ZICO is one of only a small handful of people who has made a successful transition from idol to hip hop artist. There’s a lot of reasons for this: He’s not just good at rapping “for an idol” but for real, the line between rapping idol and rapping hip hop artist is blurred in Korea and he’s been a capable producer not only for his own songs but for other artists as well.

ZICO was quick to adopt trap, the hip hop style of choice in post-2010 America, to show off his brilliant production skills. He’s also tried his hands at a swath of different genres when working with others rather than always sticking to hip hop. Music lovers and media outlets frequently talk about ZICO’s raps, but this article will focus more on a less talked about side of the artist: his production abilities. Here are five songs he worked on for you to check out.

“Say Yes or No” feat. PENOMECO, The Quiett (ZICO, 2015)

Not only is this one of the first songs to come to mind when people hear the name ZICO, it’s also a perfect representation of his tastes as a hip hop artist. This slow trap banger is ZICO’s signature style. First heard as Yuk Ji Dam’s mission song on the all-female rap competition show Unpretty Rockstar, ZICO went on to release a version with The Quiett and PENOMECO eight months later. The beat in this version is the same, but the song has a different vibe as the subject matter they rap about is different.

The new chorus is a particular stroke of genius. Once trap music took over in the 2010s, simple composition and catchy, repeated hooks became the new trend, and the chorus in “Say Yes or No” follows this to a tee. It was responsible for the song’s earworm status, along with the amazing beat and rapping. It was also with this song that ZICO began to be recognized as a producer-rapper rather than simply a beatmaker.

“2YA2YAO!” (SUPER JUNIOR, 2020)

The lead single off TIMELESS, a repackaging of their ninth studio album, became a hit thanks to ZICO’s involvement. The production alone is some of ZICO’s very best work—a tight, flawless track, with an incredibly compelling main loop. The loop, somewhere between lively brass and digitally processed sounds, hits hard to keep tensions high the whole song.

The melodic synth line makes for a smooth transition to the chorus, with a total mood reversal that makes the already brilliant main loop that much more satisfying. All the expected flavors of hip hop are here, perfectly fused with distinctively SM-style vocals, composition and melody. The twist that briefly breaks up the trap beat adds an extra layer of pizzazz to the production as well. All told, the song is an adept showcase of ZICO’s clever production style.

“Flower Way” prod. by ZICO (SEJEONG, 2016)

This song is part of a Jellyfish Entertainment collaboration produced by ZICO and with vocals provided by SEJEONG from the group gugudan. The song breaks in on the back of piano arpeggios, with soft guitar riffs setting the mood, strings in the chorus and spiraling, sprawling emotions coming in to polish off the melodious ballad. SEJEONG’s ever-rising vocals and the perfectly placed strings leave the listener in a beautiful afterglow.

But, if they didn’t know any better, how many people would be able to identify that this track was produced by ZICO?! Presumably no one, given the classic ballad sound … and with that in mind, it’s shocking to see “prod. by ZICO” affixed to the end of the title, given how the artist made a name for himself on the strength of his hip hop. But this shows how much aptitude he possesses as a producer. It’s not just an interesting diversion; it’s quite the decent ballad.

“New thing” prod. ZICO, feat. Homies (ZICO, 2022)

This song off the soundtrack to Mnet’s original dance series Street Man Fighter really shows off ZICO’s rap/hip hop production abilities. It may sound like a typical, trendy ZICO song at first, but there’s actually an interesting catch—and the keyboard is the key. The song’s beat is your standard 808 drums-driven trap, but the keyboard captures a brand of YG hip hop not heard since the early 2000s.

Leaning into keyboards to add excitement to a track is pretty common in New Orleans bounce and Atlanta trap, but the hard-hitting keyboard loop in “New thing” sound like it’s been made in the same mold as the signature sounds of the likes of 1TYM, JINUSEAN and Perry. It’s hard to say whether this was intentional on ZICO’s part or not. One thing’s for sure, though: It’s a fascinating song that gives off unique vibes thanks to its fusion of American and Korean hip hop.