길 (Path/Road)

• 시작은 에미넴 가리온 에픽하이 따라 하는 걸 넘어 내 랩을 적고 새기다:

  RM references american rapper Eminem, korean hip-hop duo Garion (consisting of MC Meta and Naachal) and korean hip hop trio Epik High (Tablo, Mithra Jin and DJ Tukutz) as inspirations for his decision to pursue rap as a hobby and career.

• 보니까 벌써 어느새 내가 홍대 그때 내 가산 온통 다 (****) 꼰대:

  Hongdae is an abbreviation of ‘홍익대학교’ or Hongik University and also refers to the nearby region known for its prestigious art colleges, clubs, indie music culture, and the underground hip-hop scene. The youth culture from Hongik University led to the emergence of hip-hop music and Master Plan, now known as Geek Live House, is often regarded as the birthplace for underground Korean hip-hop where some pooled resources for a place to perform and share hip-hop music.

  Hongdae became an imaginary hometown for artists to build their identities and so symbolic for underground hip-hop that the area itself became the ‘underground scene’ before becoming mainstream.

  During his teens, RM used to be a minor sensation in the ‘scene’ performing under the stage name ‘Runch Randa’ with DNH. He was at par with his now longtime label producer Supreme Boi and also performed with Zico After that, RM started training under BigHit Entertainment:

  I was an underground rapper and only 16 years old, a freshman at high school. Bang thought I had potential as a rapper and lyricist, and we went from there.

• 내 모습은 고등학생에서 어느새 커버린 어린이가 됐어:

  Self-reference to BTS' Soundcloud track “Adult Child”:

  I’m 20 (now) and it’s a good day I’ve become a free body But what is this, there’s nothing to it I’ve only become an adult I’ve only become an adult, I’ve only become an adult I’ve only become an average adult, The average adult is what I’ve become An adult

• 데뷔가 코앞이면 걱정없어질 줄 알았어 달라질게 없는 현재에 난 눈을 감았어:

  You gotta walk the “path” yourself. Other people can try to help, but eventually it’s you yourself that’s gotta walk through the dark.

• 현실은 달랐고 주위에서 날 말려도 빛도 안 보이는 터널들을 나 홀로 걸었어:

  This lyric could mean that when they were each experiencing hardships and thinking they had to deal with them alone, they realized that they actually had each other and that they could lean on and protect one another.

  By saying that they weren’t walking on “bare feet but we were the shoe named Bangtan” suggests that by being in a group with the other members gives them strength and protects them.

• Some say art is long Life is short But now for me...:

  Rap Monster refers to a popular proverb:

  Art is long, life is short.

  The proverb comes from the first two lines of the Aphorismi by ancient Greek philosopher and physician Hippocrates.

  Its most common interpretation is that there is so much knowledge (or skill) to acquire to perfect one’s craft that a lifetime is not sufficient. Rap Monster embraces the fact that he might not acquire all the knowledge necessary to perfect his craft and instead absorbs all the life lessons he can.

  The expression can also be interpreted as “art outlives its creator.”

  In the follow-up line, “But now for me, art is life,” he appears to be saying his life’s purpose is now to create this art, dedicating himself to creating music that will hopefully outlast him.

  He ends his verse with sports company Nike’s tagline, “Just do it.”

투고자: Sai Ko Lee , 2017-09-13

최종 수정: Miley_Lovato , 2020-05-26