듀스101, 트레이너 치타-가희 합류...장근석 "이거 한다고 엄마에 혼나"".
  14. ^ Cheetah. "치타, MLD엔터 전속계약 체결…이승철-코카앤버터 한솥밥 [공식]".
  15. ^ "A beginner's primer to the ladies of Unpretty Rapstar!". Omona. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
  16. ^ a b "Gaon Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart.
  17. ^ "Gaon Digital Chart". Gaon Music Chart.
  18. ^ Cumulative sales of "Coma 07'":
  19. ^ a b "2015년 Download Chart".
  20. ^ "2015년 08월 Download Chart".
  21. ^ "2016년 44주차 Download Chart".
  22. ^ "2021년 09주차 Download Chart". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  23. ^ Cumulative sales of "Can You Feel Me":
  24. ^ Kwak, Yeon-soo (May 19, 2020). "Rapper Cheetah makes big screen debut in 'Jazzy Misfits'". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  25. ^ Kim Soo-hyung (August 16, 2020). "솔로곡 '복면' 대결 티아라 소연→곽승남·치타·민우혁까지‥장미여사 방어전 '실패' [종합]". OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  26. ^ Lee Da-gyeom (May 28, 2021). "치타 MC 발탁, 션과 'SBS 희망TV 우리 하나 되어 2021' 진행" [Cheetah MC selected, Sean and 'SBS Hope TV We Become One 2021]. Naver (in Korean). Daily Economy. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  27. ^ Kim Myung-mi (July 6, 2021). "모비의 마블' 서동주·치타·김남희·조현의, 억소리 나는 럭셔리 여행" [Mobi’s Marvel’ Seo Dong-ju, Cheetah, Kim Nam-hee, and Jo Hyun-eui’s luxurious trip]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  28. ^ Kim Ye-eun (July 26, 2021). "[단독] 신영희·김조한·치타, MBN '조선판스타' 판정단 합류" [[Exclusive] Shin Young-hee, Kim Jo-han, and Cheetah join the MBN 'Chosun Panstar' judging team]. MBN (in Korean). Retrieved July 26, 2021 – via Naver.
  29. ^ Cheon Yoon-hye (September 15, 2021). "끝내주는 연애', 붐X온주완X치타X초아X이은지 5MC 출격..10월 첫 방송[공식]" ['Awesome Romance', Boom X On Joo-wan X Cheetah X Choa X Lee Eun-ji 5MC sortie... First broadcast in October [Official]]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Retrieved September 15, 2021 – via Naver.
  30. ^ Park Ha-na (July 27, 2022). "원더우먼, 아나콘다에 개막전 勝…키썸·홍자·김가영 데뷔골 폭발(종합)" [Wonder Woman's opening match in Anaconda... Kisum, Hongja, Kim Ga-young's debut goals exploded (total)] (in Korean). News1. Retrieved July 27, 2022 – via Naver.