G-Dragon (지드래곤)

BIGBANG (빅뱅)

Fact File

Stage Name : G-Dragon (지드래곤) also known as GD
Birth Name: Kwon Ji Yong (권지용)
Family Name (Last Name): Kwon
Born: 18th August 1988, Seoul, South Korea
Age: 24
Role in BIGBANG: Leader, 1 of 2 rappers, composer, record producer

G-Dragon started his career at the age of eight as part of a group called "Little Roora", this group released a Christmas album and then was suddenly dropped by their label. Despite GD's promise to his mother that he would stop singing after being dropped, GD was scouted by YG and became the label's trainee for five years.
GD spent the first year cleaning YG facilities and fetching water for the recording artists, while doing this he met Dong Young-bae, another YG trainee. After six years of training Dong Young-bae and GD released several singles under GDYB.
In 2006 GD became the leader of the new YG group, BIGBANG, with Dong Young-Bae also becoming a member (taking the stage name Taeyang).
GD was the second to release a solo album in the group, following in Taeyang's footsteps, and released the single "Heartbreaker". For the release of the album GD dyed his hair blonde to reflect the meaning of the song. However soon after its release GD was accused of plagiarism by Sony Music as they claimed "Heartbreaker" and "Butterfly" sounded like Flo Rida's "Right Round" and Oasis's "She's Electric". Though this was claimed by Sony Music, EMI the distributors of "Right Round" said they didn't hear any similartities between the same songs. YG fully ended the dispute by asking Flo Rida to appear in GD's new album and Heartbreaker can be found in two versions. One with only GD and the other GD ft Flo Rida.

In 2011, GD was taken in for questioning and testing on the suspicion of substance abuse. Sure that he had never taken drugs GD submitted to the investigation easily and was shocked to find that the test results cam eback positive. He was found to have a small trace of residu on him suggesting he had in recent times smocked a joint. GD himself claims that at a party he accepted a cigarette from a stranger for fear of being rude, which he speculates may have not been a cigarette as he thought at the time. Since only small traces were found he was only fined and charged with a first offense.

G-Dragon 2006

GD then went on to work in collaboration with fellow group mate T.O.P., and they together produced a hit album.

G-Dragon 2007

G-Dragon 2008

G-Dragon 2009 (Heartbreaker hairstyle)

G-Dragon 2010

G-Dragon 2011

G-Dragon 2012 ("alive" album look)

G-Dragon 2012 (early)

G-Dragon 2012 (middle)

GD is said to be planning to release a second solo album later this year, which will feature Ludacris. The first solo song of which is "One of a Kind" released on the 25th August.

He will also be appearing on Pixie Lott's new Japanese album along with T.O.P.