Jay Park is back in the kitchen cooking something hot.

With the bite of a sandwich dripping in sauce, a portion of breakdancing as his trademark and a catchy rap as a garnish, the 37-year-old artist serves up another delicious club hit with “McNasty” and the remix “Xtra McNasty”.

Fans of the hip-hop and R&B artist, also known as “JWalkerz,” will notice how the hot single follows in the footsteps of an earlier hit that took the club scene by storm.

“I had a song that had that ‘MOMMAE’ energy, and that’s why I wanted to release it before I got older so we could enjoy it at the waterbombs and the festivals,” the Seattle native tells PEOPLE late one night in Korea.

What fans may not realize is how long the hit has been on the horizon. According to the international hitmaker, “McNasty” was first recorded three years ago, as were a number of other unreleased R&B songs since then. But after balancing entrepreneurship and artistry, he never found the luxury of time to release his diverse catalog in the way his artistry envisioned.

Now 16, Park continues to pioneer the music scene in his own unique way. To date, the singer and rapper has released over 400 songs and features while serving as the founder and former CEO of three hip-hop labels – AOMG, H1GHR MUSIC, MORE VISION – and as the founder of the modern soju brand Won Soju. But the successes were just the highlights of a career full of ups and downs.

Before Park could break into the music industry, breakdancing initially gave him a sense of identity while growing up in Seattle, where Asian Americans were barely represented. Although his passion for b-boying meant he never took school all that seriously, he formed a circle of friends with whom he remains close to this day.

Shortly after, the “Dedicated 2 U” singer left everything behind to become a K-pop idol in Korea after a successful audition and struggled to adjust to an unfamiliar environment. After a turning point, Park decided to “start from scratch” and rebuild his career as a solo artist. From then on, he worked with a work ethic that is unheard of for most idols and artists.

“Even though I’m not broke anymore, I still work like I’m broke,” Park muses. “I need something going on. If I get complacent, everyone I work with gets complacent and there’s no progress. I feel like people were put on this earth to evolve and learn, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Being a pioneer can take its toll at some point, and the “All I Wanna Do” singer doesn’t hide the fact that he constantly faces challenges despite outward success. However, he tells PEOPLE that he sometimes keeps his most difficult struggles to himself so his parents and closest friends don’t worry. With that in mind, the “WYA” artist stresses the importance of being kind to those around you and constantly practicing gratitude.

“You never know what struggles or demons someone is going through or whatever,” Park says. “Everyone is the same, whether you’re a singer, working somewhere or whatever – everyone is going through something, but it’s just different.”

Sticking with his old friends throughout his life has always helped him stay grounded and humble in the best of moments. But as the course of life naturally drives people apart, he realizes how much effort it takes to maintain relationships.

“I’m only human – I’m not a god,” says the dancer. “But I always try to see the good in people. I always try to inspire and make something positive out of every situation, because there is so much negativity and evil in the world. I do my best not to contribute to it.”

It often takes just as much effort to get through the more difficult moments of external scrutiny. But that’s part of his job, and he knows he can either let opinions about him dictate his behavior or control his mood instead. But given how quickly the industry’s landscape is changing, he tries not to waste his energy in the wrong direction. After all, achieving something is one thing – but maintaining it over a long period of time is much harder, according to Park.

“There are always new faces, new people coming on the scene,” says the songwriter. “I have to be on my toes and stay on my toes in order not to lose my place and to keep it.”

“It’s something I think about all the time, and that’s why I see myself working all the time, nonstop,” adds the “SOLO” actress.

Growing older in an industry where it’s hard to age well can be “both a blessing and a curse,” Park says. Although many fans believe the 37-year-old still has the energy of a young twenty-something with his dancing and fitness routine, Park says he still feels the increasing pressure not to lose the people and things he’s responsible for.

“It’s like a double-edged sword: I hate it and love it at the same time,” says Park. “I need it to move forward and advance, but I’d rather live without the pressure.”

He also notices that the K-pop industry tends to focus on numbers and what’s trending at the moment. What gets left behind are the legends who paved the way despite initial difficulties but aren’t recognized due to their advanced age. The blind focus on commerce over artistry is not only what inspired the conflicting values ​​in Park’s labels, but also how he views his future legacy.

“I think the people who appreciate me appreciate me,” says the “GANADARA” actor. “People who don’t – they see me as an uncle, I don’t know. But I think it’s one of those things where they’ll appreciate me more when I’m gone.”

“I’m happy with that because at the end of the day, I never sold my soul,” he continues. “I have the same people around me that I had in high school and I’ve given them all a better life and better opportunities while maintaining my status and building our companies. Not many people have done that. I’m happy and proud of what I’ve accomplished.”

Creating better circumstances for himself and the people he cares about has always been his goal. After all, becoming a singer was never his original dream, but it was an opportunity that fell into his lap. From then on, he knew he had to do his best to take advantage of it.

“It’s not about sales, it’s not about how many views I get,” he says with resolute confidence. “At the end of the day, I can be proud of who I am and the people who support me can be proud of me. As long as that’s the case, it’s all good.”

“McNasty” and “Dedicated 2 U” are now available to stream.