Kwon Ji Yong (born August 18, 1988), better known by his stage name G-Dragon (Hangul: 지드래곤), is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. After 6 years as a trainee under the record label YG Entertainment, G-Dragon officially debuted as a member of the South Korean group Big Bang. G-Dragon has been involved with writing, composing, and producing many of Big Bang's hit tracks, including "Lies", "Last Farewell", and "Haru Haru."His debut solo album, Heartbreaker (2009), yielded the number-one single of the same name and would go on to become one of the most successful albums of the year, garnering sales of over 200,000 copies and winning the Mnet Asian Music Awards for Album of the Year. Heartbreaker also sparked major controversies for the artist, including accusations of plagiarism. After almost a year of hiatus, G-Dragon and bandmate, T.O.P collaborated to record and release the album GD & TOP (2010). The album saw the release of three singles: "High High", "Oh Yeah", and "Knock Out", all of which have charted within the top three positions of the Gaon chart, with "High High" becoming a chart-topper. 2012 saw the release of his first EP One of a Kind, which yielded hit singles "One of a Kind", "Crayon", and "That XX." The album was critically acclaimed, earning Record of the Year at the 22nd Seoul Music Awards. His second full album in four years, Coup D'Etat (2013) matched the success of his previous work, and he won Artist of the Year at the 15th Mnet Asian Music Awards. He also earned the World's Best Entertainer and World's Best Album awards at the 2014 World Music AwardsG-Dragon became the second member of Big Bang to make a solo debut in Japan after his bandmate Daesung's solo concert tour in February. He embarked on his second worldwide tour as a solo artist, which included a four-dome tour in Japan. Noted for maintaining a tight control over his image and career, G-Dragon has been praised by celebrities for his hard work, creative artistry, and contribution to the fashion industry.