BTS - Rap Monster RM Joke REACTION [ LYRIC DEEP DIVE ] Metal Head Reaction

[@lobaetoile8440]

For the million time, I have to explain: 1) *The lyrics of Joke are NOT nonesense.* There's only a couple of lines that are him imitating people who say nonesense, the rest of the lyrics DO MAKE SENSE. 2) This song has a lot of references and it is focused on WORD PLAY though. It's not one of his super philosophical tracks. 3) The message isn't complicated: RM is responding to rappers who believe rap is only about having a fast flow, acting cool and agressive, and who don't care about writing decent lyrics and write bullshit or just empty or unauthentic stuff... And then turn to criticize those who are doing things in a different way, using superficial criteria, with a delusional sense of superiority. RM's main point is that "RAP IS ABOUT LYRICISM, WHAT YOU SAY AND HOW YOU SAY IT MATTERS". Speed is not the point, agression is not the point, those are just tools. 4) RM is simultaneously demonstrating how he CAN rap fast and with a "cool badass style" (if he wants), and declaring that lyricism and meaning is the heart of rap. Rhythm & Poetry = RAP. He's mocking rappers that are all about pretending, telling false stories about being poor or dangerous (when that's not their personal true experience), writing just about sex and drugs (with no variety in topics, repeating the same all the time). He's also changing his flow a lot on this song, I suppose to demonstrate his technical expertise. He's expressing his anger and his self-confidence. *YES, the six bullets/snakes are BTS members, his team that has his back. ** In very simple terms: "Sunbae" is your senior and "hoobae" is your junior. He's saying "I'm a better rapper than most of the rappers who are older or younger than me" (the ones who make fun of him for writing deep lyrics). ***Yes, there's some lines that are vulgar and cruel here... The context is that he's responding to people who speak to him that way, who disrespect him. RM mixtape has a lot of hurt, anger, and despair. It's also a little bit of a satire, with the imitating. There's also a few tracks there that are really sad. And a couple that are hopeful. It's not all like this, but it was intense. ****Idk if people told you, but, all the beats in this mixtape are samples of songs RM was a fan of, he wrote over them... That's why it wasn't in all music platforms, bc of the samples. It was recorded back in 2014 and released on SoundCloud, in early 2015. *The unnie line can be interpreted in a few ways... What I understood is: unnie is how women call other women who are older than them... So, he's saying "girls call you unnie" as "you are so pathetic that women don't see you like a prospect, you are not man enough for them to see you as attractive or someone they want to pursue" (bc you're hateful, not smart and/or unskilled)... He's not saying "you're a woman" but rather "women know you ain't it". Does it make sense?

[@neondream03]

Up

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

Thank you for this! I agree this song isn't a Joke, it's just funny to me how intricate a "simple" song is from RM, it's more complex than 99% of other rap songs that are actually trying to say something profound.

[@lobaetoile8440]

@@DestructiveMediaYT He's that type of person with overly elaborated thought process lol

[@loredell]

Up! I always dread people saying "it's meaningless but fast" (that's not "good rap", you can have 4 words go slow and still rap well... smh). It does have meaning, but it's not a song to "dive deep" in the lyrics per se, especially without the background of why in this case. ^^

[@loredell]

@@lobaetoile8440 Love him on vlives when he accelerates and even KR translators can't keep up bc he's so excited. Weirdly enough I do understand broadly what he's talking about O_O (I learn languages listening to rap lol)

[@kulzumfahim]

Joon's persona :- 🚴🌸🪴🐞 His rap :- 💀💥💣🔥

[@linshu9847]

Yeah... You're right

[@orreomacflury7881]

Agree

[@cassiedlp847]

I usually diffentiate RM and Suga's writing styles as RM - will curse you without you realising while Suga - will say FU straight to your face awesome / genius combination 🙌

[@jenjin9492]

and...Jhope just makes even the haters groove to his unique flow haha

[@cassiedlp847]

@@jenjin9492 yes hahaha

[@Funtan_Sonyeondan]

💯

[@liznota3441]

Yes yes yes, love this explanation Namjoon leaves you scratching your head, like wtf did he just say about me Suga, well suga leaves no doubt what he just said too ya .. #cypher2 lol

[@priyankapar]

RM and Suga were both part of underground rap scene in Korea before they joined BigHit and made BTS. RM at 15yrs old was already huge in underground rap, same with Suga he was great at underground rap scene. You need to undestand 15yr old Namjoon made such an impression on BangPD (CEO of BigHit) that he was signed on with them in 2010 and BTS was made keeping him in mind as the central figure when it was to be a hip-hop group.

[@nehakamble3935]

I think " do you " by RM is another masterpiece you should check out .

[@thisisrenren3657]

Yessss do you is my favorite

[@itsbonniefay2417]

Hell yeah that one is fire 🔥

[@frofro7134]

true

[@DeanBabe65]

Yes, I'm curious what you think of 'Do You', especially the beat. I'm not going to give any spoilers, but I love how RM starts this mv. 💜

[@californianinkansas]

It’s such an underrated song 💜

[@rm4u223]

RM did 9 different flows here. All of RM's work are based on deep lyrics but not Joke. Joke is full of word play and Joke was made for fun n not for meaningful lyrics.This song was a slap to haters who criticized that he cnt rap fast or flow hard as "he had become an idol rapper" n said his rap was based on only lyricism n delivery. Also mocked him for persuing his career as BTS. Joke was his answer to those so called " rappers" who only spit words like 'bibidi babidi' (basically just saying any word that would go with the rhythm without having any actual meaning). Like that through Joke he showed that he can rap fast but good rap ain't just about speed. Just being fast doesn't make it meaningful. It was a clap back to haters! Also when he says 'hit me' at the end it was an invitation to the rappers to defeat him or challenge him but no one ever did!!

[@vk.infp_daeguboysstan9992]

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@melgaye0]

Very good comment. I think that sometimes fast rappers are just empty calories.

[@kulzumfahim]

Damn! This was the best explanation ever!🔥💜

[@marirezende8478]

Actually the bibidi babidi line refers to the previous line talking about rappers that can only do triplet flows, he says "they go like bibidi babidi..."

[@lubnakhan2941]

He did underground more than any rapper in kpop he had a fanbase in under at 14 15 yr old age , older rappers were scared to go against him! It was documented even! From old khiphop forums

[@myaudiospace2]

Where can I find that documented video ??? Plz

[@sandydebord8153]

I LOVE RM’s edgier works from his early years, but you need to understand that his mindset has changed drastically over the years. Yes, the Cipher series and “Do You” are a must; you will love them. RM, formerly Rap Monster, is extremely intelligent (IQ 148) and he’s a deep thinker. He writes lyrics for both BTS and his own solo works. Actually, all three rappers are the primary songwriters and produce/compose for BTS, but all of the members have experience writing and producing. The “Love Yourself” album series marked a time when all of them decided to forget the hate they had experienced in their early career, and instead, focus on being a positive influence in the world. There’s a short video titled, “How Jin changed RM’s perspective” that will give you insight into the emotional intelligence these guys possess. I live here in the United States as well and I can only hope that men in western culture can learn from these guys. In Korea (and other Asian cultures), men are much more open to showing their emotions without it being judged in any significant way. I personally think that’s why so much of their music resonates with us just as human beings. This is a long journey and I hope you continue. They have over 250 songs/tracks total and no shortage of additional content. Also, if you don’t already know, they are also a bunch of hilarious crackheads. Never a dull moment!

[@macwest5790]

I miss RM’s old also, I mean I like his rap now too, but love his old hard rap

[@sumaiaintiser8121]

Please react to Namjoon's tracks from his last mixtape Mono - 'forever rain', 'moon child', 'seoul'. Mono is an amazing album that shows Namjoon's growth as an artist and I think it's more in line with your type of rap. It's one of my personal favourite albums of all time. Also joke is not really a lyrical song. It focuses more on rhymes and flow not having deeper meaning. For his lyrical works you can check out 'do you' 'awakening' 'adrift' 'voice' from the mixtape RM. And a small correction- Namjoon is not the main writer for rap line. The rappers write their own verses and songs. Namjoon is a primary song writer for bts.

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

Thank you for that correction!

[@mitheithel13]

+++ Such good suggestions. Thank you. To be honest, I don't understand why so many people suggest "Joke" as the first song for introduction to RM. It's so specific and so not him anymore. And it's so much more enjoyable when you know context and story behind it. I love this song but it's always been suggested to early in my opinion. Have no idea why.

[@loredell]

@@mitheithel13 Agree, I don't hate on people, but I hate the fact that the less versed masses dominate and just think "oh, this is crazy and fast, you have to like it"... Well, if you like rap and hiphop, one big part of it it's not going fast, but being clever. And you don't come to a diss track you have no background of (imho) or that's not that easy to track.

[@loredell]

@@yoongbloom ? I thought you were replying to me as I got the notif, and actually commented on this on a comment down below lol, but yes, People go "RM is angry sh*t and mono is mellow rap", that is enough to tell me they haven't listened to anything but Joke and Do You, what about Awakening? (it is so powerfully sad) Or adrift and Voice and I believe?... Anyway, sorry for replying xD but yeah, my comment is somewhere in here about this ^^U

[@loredell]

@@yoongbloom Me too 😭 and everyone going to reactors "yeah you have to do Joke!!!!!" 😭 Like I'd start with PDD and Awakening first. Are more self explanatory than Joke and it seems he is just cursing at everyone 😭 I love all his tracks say 51/49 on slow rap, slow jam vs tongue virtuoso 😏 🤗

[@anaisc8733]

I'm sure the others must have explained in different ways what Joke meant when RM released it. However, they might be in a group, but he and Suga were originally rappers, and not just rappers from k-pop but underground hip-hop where they were there for a few years before even being in BTS. So yes, their rapping can sometimes seem 'hardcore' compared to what you would expect from k-pop rappers. You should try reacting to their mixtapes. Ps. You should react to the introduction of BTS, '7 members of BTS (update 2021)' by Ida.S, you will be able to understand more about them and their roles.

[@SAFAEECH]

Also RM " persona " is a masterpiece that acctualy the song that's make me army now

[@angelicar2901]

"Hit me!" And at this point nobody has!!! 🤩

[@dariajustdaria2292]

"In my pocket there's full of monsters" is a Pokemon reference 😁 this song has it all lol

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

I didn't catch that!

[@loredell]

@@DestructiveMediaYT Gotta catch 'em all! :D

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

My starter Pokémon on gameboy (Pokémon blue) was always Squirtle, if I was wanting a challenge, I would pick Charmander!

[@loredell]

@@DestructiveMediaYT I own all Nintendo consoles to newest one (Switch OLED) xD don't get me started. Back then, ... I'm a Charmander/Bulbasaur person. I also happened to work on Pokémon Sun/Moon (EN>ES, my native language) then Litten person :P Arceus just dropped by the way :D

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

You know I run a gaming channel too right? (Destructive Gaming) I also own many consoles and games. Also recording got delayed today because I was watching someone on twitch play Pokémon Legends: Arceus 😆

[@woodlands879]

RM is such a lyrical genius. His rap is amazing

[@nehasharma-fe5gn]

RM is legit lyrical genius. He has deepness like Ocean in his lyricism and thaughts . With 148 iq brain. In this song joke he explained that fast rapping with rubbish is not what hip hop is . Lyrics do matters a lot. He is the best lyrical rapper and hip hop artist i have ever heard. He is actually main writter of BTS songs . RM is technically and skillfully the best s-tier rapper . In his younger age he has dominated the underground hip hop scene. For his amazing lyricism you can check out "do you", "ughgood", "reflection", "moonchild", "monster" and so many more his mixtape mono is the ocean of deep thaughts . You can check "persona" too. He is the best lyricist ever . You can understand his strong powerful aura by just this thing that in the ending of this song joke he said hit me to invite other rappers to reply him but nobody dared to reply him back . He got flow, cadence, skills and like he said his pen (his lyricism) is his power . Indeed rap monster 👹

[@UsOurselves]

This is definitely around the time the rap line was being heavily criticized for being in an idol group, there was a LOT of frustration and hate pent up inside, it was mainly RM and Suga who got the brunt of it since they were both initially part of the underground rap scene. If you think RM is going fast here you definitely need to check out Agust D, ‘Agust D’ 💜 if you plan on doing their Cypher series you can tell it starts off hard but as they grow they lose a lot of that anger and come back to their haters with a simple message, just ‘love yourself’

[@shivangiagrawal2665]

RM's writing is truly beautiful. He doesn't just write his rap verses but full songs for the vocal line and some solo songs in BTS as well. I found this later, Some of my lyrically favourite songs of BTS like Serendipity, Singularity, zero o'clock etc. were written by RM. His mixtape mono is legit therapy. He's filthy in songs like this so its a nice change for me. 😅 He has written the most in BTS (with suga and J hope following) and also has some of the highest credits in entire kpop.

[@lubnakhan2941]

This will be long but its a little summary of him RM is an artist i respect alot and have followed specifically. You gotta check his mixtape titled RM (joke is one of its tracks) It was amazing and also his new one mono was incredible. His collaborations with lil nas X (str) , Walle , Warren G, krizz kaliko, FOB , Honne and many korean artists He is very very talented from childhood and was famous in ug hip hop seen. Writes and raps in 3 + laguages , is amazing lyrically, and has a big hand behind the formation and success of BTS He was the reason behind the group formation. He is very very imp . Behind the success, This is carrying many phrases, double triple meanings and rhymes both connecting eng and korean . You'll know more how he is a lyrical genius along the way. He is very good at lyrics like that. He is known for his work in south korea music scene . Esp. In hip hop. So abt Korean hiphop scene ... RM aka rap monster was active and famous in underground rap scene since teen years old , he had a big fanbase then as well and they were upset when he became an idol ; he is called son by the biggest k hiphop artist tigerJk who he has collaborated with also RM calls him dad as well His RM mixtape is on bts soundcloud and he is the only k hiphop artist to ever make to spins ww hiphop albums list that year and till now His 2nd mixtape mono is a beautiful masterpiece recently released, you should check both out, as well as his collaborations He has 186 track credits on his name and mono has >122 itunes 1 as first and only asian artist, classified at ss tier rapper in sk , (among the 3 in bts only ss as well) He has outgrown his rap monster stage name but it was a part of his journey and changing it to RM was his decision because he thought the older name restricted his growth (to rap only) , we respect his decision, he is an amazing amazing artist!

[@angelicar2901]

You nailed it with the reference of the 6 being the BTS members.👌👏

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

Awesome! Thank you for watching!

[@itmfiddler]

I listen to this all the time. As an ex-dancer, when I listen to rap it’s a lot about the rhythms (RM’s lyrics are great, of course!). A lot of rap feels boring in my body, this one, it’s so exciting to move to. The switches, the dynamics, the beat of his voice, it’s amazing. I’m probably just weird though.

[@lobaetoile8440]

It's not weird at all. It makes logical sense, and it's a cute comment too.

[@itmfiddler]

@@lobaetoile8440 thanks for the supportive comments, I appreciate it! 💜

[@lobaetoile8440]

@@itmfiddler 💜😘

[@rosemarymillan5864]

Definitely not weird at all! Keep doing you. *DO YOU DO YOU - rm*

[@extratae2withoutshoes51]

Me too, i don't like rap songs but when i listen joke, it's very good to listen.

[@tajbabydoll]

As others have said, he was an underground rapper from a very young age. He was signed to Big Hit when he was just 15 and made the leader of the group due to his rapping, English skills, maturity and intellect. He's not just a writer for thr Rap Line, but he's a writer and Producer for the group as well as other artists. "Unnie" is what Korean girls/women call their older sisters or older female friends. Please check out BTS as a group, they're all so versatile and talented both individually and as a group.

[@sharonlahaye5803]

Rm is one of the main songwriters for BTS, not just for the rap line. He's written more than 170 of their songs.

[@rubygalvezrl]

RM is one of the best communicators because of his conscientiousness and passion for his writing.

[@marirezende8478]

I don't know why people KEEP spreading that Joke lyrics don't make sense because that's the "joke". This is not true, it was said time and time again, the lyrics DO make sense, but they are so heavily filled with Korean and multiple languages wordplay that it's difficult to understand without a Korean person to help. Y'all have to stop saying this because it's not true, pls it's 2022 you have to let this fake news di3

[@taequilasilver7183]

i know, it´s 2022 and people don´t understand that this is the purpose of the song

[@nolonolo5262]

i love it when namjoon said HIT ME at the end to the haters and none of the haters has responded to that lol.

[@TwoMiceOnMyBookshelf]

This is one of my favourite from RM. I know he sampled Run The Jewels (because when you play JOKE, it is RUN THE JEWELS that popped up under KZbin's song credits). But he managed to make it his own. He is a great lyricist. Although I don't believe he will ever be this angry again, I am glad to have the angry BTS in the history of our music appreciation. Love this multi-prongs approach with lyrics, music video, lyrics. Nice one. Thank you. I am wishing you much growth in your endeavours on KZbin. So many are riding on BTS for their own monetary interests. You feel as one of the more genuine ones who truly deserves whatever gain may come to you. Thanks again.

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

Thank you so much for saying that! I'm really enjoying my BTS journey so far, but I'm trying to take it slow. I only record BTS content a few times a week, then other stuff the rest of the week so I don't burn out. Thank you for watching!

[@UbgH0-jaowo]

im sure a lot of people have recommended the cyphers before so sorry if i sound like a broken record but you should really react to them! its a rapline staple and the lyrics are really fun to look at. i always call them onion lyrics bc theres so many layers that you have to peel to fully understand it lol. theyre not the most deep lyrics of bts but they sure are good

[@UbgH0-jaowo]

if you want some deeper solo rapline songs i'd recommend their mixtapes Agust D and D-2 (by suga), mono and rm (by rm), and hope world (by jhope)

[@mishka0613]

Considering everything that was said and done to them, answering back with a few amazing songs then moving on to becoming the biggest group in the world is so satisfying. BTS has received a disgusting amount of hate. They've been such a class act through it all. And the best clap back is that these acts and institutions are firmly beneath them now. God bless.

[@sandydebord8153]

One more thought….Dis-ease and Respect are two tracks that you will love on your lyrical deep dive. They aren’t just RM, but I would love to see your reaction to them.

[@MariaChavez-ey5sr]

His ability to flow and change his flows on a fairly challenging beat up rap on is sheer flexing and honestly we are here for it. The sheer hate he got from both sides for years got channeled into works like this and Do You. I live for petty RM as much as absolutely beautiful lyrical RM. Also I’m always amused by the visual imagery both he and a Suga use of being tied up or confined as a metaphor how people try to tie them down into the roles of being only an idol and once they break out they will absolutely show you what they can do.

[@ebony7177]

Actually real original rap you can take any beat. Real rappers can rap over anything because it's about YOUR FLOW as a rapper. If you are relying on the music that much it meant you couldn't change up your flow. So he was on a basic beat because this was a master class on his flow and word play.

[@alexandraaw7397]

He's the rap god, he's from underground rap world so it's not surprising, he's the best at word play. And yes I love it when he switch back and forth between Korean and English.

[@yeoljeongbts5296]

Some vocab that wasn't translated on DoolSet: Korean uses an honorific system generally based on age of speakers or in professional settings, title/seniority. Unless very familiar or on friendly terms with someone where you've established that it's okay to speak without them, you will ALWAYS address people using these honorifics. Here are the ones mentioned: Eonnie/Unnie - this is how a younger female would call an older female. Direct translation means "older sister" & this would only be used if they are blood related (actual sisters or cousins) or are very good friends (the male equivalent is "hyung" meaning "older brother said by younger males to older males) Sunbae - used in more professional settings like within an industry or in school to refer to someone who is either older than you or has seniority (so in the case of the music industry this would be groups that debuted before BTS did or a rapper who's been rapping longer than RM). Hoobae - similar to sunbae only flipped. This is how a sunbae would refer to those younger/having less seniority than themselves. So in the music industry this would be groups that debuted after BTS or rappers that are younger/started rapping after RM did so he would be their sunbae while they are his hoobae Some other vocab you'll probably want to know going forward: Noona - how younger males call older females (blood related older sister/cousin or close friends) Oppa - how younger females call older males (blood related older brother/cousin or close friends) Nim - a suffix added to names or other honorifics to express deeper respect & levity Ssi (pronounced she) - Mr./Ms./Mrs. Used at the end of a person's name to formally refer to them or call their name Ahjusshi - Used by younger people to call middle aged men Ahjumma - used by younger people to call middle aged women Eomma - Mother Abba - Father Halaboji - Grandfather Halmonnie - Grandmother

[@laurahilliker5336]

@ Destructive Media, EDM Electric dance music?! No , Not exactly! Lol! “Run the Jewels” sample RM is using! This song is a sample of Killer Mike and EL P’s song” oh , My Darling ( Please Don’t Cry) “ RM is a student of Rap and Hip Hop, he come from the Korean Underground Hip Hop Scene. Both Suga & RM did battle rap where many of the underground rappers were intimidated by RM & Suga because they are that good!!! As far as the haters more or less This song didn’t really represent animosity towards the haters. This is a play on words Korean metaphors and Korean References are played with English back-and-forth! RM is a lyrical Genius and he can incorporate to different languages! Yes he’s very smart he has an IQ of 148! Both RM and Suga have flow and cadences when it comes to rapping , In this particular song RM switches his flow seven or eight times? Not sure? But it was quite a lot For one song ! Lol! This is to prove to all the naysayers who said that Rap fast Or was unable to compete with underground rappers and any other rappers who came along to say negative things towards RM! He got a lot of flack because he switch from underground rapping to being a Idol rapper because many main stream underground rappers don’t think idols are considered artist especially idol rappers in the K-pop industry! Continue good luck with your journey of BTS I definitely am looking forward to seeing more reactions from you!😊🙏🏼💜

[@hortbeck]

I love RM's rapping on lyrics. I love his song Persona.

[@sanres2100]

Just a quick comment, Namjoon is not only a writer for the rap segments of their songs, but a writer for a lot of the BTS songs and other artists songs.

[@cynthiabrinker466]

The great thing about RM (and SUGA too) which maybe is what your not use too is that they can RAP over the beat not to it and change the flow up several times during the same song. It can make you feel uneasy if your not ready for it, but really it’s genius

[@bluyoongi]

speaking of logic, i believe there were previous rumors of logic and suga dropping a song together, as there was a picture posted of them together in the studio! i hope one day we can see that collab happen

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

I would be there day 1 to hear that song.

[@freyarm]

You would want to see their live performances. They bring joy to the world. 💙

[@Andy-pi5vc]

I really enjoyed your breakdown and your desire to explore both the meanings and the language! I am definitely not an expert in Korean, but one thing I do know is in the part where he referred to the people he was dissing as "unnie" was not necessarily meant to be derogatory towards women. Like basically every language other than English, Korean is gendered and there's a respect and age hierarchy. A younger man would refer to an older male friend as Hyung, and an older female friend as Noona, whereas a younger woman would call an older male friend Oppa and an older female friend Unnie. So in the song I think he says that "girls call you unnie," meaning that "women don't recognize you as a man," or that "the girls you say you have just think of you as a big sister." It's a small thing, but something I find really fun with the ability to wordplay in other languages.

[@bibianaseo9672]

Namjoon is not just a genius, but a extensive reader in literature, history. Thus, every lyric he wrote is rich in content from his world of knowledge.

[@lulusfieldnotes]

Hi there, 👋 I really really recommend RMs 'Do you', a real gem!! Love this song for its' message💜💜👌

[@silviamunoz6863]

I was going to recommend it! It's awesome!

[@MandiKS1020]

One of the best things about RM is that he’s known not only for his touching and insightful lyrics, but also for his ability for very…dynamic rapping. He does strange things with beats and rhythms. And the fact that he can switch languages so quickly just adds to it. And he is a king at word play!

[@melsb1825]

I think you would like 'Do You' by RM mainly because it uses some really unique rythmn sounds like metronomes and spray cans and it has a BTS type positive message, but still has that hip hop edge.

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

Thank you all for watching! Do you think my lyric breakdown was correct? Let me know what you think! Also if you don't know, I'm going to do a BTS/TOOL crossover to show how they both write about Jungian philosophy. Check out this video I just did to a very early LIVE performance Tool did all the way back in 1992: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iILWpaSIftGor8k (this Tool song is not related to Jungian theory)

[@erikoenglish1651]

I'm really enjoying your reaction. RM, Suga, J-Hope are main songwriter of BTS. I can't wait to see your reaction Agust D The Last. 😭

[@CP_LUVS]

Nice job! You got a lot of it pretty close🥳 he got so much criticism and told he wasn’t a real rapper anymore after joining BTS and had lost his skill so you’ll notice all the flow switch up and wordplay to flex and show his versatility. Thanks!

[@beccal.5369]

You are right the word K-Pop is misleading. The music is not all pop - it should be renamed as K-Music or K-Sound. In Korea they call K-Pop - Idol Music (they do not call it K-Pop) and it is expected that they will have a variety of sounds. It is just the west that lumped them all in together under the same moniker of "Pop". Good breakdown - Love the fact you caught onto the Samsung reference and also the six bullets being the guys from BTS!! RM did this song as a ‘joke’ hence the title of the track. RM at this time was heavily criticized for been in an idol group and that he couldn’t maintain an actual flow. Well in this RM gives good flows/rhythm through out the track in which also get faster as the rap comes to an end. He also mocks other rappers that looked down on him. He even brags about how writing the lyrics took him just a short time and that it is easy for him to do so. Eng Lyrics on official MV Joke MV- Solo by RM kzbin.info/www/bejne/hamwo3WEd7yeqa8

[@beccal.5369]

RMs - Forever Rain - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eafFaGmed72ShcU (Pure Poetry)

[@TB-vz8fk]

You did rly well. Btw you should check his album Mono, especially songs Forever Rain (deep song with MV), Seoul, Tokyo and Moonchild! :)

[@rjbirmingham]

I love that you do deep dives into songs - you are fast becoming my fav reactor - I think it is good you are doing your fav type of music first because it will give you an understanding of how lyrics, MV, performance, dance and the indivudal mix to create meaning - once you understand it through your fav type of music you will see it in their other pieces (individual, subgroup, and full group) As an example Jimin's Lie is far more meaningful that it seems, but it combine Lyrics, live contemporary dance, multiple lies told (music, words, tempo, pitch) and indivudal to get full meaning

[@tracydowd4013]

RM is one of the main writers for BTS, the rappers write their own lyrics to their raps, but they do get help sometimes. Actually, the rap line are the main writers for BTS lyrics, but all the members contribute to lyrics, melodies, production. All the members write and produce their own solo work. I'm glad you looks up the lyrics on doolset. 💜 Fun Fact, RM wrote -80 to 90% of the Map of the Soul: Persona Album.

[@armymomot7931]

Your aunt is in my “safe space” group !!! She shared her metal fan nephew giving BTS a chance!!! And I’m like … ?bryan? 😝😃. Yo Fam!

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

That's hilarious! She did say she was talking about me in her BTS groups, hopefully all good things 😆 Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@armymomot7931]

@@DestructiveMediaYT all good 👍🏻

[@simplytricia5526]

Just want to clarify things, all of 3 rappers from BTS write their own raps and lyrics, RM only help them polished it and translate some to English. That is why you can always see those 3 rappers name on almost every song credits. RM is kind of the main lyricist for the whole group and helping other members polish their lyrics. But all of the members have always contributing to lyrics or beat of their songs.

[@boramchoi1177]

The lyrics of Joke are full of Korean references. Wasn't it difficult to fully understand the meaning? Can't wait to watch 😍

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

Kinda, but I think I figured out the overall meaning?

[@boramchoi1177]

@@DestructiveMediaYT I watched your video. So I've got what you mean. Great review. RESPECT!!

[@angelicar2901]

Fun fact. If you have a Samsung phone, the official tune Over the Horizon was produced by Suga, one of the members of BTS. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Znq1Y5ePmN6HedU

[@autumnmapel3874]

Before joining BTS RM and suga are well know under ground hip pop rappers. And they also started as hip pop group

[@kenyanbee753]

Joke that was supposed to be joke is such a hard hitting song that you forget it was literally made for fun. RM lyricism is no joke..

[@SemilieJ95]

just here to say that you should totally check out something from namjoons latest mixtape “mono”. It’s a total 180 from the first mixtape. The song “forever rain” is such a favorite of mine, and it has a wonderful animated music video. The lyrics mean a lot to me. His song “reflection” off the BTS album Wings is also one of my favorites. and “everythinggoes” is a song i listen to on repeat whenever i’m feeling the blues. Sometimes i think that if ill ever get a tattoo, it would be the frace “everythinggoes” I think the “RM” mixtape really shows off his rap abilities, and its impressive to listen to! But “mono” is like a godsend to me, the entire mixtape means so freaking much to me.

[@ismt9390]

If you like Suga, i think that "The Last" is arguably one of his best, deepest, most personal songs. He talks about his depression and anxiety in a country where that's taboo for artists and even normal people. When i heard that song, i was already a fan for a while so i knew them pretty well, but still, i thought to myself "Wtf, is it ok to put this out there? Isn't this too personal? I almost feel like i'm intruding.".

[@susmitanaha6929]

If you want to focus on lyrics plz react to mono his mix tape... Joke is all about his flows, he raps here without any chores nd he is dissing, or replying other rappers here..

[@jasminerios948]

Thank you for sharing your honest preferences in a respectful way. Not everyone will love the same styles of music, so it's refreshing to hear someone express that in a thoughtful way. I've listened to most of the rap lines' solo mixtape songs (RM, Suga, & J-Hope) and they all definitely have different and unique rap and lyrics writing styles. To me, RM is venting out a lot of anger that he has toward the rappers that made fun of him for joining BTS, calling him a "girl" because he wears makeup on-stage, which I think is why he references misogynistic wording in his lyrics. It seems like it's a clap back to those rappers that called him a "girl" by throwing it back in their faces. Suga's style is super introspective and he shares a lot of his experiences fighting his own demons. Mental health is taboo in Korea, so it's a huge deal that he is so open to addressing the darker side of himself. J-Hope is a fun-loving guy that grew up dancing to hip-hop, so his vibe is groovy, funky, and laid back. There are so many good songs by the rap line that it's hard to recommend specific songs. I think it depends more on your current mood or style preference. If I had to recommend any songs, I would say Suga's "Interlude: Shadow" is one of my favorites because the lyrics are about the conflict that he has between all of his identities. FYR: The official music videos all seem to have the best captions. It seems like they translate the poeticism and intention better than most that I've seen. It's unfortunate that a lot of the wordplay and poeticism get lost when translations are literal. Jaeguchi does a pretty good job as well for color-coded lyrics.

[@muddybudgie]

I like the way you reacted to this: listening, watching MV and then going through the lyrics on doolset. I personally like how the beat starts quite bare and build slowly getting more complex.

[@keumgold70]

Rappers RM, Suga and J-hope writes their own individual rap line and lyrics in all BTS songs. Because RM is fluent in English he often help English lyrics part of songs other members sing.

[@nim7121]

I love Joke but i don't think it's my favorite from him. He has a lot of solo staff including lots of collabs with other artists such as wale, fall out boy, tiger jk (he is known as father of k-hiphop) and MANY more. Here are some of my favorites (i'm going to drop the best lyric videos i can find as well): Awakening (2015) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYWrnn-nrpKNm80 Do You (2015) kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqqTloqmpb2Jaqs Change with wale (2017) kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2i9gniimKd1jJo Champion remix with fall out boy (2018) kzbin.info/www/bejne/aH-WpaanYpV5fqM Moonchild (2018) kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWrRpZSueNGZqKM Persona (2019) kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2q4qmOlpbt5adU Winter flower with Younha (2020) kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZSmnHR9lLGCb7s Strange with Agust D (2020) kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH7YfYCCrr1shJo

[@user-qd5gr8ql2w]

I really want to see your reaction to j-hope's "Base line" or "hangsang" they're such cool two tracks with crazy flows from his mixtape 😊

[@ringmania]

I think you will like "Mono" album by RM much more. 'Joke' is pretty old one. I think it does show his skill but it doesn't show his deep thoughts about the life and all. And he had too much anger at that time. "Mono" album is therapeutic. I wish I could pick one song out of the album for you but I can't..:( To me, the whole album is one song.

[@serenity3209]

It is BTS Rappers way of getting at to those people who ridiculed and maligned them during the early years of their career. Its so strong especially now that they’re on the top of their game…Those people whole maligned them is never ever heard of.🤭💜Thank you for this🙏

[@has-been-hot3l]

I have truly never been a rap or hip hop person, but RM, Suga, and Jhope’s writing, especially their more meaningful stuff (which is, admittedly, pretty much all of it) has dragged me in by the ankles

[@AshleyTuckerDesigns]

My personal interpretation of the music video, not necessarily what it means just my thoughts, but I feel like the fact that RM is the guard is saying that he keeps this side of himself locked away usually. Like the monster inside himself. Just my thoughts. Thanks for the reaction!

[@miraagenvine9914]

Thank you for continuing with in depth BTS reactions! One thing I appreciate about you is that you are honest. You say what you really think of the music and are intentional about what you want to do with your channel. I don't understand people who demand that reactors like everything or only react to what people tell them to. All that does is make them come off as fake and not actually enjoy what they're doing.

[@lilian5583]

I'm so glad that u did this 💜 I like your videos cause u go deep on the songs!!

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

Thank you for watching! I appreciate that!

[@kalien4589]

Please react to “change” by RM and Wale !

[@4EVERWITHBTS]

BTS responds to haters by doing what they love: making damn good music.

[@elinapsychcyphers]

This song made me an Army. This is where it’s all started 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@never2old4this]

RM was an underground rapper before BTS so his solo stuff definitely reflects that

[@macwest5790]

He was an underground rapper and no one could beat him which is why he says hit me it’s a challenge, and underground rappers said both him and Suga weren’t hip hop , they turned their back from underground to be an idol and no one did challenge him to this day. Suga who live far from RM had even heard about him, and said he was a little nervous meeting him, but their rap styles are very different., as is JHope’s. He is the king of word play. Joke was to show his haters he can still can rap faster than them. I think the music sounded like that because he was in a mental hospital.

[@cnot4948]

I just wanted to say thank you. I know lyric videos are lacking but beside that - ty for watching the lyric video, the MV, and then reading the doolset translation all in one video. I really recommend 'DO YOU'. 👍

[@DeanBabe65]

Every character in the 'Joke' mv was played by RM.

[@SuperQueenmommy]

RM loves wordplay and the MF word and I swear this man did not even breathe on this track💜

[@candicesmith-mackenzie6303]

Unnie means older sister in Korean. Elastin has an even cooler meaning. Elastin is a protein that is in your skin and makes it hold together and makes it resilient. So he is saying I hold things together and I am resilient you are dandruff, just dry flakes of skin. Gross but really cool. As you dive deeper into BTS you will start to see that they are modern day poets, with depth, a voice and mad mad skills. 😘💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@Ella-qk1rt]

I think enough is already said about this song, i just wanted to add one more thing. The beat is very simple and monotone on purpose, RM wanted to show how he doesn’t need all those fancy effects and loud beats or melodies to make his rap seem better - the purpose was to show how he can change flows and make a song sound interesting only by his rapping. Thank you so much for reading comments to have a context for everything and thank you for checking all facts. You are one of the best reactors i’ve ever seen, you’re just so wholesome. I’m so excited for more BTS reactions💜

[@DestructiveMediaYT]

Thank you so much for the kind words!

[@tabbycat9720]

RM learned English by watching “Friends” he has said in interviews that they are like his American parents.

[@tinataylor5026]

He also writes for the vocalist

[@flyushkifly]

Whenever anyone naively insists that BTS never lie, I remind them that RM said something like - these lyrics are just fun and catchy so you don't have to pay much attention to them.

[@roosdekeizer1603]

You know what? I think you’d appreciate J-Hope’s solo track ‘blue side’ which is the outro of his mixtape. Last year (i think) he put out a full version of the song (3-ish min instead of 1,5 i think) and I personally love it to bits. Thanks for the vids and your efforts, I’m gonna watch this one now

[@taequilasilver7183]

as Army says "BTS is beyond Kpop" , BTS is above that industry that turned its back on them since their debut. That's why we don't like to put them in a box, they sing in english, japanese, korean and even mandarin and they have a variety of musical genres in their discography. Cataloging music only by the nationality of the people who sing it is something useless and unnecessary, these guys can sing a country song in english or a hip hop song in japanese and people would still put them in a box XD. Also, we don't want to use that name because they separate and segregate artists from other countries for that reason, award shows have created "kpop" categories to not nominate or give awards to BTS in the main categories

[@Platymapuss]

This. It disgusts me how they are constantly snubbed and disrespected not only in South Korea, but globally. I'm never watching the Grammy's again after the way they used BTS to increase ratings then downplayed their performance and snubbed them so they didn't win. I'm still salty about it.

[@taequilasilver7183]

@@Platymapuss watch how they try to create a category for "kpop", did you see the news that came out a while ago about someone proposing that the grammys create that "kpop" category? they thought army would agree but all the comments were like "hell no!!!!" nobody wants a kpop category

[@shirleyoblitas3727]

I love Rm songs ✌️

[@sonyeonsarang]

The lyrics of Joke are meant to be deliberately nonsensical…The point of joke was not lyrical but more for the skill put into it… So in itself and much like the title, it’s a joke…I’m really curious to see if you will be able to get anything out of this😂😂😂😂

[@MirinaeH]

Ikr 😭😭

[@iduli02]

Love the lyric breakdowns! It's a bit funny because the two videos you have gone in-depth in, both happen to be the "no meaning" tracks of the mixtapes :) Not that they don't have meaning, but Suga and RM have both said that these two particular songs of theirs were created more for the auditory experience instead of deep lyrics. But bts being bts the lyrics are always great, even in the songs where they aren't supposed to be the highlight :D

[@breathmints7146]

The instrumental on this song is from "Oh My Darling (Don't Cry)" by Run the Jewels (El-P and Killer Mike) on RTJ2, which is a fantastic track on its own. The instrumentals on "Do You" are from Aerosol Can ft. Pharrell Williams by Major Lazer. I honestly can't say why I like the beat from this song so much but I think it might be the minimization (or complete lack of) non-rhythmic instruments, the sampling happening in the background and the fact that Pharrell's voice just about carries the entire song melodically.

[@min-ys8xp]

Joke is a masterpiece. I love it that you have references so that what you're learning is accurate. Btw the Jung Psychology for the rapline is: RM for Persona, SUGA for Shadow, and JHOPE for Ego. Can't wait for this

[@supereglius]

I never liked rap. Like,ar all. Until I found BTS rappers! They are something else!

[@flyushkifly]

This is one of the songs in the haters' arsenal of "misogynistic" lyrics from BTS. Like War of Hormones, the issue is mistranslation and people's inability to recognize sarcasm and satire.

[@VictoriaLovesMusic]

even if its long its best to read what doolset write in the beginning cause ut usually adds more context so you wont be confused sometimes it needs that much explanation not just the little notes in the lyrics but a whole paragraph befire you even read the lyrics its necessary trust me.

[@Purple_Army_OT7]

RM is badass always.. Next is "DO YOU" by RM please.

[@lenkapassley5175]

This song is such a good way to pump yourself. Love listening to it in the gym, I feel unstoppable, hehe. I think that lyric breakdown was really good. I enjoy this type of videos by you so much more than “just” reaction to a song. Even tho, ngl those are pretty good too. Cannot wait to see what you come up with next!

[@loredell]

Next listen to Bicycle and you'll ask yourself if it's the same person xD

[@rosy_1986]

Another great song from his that doesn’t get much recognition, is “awakening” 🔥

[@loredell]

Thanks for the reaction! But I don't think Joke is one of his songs to deep dive in the lyrics, more on the rhythm, selection, puns, alliterations, it was "just" a superb exercise aimed at his personal haters (especially those who said he couldn't rap fast because his flows are clever and cleverly paced *shrug*). RM (Kim Namjoon) is really introspective but when he lets it out, he does. If you want to go with your Jung theme, the ones to react are Persona-Shadow-Ego (as they are BTS songs, but sung by just 1 of the rappers: RM-Suga-JHope). As solo work from RM, the collab Change (with Wale) is beautiful as Don't (with Aeon) is, as well as his entire mixtapes if you listen to them in order (I do listen to albums in order, the CDs I mean, unless I'm streaming, but that's another story xD). From the mixtape RM, I love Awakening (with MV), Do you (there are some m-effing rhymes there too xD) and Adrift. From mono, everythingoes and forever rain (with MV). It is difficult to fully get him in 1 song since he has his chill ones, his angry ones, his "sad" ones... so depending on what you listen to, you'll get an image of him, but it's not all he is or does. He is truly special. I love when he goes online (live) and explains what he meant with a song, how he came up with the lyrics, etc. Again, thanks for the reaction and being so thorough! (I haven't watched yet, but I saw your timestamps and I'm sure you did pretty well!) I'll press play now! Take care!

[@loredell]

PS. I'll talk about Suga in a Suga (Min Yoongi) reaction :) but his mixtapes are also one of a kind, especially heard in order, but of course the songs are excellent (he also goes from angry to chill to sad/melancholic raps) on their own.

[@loredell]

A link to understand why he created Joke among other songs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5XTqHecnbSVkMU

[@ghostlightning]

Some Kanye at the end: the hook/chorus of "Monster" from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Because he's Rap Monster heh

[@oliviagil799]

As you guessed, this rap is mocking other rappers in the industry who made fun of him, and apart from the lyrics, the focus of this rap is all the different flows throughout it. The lyrics are not extremely deep, but playful and just constantly spitting. If you want to see a different part of his lyricism you should react to his more recent mixtape (playlist) called "Mono", the songs there are all pretty deep and existential, so be ready to get in your feels if you decide to react and analyse the lyrics. I also recommend you react to more AgustD, his recent mixtape "D-2", is very underrated, many people react to "Daechwita" bc it has a MV, but ignore the rest of his mixtape, and end up missing out on a lot!

[@embrasil]

Champion is a Fall Out Boy song featuring RM that I think you would like, and also 'Throw away' is a RM's song that have a Rock style, you probably would like it

[@AnnieDHarpie]

Actually, RM was calling them women. This song is most likely aimed at one particular group of rappers who in a live radio interview called RM and Suga (who were their guests) girls for wearing stage makeup and being Kpop Idols. This interview was also filmed, so if you feel so inclined….you can watch it. And the rapper who spearheaded the attack turned out to be a Joke of rapper….he is currently in Jail for assault.

[@californianinkansas]

karma is an ARMY 💅

[@coomacp9194]

Hi Bryan 😁 Thank you so much for taking the time to go through the Doolset translation and for doing so on screen for us. I really appreciate the full respect that you are giving the music and lyrics. And even though a lot of non native Korean speaking ARMY have and do read Doolset, it is always great to get a refresher of the exact lyric translation, Korean idioms and word play as BTS's lyrics are often very smart and complex. Also I can't see that many people would remember all of the detail from Doolset, so just know the lyric breakdown you do is not in any way boring, it is very interesting. I think you did a great job with your lyric breakdown and I really enjoyed you going through them, please do not feel like you need to rush through that at all. 💜 I realise it's probably hard to read it out loud as some of the lines of explanation include Korean writing/ characters (FYI the Korean alphabet or writing system is called Hangul) and Korean words which you don't know how to pronounce. Don't worry as it is the same for all of us non Korean speakers, but as we are not reactors if we're reading doolset we're only saying the word in our head rather than out loud. 😄 I noticed there were some words you were not familiar with which we're not explained eg. Chaebol and Unnie and I see some others have explained them in the comments. There might be other blog websites that get into meaning of words like that more, but I'm not sure. You could always have a look at other sites like Muishs ramblings even in your own time to see if they clarify more of those words. Or a quick internet search for the meaning. I suppose doolset assumes readers may know some of those words or regardless the page might become too detailed if they add that much content. Anyway I think the more you listen to BTS's music, if you watch any videos of them speaking or any Korean TV shows/movies you will pick up on words like those (Unnie and Chaebol) and will start to automatically find the right (likely) pronunciation for words - I know I have. I'm not sure if you read the portion of info at the top of the page before or after the video, but please also feel free to read that info on screen if you want as well. Doolset doesn't always have info there, but when they do its really interesting and relevant to the song. It may provide external links to other sources of info, context or a quote from BTS. I love that you picked up the idea of the 6 bullets being the other members of BTS. I don't think I've ever put that together myself and don't remember reading it before. I like and appreciate Joke but to be honest I havnt listened to it much except for through reactors. Im not a huge fan of some of the lyrics of this one. Like you I prefer the second half of the song and I do love the flow and music change particularly from the 'bibbidi bobbidi' part onwards - the bibbidi bobbidi part always makes me laugh. I think it's genius 😆 I saw on your live comments that it was mentioned to you that after concerns about offensive lyrics in Joke and some in BTS songs were raised and apologised for, RM said he has his lyrics reviewed by a women's studies professor. Another interesting fact is that around the time of the controversy and apology, a Korean artist (singer) who goes by the stage name eAeon tweeted about a serious conversation that he and RM had about the accusations and misogyny in general. The tweet included mention of advice that eAeon offered RM on the matter - it seems to me eAeon is a very wise person. Here is a short article here with translation of eAeon's tweets which I think are enlightening to read and further understand RM. www.soompi.com/article/874109wpp/mots-eaeon-reveals-btss-rap-monster-dealing-misogyny-controversy In 2018 eAeon collaborated with RM for the song Badbye on his second Mixtape Mono. RM mentioned (I believe in his Vlive about Mono) that eAeon was one of his childhood hero's and it would seem to me he has become somewhat of a mentor for him. RM returned the favour last year when he featured on eAeon's song 'Don't'. RM wrote lyrics and melody for his short rap portion of the song. Here is again a short article from an interview with eAeon at the time of the release of Don't where eAeon talks about how he originally met RM after RM reached out to him on twitter and their friendship www.google.com/amp/s/m.koreatimes.co.kr/pages/article.amp.asp%3fnewsIdx=308431 I really enjoy the song Don't and would like to request it for you as a future reaction. There is an MV with English subs here kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYezipRthqigiMk I think the lyrics are meaningful but easy enough to understand from the MV with this one. Doolset doesn't have a translation, but I did find a bit of lyric analysis on doyou.bangtan.wordpress.com which is another BTS related translation website. I have heard of this one but not used it. Here's the link doyoubangtan.wordpress.com/2021/04/30/dont/