As the first Korean-American emcee to break through both the Billboard and iTunes Christian & Gospel charts, HeeSun Lee’s latest release Beauty for Ashes is a raw look into identity, abandonment, and the music industry. Hailing from Staten Island, New York, her mission is simple: to share her story with the masses.
HeeSun Lee isn’t your average Hip Hop MC. Put up for adoption in her native Korea at the age of four months, she was brought to America and raised by Chinese parents on Staten Island, NY. As a teenager, she became a fan of hip-hop acts ranging from Lauryn Hill and Will Smith to Tupac Shakur. All of Lee’s diverse experiences have fused to create the illuminating backdrop for her sophomore CD “Stereotypes” that released on iTunes and other retail outlets on January 21, 2014. It placed #7 on iTunes Christian/Gospel Charts and #24 on Billboard Christian Gospel. Lee’s story is unique in that she credits not only her faith but also hip-hop for saving her life. “Hip-Hop saved me from a lot of things,” she confesses.
Her third album titled ‘Beauty For Ashes’ is available on iTunes. Here is the track listing:
1. Intro (See The Sun) Ft. Laquan Green
2. All Out Ft. Ted Smith
3. Beauty For Ashes Ft. Alia Akili & Dana Jo
4. Underdog Ft. Wxnder y, Sicily, & Butta P
5. In My Veins Ft. Lyricks
6. Let Me Talk
7. Losing Faith Ft. Tan Brown
8. Bloodlines
9. I Love You, Daddy
10. I’m With You Ft. Sam Ock
11. Treasure Ft. Laquan Green
In her third album release, HeeSun Lee makes her epic comeback to music with a bombastic wall of sound. ‘Beauty For Ashes’ starts out on full force of precise rap skills, hard-hitting beats, and flawless collaborations. With pumping tracks like “All Out,” “Underdog,” and “Losing Faith,” any audience will gravitate to dance and lay back on the hype of the music. The title track lets HeeSun and her harmonious vocalists “Alia Akili” & “Dana Joe” experiment a refreshing direction that appeals to both rap and dance-pop audiences. From bumping to the album’s anthem tracks, she then, unapologetically reveals her emotional lyricism in tear-shedding songs like “I Love You, Daddy” within her ambient and groovy beats. ‘Beauty For Ashes’ concludes on the passionate theme of hope and finding the light in the darkness. The album is the first of being released independently but its progressive energy and hype will change the game of hip-hop for many years to come.
Lee’s second studio album, ‘Stereotypes,’ dropped in 2014. It charted at number 24 on the Billboard Christian Gospel chart.
Follow HeeSun Lee:
www.heesunleemusic.com
Facebook: heesunleemusic
Twitter: @heesunlee
Instagram: @msheesunlee