I’m sure those who live in SoCal all know who Dumbfoundead aka Parker is. He’s a local K-town celebrity and is a Korean-American entertainer. You’ve probably seen him in many shows at different types of events or even seen him late at night at a bar, chillin’ at Gaam.
While he was in South Korea, Seoulsync (a web publication based in S. Korea) had a chance to meet with him and talk about Parker’s personal story and his passion as an all-around entertainer:
We get a chance to sit down with Korean-American entertainer Dumbfoundead and pick his brain a bit about his inspiration, motivation, and his overall outlook of Asian culture. Although some of his questions may come off inappropriate, we felt it was important to stay true to who he is. Now without further ado Seoulsync presents Dumbfoundead.
SeoulSync: Can you introduce yourself?
- I’m Dumbfoundead aka Parker. My Korean name is Sung man Park(박성만). I’m an entertainer, rapper, host, actor, writer, stand-up comedian, and poet. People think I’m only a rapper but I’m more passionate about comedy. I’ve performed a few comedy shows in Los Angeles.
SS: What was your childhood like?
- My mom was originally from South America and I would consider her a cool mom. She’s funny and enjoys everything around her. On the other hand, my dad was that totally strict Korean guy and sort of an alcoholic. Whenever he was drunk he would start shouting at us and get into arguments with my mom, and my sister and I were fed up with it. When they decided to get a divorce, I was rather happy about it because we didn’t have to see them fight anymore.
SS: Were you a troublemaker at school?
- Not really. My parents were always out working hard, so my sister and I had many chances to hang out with friends. I wasn’t a gang member, but when I was in school, the teachers all hated me because I was the class clown. The classroom was my very first stage. I liked entertaining classmates and learning new things aside what I was already learning at school. In 2001, when I was 15, my friend brought me to South Central in Los Angeles. I got started as a rapper there and did open mic performances once a week for 7 years. I was the only Asian there and people used to call me Jackie Chan. It was a rough area, so I also had to learn how to defend myself.
SS: Why did you decide to be a rapper?
- I knew a lot of friends who had already started their careers as rappers, so I naturally decided that I wanted to be a rapper too. I hung out with a lot of black people, who were a big influence on my rapping skills, and practiced with them often.
SS: What’s your motivation?
- My family is my biggest motivation; especially my mom and sister. I spend a lot of my time with them and we all get along well together. They are the motor that keeps me going in life. They shaped me to be the person I am today. I’m already living out my dream, however, I want to become even more famous, so that I can help my mom retire. My mom is still working at a grocery market in LA’s Korea Town. I also get a lot of my inspiration from women. Everything is related to and starts with women.
SS: What kind of books do you like?
- I’m mostly into fiction, biography and a lot of poetry. I like Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. Charles Bukowski is my favorite poet.
SS: What does Korea mean to you?
- In America, I didn’t get along with Koreans. They thought I was this weirdo. However, whenever I came to Korea, I felt more accepted by the people here. Whenever I went through hard times, Korea helped me understand who I was by clearing my mind and realizing that you have to study your own people and find your roots.
SS: What do you do for fun?
- I like drinking all kinds of alcohol and being surrounded by people and talking and watching comedies and dramas. I wanted to be a film director when I was younger.
SS: What happens to you when you’re drunk?
- I become a lot funnier and more talkative when I’m drunk. I always talk a lot since I have a lot of things going on in my head. Those voices inside are always telling me to do something. If I can’t express myself, I’ll go crazy. That’s why I’m good at free styling. I have to let off all the energy.
SS: What’s your ultimate goal?
- I have great communication skills and I’m certainly a “people-person”. I want to share my life experiences with people and make them feel good, especially my experiences with a lot of people from diverse backgrounds. I hope to be an inspiration to many people out there and that they will have the chance to hear my story.
SS: Many people think about K-pop or Korean hip-hop copies Western pop music. What do you think about that?
- A lot of famous artists in America copy too. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as they create their own style from it and make it original. I used to copy some skilled rappers when I was a beginner until I was able to form my own style. I like listening to Korean hip hop and I had many collaborations with Dok2, Dynamic Duo, Swings, Tiger JK, Simon D, and other underground hip hop artists in Korea.
SS: What is your blood type? (typical question on a first date in Korea)
- AB; Psycho or genius(laugh). I’m both.
SS: A lot of young Koreans still have an American dream. Do you think there’s still an American dream for all second generations out there?
- Yes, I’m currently living my American Dream. A lot of Asian Americans are already living out their own dreams. Younger people will take the risks to establish their own dreams for their future. However Asian guys still have a bad reputation as people tend to stereotype us. They think we have small penises so we have to have a bad boy attitude. Just don’t give a shit about what anybody thinks and do what you want to do. That’s why I post whatever I want on Twitter and Facebook.
SS: How can you prove you don’t have a small penis?
- Do you want me to post a picture of mine on Instagram?(laugh)
SS: Any advice for future rappers or entertainers in Korea?
- Don’t worry. The future is already bright. “Show Me the Money” (an audition TV show for rappers in Korea) has recently been gaining a lot of attention and letting people know that rappers can make it big too. The show does such a great job. One thing I worry about though is that young Korean rappers don’t know how to rap about current events, politics, or society. They just like battling with other rappers and try to prove that they’re better than all the others. It’s more like swag rap. Look at Nas, Tupac, and Biggie out there. They usually talk about things that matter to people. Hip Hop music is a living, breathing thing that young rappers need to grab a hold of.
Fore more info on Dumbfoundead or check out when his next appearance is at, check out his website at www.dumbfoundead.com.
Check out his latest video of “Clear” that was shot all in Korea:
Kpop Buddy
(*This interview was conducted by Yuri Soh, SeoulSync – www.seoulsync.com; All photo credits to Dumbfoundead aka Parker)
