Rap Monster Discusses The Meaning Of Hip-Hop In The April Issue Of Singles

Rap Monster, from the K-pop idol group Bangtan Boys, had a classy pictorial and in-depth interview in the latest issue of Singles. The star's preppy wardrobe included oversized fedoras, sophisticated suits, high-collar shirts and Adidas sneakers. He posed in a dark set and empty bathtub while trying to show different playful and serious personas.

During the accompanying interview, Rap Monster was asked to define hip-hop and its addicting nature, but he revealed that it was impossibly to do that. He explained, "Defining hip-hop is the same as trying to define love. If there are six billion people in the world, then there are six billion definitions of love, and like that, each definition of hip-hop is different for each person..."

The rapper also described the difference between his individual music and the Bangtan Boys' original sound. He stated, "The music that Bangtan aims to create is about youth. Bangtan's music is where we concentrate on the thoughts and worries that people in their late teens and early 20s would have and speak for them. However, my music is just about myself. My music is something that just shows my inner darkness, worries, greed, monster..."

He insisted that hip-hop was about individuality and expressing your inner rebellion and struggle, not simply a visual medium. He added, "The culture of shooting guns and doing drugs is not the actual self of hip-hop. It's just become a by-product that appeared around hip-hop music."

"Although there's a certain image that pops up clearly when you think of hip-hop fashion, that's also becoming something that's more broad. Look at A$AP Rocky or Kanye West. They don't wear pants that drag around any more. To understand 'swag,' you need to understand what kind of meaning the term 'making it on your own' has in hip-hop. Making it on your own is a very cool and important concept in hip-hop."

To read the rest of Rap Monster's interesting interview, remember to pick up the April issue of Singles!

---

About the Author: Elsa is the founder, head writer, and editor of KPopBreak.com. She's a coffee addict, K-pop enthusiast, fashion lover and one of the few remaining members of the Church of Kristianity.

Tags
Rap Monster
Bangtan Boys
Singles
Join the Discussion

Latest Photo Gallery

Real Time Analytics