All Information About Independent AOMG Entertainment
AOMG, also known as “Above Ordinary Music Group” or “Always On My Grind,” is an independent record label established by singer, rapper, music writer, actor, record producer Jay Park. It was built in 2013 and is based in Seattle, Washington, but moved to Seoul, South Korea. In 2016, the big company CJ E&M announced that they were partnering with the record label and invested to help the label grow.
Everything About AOMG That You Don’t Know
| Parent company | Stone Music Entertainment (CJ ENM) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013–present |
| Founder | Jay Park |
| Distributor(s) | Stone Music Entertainment, Genie Music, Kakao M |
| Genre | Hip Hop, R&B, Rap, Sports |
| Country of origin | Seattle, Washington |
| Location | Seoul, South Korea |
| Official website | http://www.aomgofficial.com/ |
| Official Youtube | AOMG |
| Official Instagram | https://instagram.com/aomgofficial |
| Official Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/AOMGOFFICIAL |
| Official Twitter | https://twitter.com/AOMGOFFICIAL |
Although the group is nowadays more well known as the Korean hip-hop label, the name AOMG originally comes from the “Art of Movement”. The “Art of Movement” is a Seattle-based B-Boying group which Jay Park joined in 2003 with members such as Dial Tone, Junior, and Cha Cha Malone. Jay Park founded AOMG in late September 2013, and he initially signed composer Jun Goon, singer, and producer Gray, and Cha Cha Malone, a producer and dancer with Jay Park’s dance crew Art of Movement. The label had its launch party on October 10, 2013, at “The A” in Seoul with Ben Baller as the host. The same month, the label released its first album, Gray’s mini-album, Call Me Gray.
Artists Elo, Loco, Ugly Duck, DJ Wegun, DJ Pumkin, and Hoody joined AOMG over the next two years.
In March 2014, Simon Dominic announced that he had joined AOMG as co-CEO several months after his departure from his former label Amoeba Culture.
In January 2016, South Korean media company CJ E&M announced that it had formed a strategic partnership with AOMG. CJ E&M said in a statement that it would “support” AOMG with distribution and marketing, while AOMG would continue to control its music. (Note: As of October 2016, CJ E&M is the exclusive distributor of AOMG’s releases excluding those of Loco, handled by Kakao M (formerly known as LOEN Entertainment).
The head of CJ E&M’s music division, Ahn Seok Joon, stated that the powerhouse company would help the label grow to become ‘the trendiest label in Korea and a lifestyle leader both in Korea and abroad, starting with R&B and hip-hop music’ with its ‘support through infrastructure and know-how.’
Jay Park and Simon Dominic’s positions as CEOs remain unchanged, and AOMG will keep its independence in operations and music production while using the distribution and marketing networks provided by CJ E&M.
This news comes a few months after CJ E&M’s acquisition of Paloalto’s Hi-Lite Records label, reflecting the increasing popularization of the hip-hop genre in the Korean music industry.
Jay Park also took the news to Twitter to reassure fans that it would not affect AOMG and its artists in any way, referring to it as a ‘strategic partnership through investment in shares.’
Nothing change's, only bigger and better things. still gonna be doin' shit "OUR" way
— JAY BUM PARK (@JAYBUMAOM) January 6, 2016
Collaborations of AOMG Entertainment
AOMG has had multiple collaborations with dance crews and studios including:
- 1MILLION Dance Studio
- All I Wanna Do – Jay Park
- Yacht (k)-Jay Park ft Sik-K
- Prepix
- Me Like Yuh – Jay Park
- Yacht (K)- Jay Park Ft Sik-K
- PURPLOW
- Ain’t No Party Like An AOMG Party – Jay Park and Ugly Duck
- Me Like Yuh – Jay Park
- Mommae – Jay Park
- You Know – Jay Park
- Thinking About You – Loco
Albums and EPs
| Title | Artist | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Call Me Gray | Gray | 2013 |
| Evolution | Jay Park | 2014 |
| Locomotive | Loco | |
| Won & Only | Simon Dominic | 2015 |
| Worldwide | Jay Park | |
| Scene Stealers | Jay Park & Ugly Duck | 2016 |
| 8 Femmes | Elo | |
| Everything You Wanted | Jay Park | |
| On and On | Hoody | |
| Bleached | Loco | 2017 |
| Darkroom: roommates only | Simon Dominic | 2018 |
| Ask Bout Me | Jay Park |
Simon D Resigned from AOMG
4 years since Simon D joined AOMG as a co-CEO after leaving his former industry, apparently, it was long enough for him in AOMG too. Because on 25 July 2018, AOMG released an official statement confirming Simon Dominic’s resignation. The rapper is not leaving the label but plans to focus on his work as an artist.
Earlier the same day, Simon Dominic had released a song titled “Me No Jay Park” in which he talked about wanting to resign. The song also mentions his respect for his fellow AOMG co-head Jay Park, his unhappiness at being called ‘boss’ and ‘CEO,’ and the difficulties he felt in trying to keep up with Jay Park.
The song also contains lyrics referring to “writing my resignation letter” and “I’m doing this in order to return to my former self.”
Because of this sudden departure, many people thought that there was something bad between them. A few days later after his announcement, the two rappers appeared as guests on JTBC’s “Let’s Eat Dinner Together” on 5 September 2018.
When Kang Ho Dong said, “I heard that you guys fought,” Jay Park replied, “There was no fighting” and Simon Dominic added, “We’re really peaceful.”
Simon Dominic explained, “I was the co-CEO of AOMG with Jay Park, but I recently resigned from the leadership position. I went from owner to artist. It wasn’t because there was an issue of money. While being in the leadership position, it felt like I became lazy about music and was lacking drive. I did it in order to return to the beginning.”
Jay Park commented, “He also recently released the track ‘Me No Jay Park.’ Since my name is in the title of the track, people thought, ‘Is this a diss track? Are they on bad terms? Is he leaving AOMG?’ But in reality, our agency family members are doing well.”
