Spit: A Life in Battles

"I have watched every Dumbfoundead battle so many times that I have most of the insults memorized."
--Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker

"Jonnie 'Dumbfoundead' Park's story is the definition of winning life on hard mode: Start as an undocumented Korean immigrant from Argentina and become a once-in-a-generation battle rapper and artist in Los Angeles."
--Ronny Chieng, Comedian

SPIT is the raw and electrifying memoir of Jonnie Park--better known by his rap moniker, Dumbfoundead--whose rise from an unruly childhood in Los Angeles's iconic Koreatown to international rap stardom is as unlikely as it is exhilarating.

Born in Argentina to Korean parents and smuggled by a coyote across the US-Mexico border at age three, Park grew up in L.A. amid cultural dislocation, his father's violent alcoholism, and the turbulent protests and riots of the early 1990s.

Searching for belonging, he found salvation in the highly competitive underground world of battle rap, where he was among the only successful Asian American battle rappers. He honed his freestyle superpowers at Project Blowed, the legendary South Central L.A. open-mic venue, amid a motley crew of characters who took him in as one of their own.

Told through the lens of his life's greatest battles--his father's rage, racist stereotypes, the "model minority" myth, the pressures of fame, and his own addictions--Park tells his story with his trademark humor, lyrical style, and unflinching honesty.

Like Eminem's 8 Mile, SPIT charts the author's course from high-school dropout to cultural pioneer, one verse at a time. Featuring a dozen vivid graphic novel-style illustrations that bring his journey to life, SPIT visualizes the inner demons and outer adversaries Park faced along the way. From open-mics in South Central to freestyle cyphers in Seoul to music festivals across the globe, Park's memoir is a testament to creativity, grit, and the power of speaking your truth--even when the world isn't ready to hear it.

More than just a chronicle of an artist's path to success, SPIT is a groundbreaking story of identity, resilience, and reinvention. It is also the story of an American outsider who turned life's challenges into his stage and battled his way to triumph.

Jonnie Park, also known by his stage name, Dumbfoundead, is a Grammy-nominated, multi-hyphenate entertainer from Koreatown, Los Angeles. He first gained acclaim in the battle-rap arena, where his lightning wit and self-aware humor captivated foes and fans alike--talents that have propelled Jonnie beyond music into standup comedy, acting, and writing. He starred in the Emmy-winning film Quiz Lady and Netflix's heist drama Nemesis, and is a featured writer on the second season of the critically acclaimed dark comedy series Beef.

Donnie Kwak is a writer and editor based in Queens, New York, where he lives with his two cats, Tony and Tasha. His work has appeared in Complex, The Ringer, ESPN, Billboard, and Vibe.