# Mad Clown

Jo Dong-rim (Korean: 조동림; born March 25, 1985), better known by the stage name Mad Clown (Korean: 매드클라운), is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He debuted with the single "Luv Sickness" in 2008 and released his first extended play, Anything Goes, in 2011. He broke into the mainstream following the release of "Stupid in Love," his hit 2013 collaboration with Soyou of the girl group Sistar. He has since released the extended plays Ferocity (2014), Piece of Mine (2015), Love is a Dog From Hell (2017), and 0 (2020).

## Early life

Jo Dong-rim was born just outside of Chicago in Evanston, Illinois, on March 25, 1985. He and his parents moved back to South Korea when he was around one year old. His family sent him back to the U.S. to study when he was 14. Growing up, he was heavily influenced by Rapper 2Pac. He was pursuing a degree in sociology in the U.S. but later left his studies to continue to pursue music.

## Career
### 2008–2012: Debut and early career

Mad Clown debuted in 2008 and released his first EP in 2011.

### 2013–2018: Starship Entertainment, collaborations, and television judge

He has worked on several collaborations, including Stupid in Love with South Korean singer Soyou from the South Korean group Sistar, released on September 10, 2013.
On March 28, 2014, Starship Entertainment announced on their Twitter account that Sistar's Hyolyn would feature in Mad Clown's comeback track, "Without You". The music video for "Without You" was released on April 3, 2014.
On December 12, 2014, Mad Clown featured on "Anxious" by Melody Day. In December, he also began working as a mentor on No.Mercy, a survival show of trainees from Starship Entertainment which led to the formation of Monsta X. In 2015, he featured on Jooheon of Monsta X's first mixtape, SUPEXX.
Mad Clown released his third extended play Piece of Mine in January 2015.
In 2016, he was a judge and producer for the fifth season of Show Me the Money.
In 2018, Mad Clown did not renew his contract with Starship. That year, he also participated in the seventh season of "Show Me The Money" under the alias of "MOMMY SON", donning a pink ski mask to cover his appearance. After being eliminated from the show, he released the song, "Shonen Jump (ft. Bae Gisung)" in mock retaliation against those who eliminated him. He also performed the song during the filming of the final episode of the show.

### 2019–present: New label, more collaborations, further releases

In January 2019, Mad Clown collaborated with Stella Jang, releasing the single "No Question".
In September 2020, Mad Clown announced his first EP following his departure from Starship. The album, titled 0, will be released on October 6 through Sameside Company and has four ballads.

## Personal life

Mad Clown's younger brother is film and television actor Jo Hyeon-cheol.
Mad Clown married his non-celebrity wife on May 15, 2016, after a year of dating. He has a child, a son.
On September 22, 2022, Mad Clown revealed that he divorced his non-celebrity wife the year prior after 5 years of marriage.

## Discography
### Extended plays

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
| Title | Album details | KOR | Sales |
| Anything Goes | Released: November 4, 2011 Label: Soul Company Formats: CD, digital download | 55 | — |
| Ferocity (표독) | Released: April 4, 2014 Label: Starship Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download | 21 | KOR: 1,070 |
| Piece of Mine | Released: January 9, 2015 Label: Starship Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download | 8 | KOR: 1,492 |
| Love is a Dog From Hell (사랑은 지옥에서 온 개) | Released: March 16, 2017 Label: Starship Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download | 26 | KOR: 657 |
| 0 | Released: October 6, 2020 Label: Sameside Company Formats: Digital download | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. ||||

### Singles

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album |
| Title | Year | KOR | Sales | Album |
| "Luv Sickness" feat. Junggigo | 2008 | — | — | Non-album singles |
| "Farewell" (이별은) feat. DC | 2008 | — | — | Non-album singles |
| "Basil" (바질) feat. Brother Su | 2011 | — | — | Anything Goes |
| "Stupid In Love" (착해 빠졌어) with Soyou | 2013 | 1 | KOR: 1,159,949 | Non-album singles |
| "Brilliant Is..." with Skull, Haha, Geeks, Zico, Swings, Double K, Zizo, Soul Dive, Heo Kyung-hwan, Kim Ji-min feat. Gill, Jungin | 2013 | 75 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Without You" (견딜만해) feat. Hyolyn | 2014 | 4 | KOR: 967,646 | Ferocity |
| "Love Is You" with Starship Entertainment artists | 2014 | 10 | | Non-album singles |
| "Fire" (화) feat. Jinsil | 2015 | 1 | KOR: 1,087,147 | Piece of Mine |
| "Get Low" (털어) with Jooheon | 2015 | 65 | KOR: 74,428 | Non-album singles |
| "Sour Grapes" (못먹는 감) with San E | 2015 | 2 | KOR: 774,942 | Non-album singles |
| "Softly" (사르르) with Starship Entertainment artists | 2015 | 24 | | Non-album singles |
| "Like Romance Comics" (만화처럼) with Brother Su | 2016 | 17 | KOR: 125,593 | Non-album singles |
| "H.ear Your Colors" (알록달록) feat. Jooheon | 2016 | 57 | KOR: 42,946 | Non-album singles |
| "What Was That" (그게 뭐라고) with K.Will | 2016 | 14 | | Non-album singles |
| "Lie" (거짓말) feat. Lee Hae-ri | 2016 | 10 | KOR: 367,398 | Non-album singles |
| "Love Wishes" (누가 그래) with Starship Entertainment artists | 2016 | 77 | | Non-album singles |
| "Lost Without You" (우리집을 못 찾겠군요) feat. Bolbbalgan4 | 2017 | 5 | KOR: 1,012,764 | Love is a Dog From Hell |
| "Love is a Dog From Hell" (사랑은 지옥에서 온 개) feat. Suran | 2017 | 17 | KOR: 137,618 | Love is a Dog From Hell |
| "Wash!Wash" (세탁중) with Justhis | 2017 | — | — | Non-album singles |
| "Christmas Day" (크리스마스데이) with Starship Entertainment artists | 2017 | 63 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Butterfly" (너랑나랑노랑) with San E feat. Bumkey | 2018 | — | — | Non-album singles |
| "Thirst" (갈증) with Ailee | 2018 | — | — | Non-album singles |
| "No Question" with Stella Jang | 2019 | 47 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Old couple" (용기내지 마세요) feat. Kim Young Heum | 2020 | — | — | 0 |
| "Heaven" (새주소) feat. Jin Minho | 2020 | — | — | 0 |
| "I Miss You" (보고 싶단 말이야) with Punch | 2021 | 97 | — | Non-album singles |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||||

### Soundtrack appearances

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album |
| Title | Year | KOR | Sales | Album |
| "Chocolate Cherry Night" (쇼콜라 체리밤) with Yozoh | 2014 | — | — | Hi! School-Love On OST |
| "0 (Young)" with Giriboy, Jooyoung feat. No.Mercy contestants | 2015 | 71 | KOR: 43,760 | No.Mercy OST |
| "Once Again" (다시 너를) with Kim Na-young | 2016 | 2 | KOR: 1,056,319 | Descendants of the Sun OST |
| "Rose of Sharon" (무궁화) with Donutman, Boi B, #Gun | 2016 | 12 | KOR: 244,242 | Show Me the Money 5 OST |
| "Going Home" (비행소년) with #Gun feat. Gummy | 2016 | 6 | KOR: 433,732 | Show Me the Money 5 OST |
| "Bad Blood" (나쁜 피) | 2016 | — | KOR: 27,111 | Show Me the Money 5 OST |
| "Bully" (엄석대) with snzae | 2017 | — | — | High School Rapper OST |
| "Tonight" (오늘 밤) with BoA | 2017 | 90 | — | Hit the Top OST |
| "When It Rains" (비가 오면) with Soyou | 2018 | — | — | The Third Charm OST |
| "In My Head" | 2019 | — | — | Voice 3 OST |
| "Not Enough (Prod. BOYCOLD)" (담아) with Swings & Kid Milli, feat. YUMDDA & pH-1 | 2019 | 37 | — | Show Me the Money 8 OST |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||||

### Other charted songs

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album |
| Title | Year | KOR | Sales | Album |
| "Stalker" (스토커) feat. Crucial Star | 2014 | 20 | KOR: 222,519 | Ferocity |
| "Ganggab" (깽값) feat. Jooheon | 2014 | 67 | KOR: 66,904 | Ferocity |
| "Your Scent" (살냄새) feat. Brother Su | 2014 | 60 | KOR: 68,996 | Ferocity |
| "Gum" (껌) feat. Fana, Oh Ji-eun | 2014 | 72 | KOR: 59,328 | Ferocity |
| "Hide & Seek" (콩) feat. Jooyoung | 2015 | 24 | KOR: 107,061 | Piece of Mine |
| "Battle Cry" (때려박는 랩) | 2015 | 59 | KOR: 63,089 | Piece of Mine |
| "Coffee Copy Girl" (커피카피아가씨) | 2015 | 79 | KOR: 40,007 | Piece of Mine |
| "Flowers" (꽃) feat. Paloalto, Justhis, G2 | 2015 | — | KOR: 35,188 | Piece of Mine |
| "Population Control" | 2015 | — | KOR: 29,987 | Piece of Mine |
| "Lonely Animals" (외로운 동물) with San E feat. Brother Su | 2015 | 44 | KOR: 66,518 | Non-album single |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||||

## Filmography
### Television

| Year | Program | Network | Notes |
| 2013 | Show Me The Money 2 | Mnet | Contestant |
| 2016 | Show Me The Money 5 | Mnet | Judge/Producer with Gill |
| 2017 | High School Rapper 1 | Mnet | Judge |
| 2018 | Show Me The Money 777 | Mnet | Contestant |
| 2019 | Show Me The Money 8 | Mnet | Judge/Producer with Swings, Kid Milli, and Boycold |

## Awards and nominations
### Gaon Chart Music Awards

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref |
| 2013 | Song of the Year (September) | "Stupid In Love" (with Soyou) | Won | |
| 2015 | Song of the Year (January) | "Fire" | Won | |

### Golden Disc Awards

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref |
| 2018 | Digital Song Bonsang | "Lost Without You" (ft. Bol4)" | Nominated | |
| 2018 | Global Popular Artist Award | Mad Clown | Nominated | |

### Melon Music Awards

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref |
| 2015 | Best Rap & Hip Hop Song | "Fire" | Won | |

### Mnet Asian Music Awards

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref |
| 2015 | Best Rap Performance | "Fire" | Nominated | |