Active during his pre-debut days as an underground rapper ( Runch Randa ). 13-year-old Nam-joon was already a prodigy in rap, he'd often attended gigs in his hometown Ilcheon and earned a place for himself in the underground scene at an early age, impressing even older underground rappers. He had made a collab with the famous rapper Zico back in 2008, the track can be found on many platforms including YouTube and SoundCloud.
In early 2015, RM earned not only the approval from big names in the Korean Hip-hop scene, but he had also gained respect from the American Hip-hop figure Warren G. The two came together for the track "P.D.D", where RM asks his haters to stay alive to witness his success. The west coast rapper stated in an interview with CJ America, "I couldn’t understand all his lyrics, but I can say that it was very good because his flow, style, and rhythm are all excellent.” He then even went on to say, "When I hear Rap Monster’s songs, it sounds like Snoop Dogg or me rapping with the beats we’ve made.”
On March 4, 2015, RM released a single with Warren G entitled, "P.D.D (Please Don't Die)" ahead of his first solo mixtape RM following an offer by Warren G to collaborate. The track reflected how RM felt towards those who hated and criticized him at the time, which he used to find very upsetting.
That same March, RM collaborated with hip hop project group MFBTY, EE and Dino J on the song "Bucku Bucku". He featured in the song's music video and also had a cameo appearance in a music video for another song by MFBTY, "Bang Diggy Bang Bang".
He released his first solo mixtape in the same year, titled 'RM'. It's a work where Namjoon gives his take hip-hop's influence in his life, the hardships he'd experienced in pursuit of his career, as well as his struggle with self-love and self-acceptance. "Awakening", the third track of the mixtape, talked of his internal conflict between his two identities of "rapper" and "idol", as he had received backlash from the underground Hip-hop community prior to his debut with BTS, claiming that he'd betrayed his roots as a rapper. To this day, the mixtape is considered one of the best works inside the Korean Hip-Hop scene.
Following RM's release, he featured along with Kwon Jin-ah on Primary's "U" that April. In August, RM collaborated with Marvel for Fantastic Four's soundtrack in Korea, releasing the digital single, "Fantastic" featuring Mandy Ventrice.
In August 2016, vocal duo Homme released a single titled "Dilemma", which was co-produced by RM and Bang Si-hyuk.
In 2017 was released the track "Change", a collab between Wale and Rap Monster (RM). The song talks of global violence, the school system, social injustice, and bullying. The two conversed through lyrics, claiming that people were controlled by the higher power and voiced out their wish of a changing world.
In 2018, he came out with a second mixtape named "mono". A project containing a few collaborations (with artists such as HONNE, NELL, eAeon) where Nam-joon experimented with lofi Hip-Hop and ballad. Though different from his previous works, he was still able to showcase his soul-deep lyricism, where he often implemented his skill of using wordplay and metaphors to further reach his listeners. With this mixtape, he continued to explore his own identity and life through a microscope, touching topics like loneliness, self-doubt, longing, and even explored the concept of love and hate. 'mono' proved RM a unique artist of diversity and growth. The mixtape is available on Spotify, iTunes, and SoundCloud. During its first day of release, the mixtape reached high positions on stream platforms, giving RM a profile with verification, resulting in his becoming of a more acknowledged rapper, producer, and songwriter.
In December, RM collaborated on a remix of Fall Out Boy's song "Champion". The track reached number 18 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles and helped RM reach number 46 on the Emerging Artists Chart for the week of January 8, 2018.
In November, RM also collaborated with Tiger JK on his last and final album under the stage name Drunken Tiger, featuring on the track "Timeless". Tiger JK originally expected RM's lyrics to contain self-praise, which was the trend of rap at the time; RM instead wrote lyrics about leaving behind the historical meaning of Drunken Tiger's name.
A lot of prestigious artists, from South Korea and EUA, found interest in RM and invited him for collaborations. Famous American rappers like Wale and Lil Nas X, even the rock group Fall Out Boy and famous Korean artists like Drunken Tiger and Gaeko.
On March 25, 2019, Honne announced that RM would feature on their remake of "Crying Over You" alongside singer BEKA, which was released on March 27.
The same day, Big Hit Entertainment released the song "Persona" as a trailer for BTS' EP Map of the Soul: Persona, performed as a solo by RM.
In 2019 Lil Nas X called RM for one of the remixes of his hit "Old Town Road". And this collab gave Namjoon and the other BTS members a chance to perform along with Lil Nas X for the first time on the 2019 edition of the Grammy's stage.
On December 29, it was announced that RM would feature on Younha's track "Winter Flower", released on January 6, 2020.
RM also featured on "Don't", the lead single of Korean singer eAeon's second solo album released on April 30, 2021.
BTS, on June 14 2022, announced that they will be taking a break from group activities to focus more on solo projects. RM subsequently appeared as a featured artist on the single "Sexy Nukim" by alt-K-pop group Balming Tiger in September,
RM released his debut solo studio album, Indigo, led by the single "Wild Flower", on December 2. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, making him the highest-charting Korean soloist in chart history.
Wild Flower
Rm Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Open land, that's where I'm at (where I'm at)
No name, that's what I have (what I have)
No shame, I'm on my grave (yo)
두 발이 땅에 닿지 않을 때
당신의 마음이 당신을 넘볼 때
꿈이 나를 집어삼킬 때
그 모든 때 yeah
불꽃을 나는 동경했었네
그저 화려하게 지고 싶었네
시작의 전부터 나 상상했었지
끝엔 웃으며 박수 쳐 줄 수 있길
나 소원했었네
믿었던 게 다 멀어지던 때
이 모든 명예가 이젠 멍에가 됐을 때
이 욕심을 제발 거둬가소서
어떤 일이 있어도
오, 나를 나로 하게 하소서
Oh, everyday and every night (ya)
Persistin' pain and criminal mind (ya)
내 심장소리에 잠 못 들던 밤
창밖에 걸린 청승맞은 초승달
I do wish me a lovely night (ya)
내 분수보다 비대해진 life (ya)
저기 날아오르는 풍선을 애써 쥐고
따져 물어, 대체 지금 넌 어디에?
Where you go? Where's your soul?
Yo, where's your dream?
저 하늘에 흩어질래
Light a flower, flowerwork
Flower, flowerwork
저 하늘에 눈부시게 (hey, hey)
Light a flower, flowerwork
Flower, flowerwork
그 어디까지가 내 마지막일까?
전부 진저리 나, 하나 열까지 다
이 지긋지긋한 가면은 언제 벗겨질까?
Yeah, me no hero, me no villain
아무것도 아닌 나
공회전은 반복돼, 기억들은 난폭해
난 누워 들판 속에, 시선을 던져 하늘 위에
뭘 원했었던 건지 이제 기억이 안 나
얻었다 믿었던 모든 행복은 겨우 찰나
Yeah, I been goin', no matter what's in front
그게 뭐가 됐건
새벽의 옷자락을 붙잡고 뭔가 토해내던 기억
목소리만 큰 자들의 사회
난 여전히 침묵을 말해
이건 방백, 완숙한 돛단배
모든 오해 편견들에 닿게
반갑지 않아 너의 헹가래
내 두 발이 여기 땅 위에 (ayy)
이름도 없는 꽃들과 함께
다신 별에 갈 수 없어 I can't
발밑으로 I just go
목적 없는 목적지로
슬픈 줄도 모르고
그림자마저 친구로 I be gone
저 하늘에 흩어질래 (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Light a flower, flowerwork
Flower, flowerwork
저 하늘에 눈부시게
Light a flower, flowerwork
Flower, flowerwork
문득 멈춰보니 찬란한 맨발
원래 내 것은 아무것도 없었지 (that's right)
And don't tell me like you gotta be someone
난 절대 그들처럼 될 수 없으니
(Light a flower) 그래, 내 시작은 시
여태껏 날 지켜온 단 하나의 힘과 dream
(Light a flower) 타는 불꽃에서 들꽃으로
소년에서 영원으로
나 이 황량한 들에 남으리
아, 언젠가 나 되돌아가리
저 하늘에 흩어질래
Light a flower, flowerwork
Flower, flowerwork
저 하늘에 눈부시게 (hey, hey)
Light a flower, flowerwork
Flower, flowerwork
Flower field, that's where I'm at (where I'm at)
Open land, that's where I'm at (where I'm at)
No name, that's what I have (what I have)
No shame, I'm on my grave (yo)
두 발이 땅에 닿지 않을 때 (두 발이 땅에 닿지 않을 떄)
당신의 마음이 당신을 넘볼 때 (당신의 마음이 당신을 넘볼 때)
꿈이 나를 집어삼킬 때
내가 내가 아닌 때
그 모든 때 yeah (la-la-la)
RM's song "Wild Flower" uses the metaphor of a flower field to depict the hardships that he has faced in his life. The singer finds himself in a vast, open space without a name or any shame. He talks about those moments when he felt out of control, when his dreams swallowed him up, and when he started as a nobody and now wishes to end up as a somebody. The song speaks to his struggle to find self-worth and purpose. The lyrics reflect a sense of striving, a desire to be free from societal constraints, and a yearning for a brighter future.
The second verse contains the lines where RM talks about his struggles with a persisting pain and a criminal mind. He talks about how his heart was beating so loud that he couldn't sleep at night. However, he wishes for a lovely night despite his situation, which has only grown more significant than his ambition. He talks about holding onto the balloons that are flying high and his need to find where he's headed and what he wants to do. He longs to be a free spirit who can take flight whenever he wants without any constraints.
Line by Line Meaning
Flower field, that's where I'm at (where I'm at)
I find myself in an open field of flowers
Open land, that's where I'm at (where I'm at)
I am in an open expanse of land
No name, that's what I have (what I have)
I do not have a name, I am anonymous
No shame, I'm on my grave (yo)
I do not feel any shame as I talk about my own mortality
When my feet can't touch the ground
When I feel lost and disconnected from reality
When your mind goes beyond you
When your thoughts are bigger than yourself
When my dream engulfs me
When I am consumed by my aspirations
When I am not myself
When I am not true to who I am
All those times, yeah
Every instance when I feel disconnected
I used to long for a burning ambition
I yearned for a passion that could fuel my inner fire
I just wanted to go down in a blaze of glory
I wanted to make an impact and be remembered for my actions
I imagined it from the very beginning
I envisioned success from the start
I hoped to smile and receive applause in the end
I wished for recognition and support at the end of my journey
I made a wish
I made a serious and sincere request for what I sought
When everything I believed in drifted away
When all my beliefs were lost
When all this fame became a burden
When celebrity became more of a curse than a blessing
Please take away this greed
Please rid me of this desire for more
Whatever happens, oh please help me stay true to myself
Help me remain myself, no matter what happens
Oh, every day and every night (ya)
At all times of day, always
Persistin' pain and criminal mind (ya)
Enduring hardship and bad thoughts
Nights when I can't sleep because of my heart
When my heart troubles me to the point of insomnia
The crescent moon hanging outside my window
The moon shining bright right outside my window
I do wish me a lovely night (ya)
I yearn for peaceful nights
A life that's bigger than my own achievements
A life that's less personal and more impactful
Struggling to grab the balloon flying up high
Trying to reach for something that's difficult to attain
Asking, 'Where are you now?'
Questioning someone's current situation
Where you go? Where's your soul?
Asking where someone's path is leading them
Yo, where's your dream?
Asking what someone's aspirations are
I will scatter in the sky
I will go wherever the wind takes me
Light a flower, flowerwork
Illuminate something simple and beautiful
Lighting up the sky with flowers
Bringing beauty to the world
Light a flower, flowerwork
Shining in my own unique way
I wonder until when will this be my last
I contemplate how much time I have left
All I have is quivering and everything up until number 10
All I have is uncertainty and insecurity
When will I finally take this mask off?
When will I finally reveal my true self?
Yeah, me no hero, me no villain
I am neither a hero nor a villain
I am nothing at all
I am a simple being without any grandeur
Spinning around and around, memories are violent
Memories are chaotic and overwhelming
I lay down on the field, gazing at the sky above
I find myself on the field, looking at the limitless sky
I can't remember what I wanted
I forget what I had hoped for
All the happiness I thought I had is only fleeting
All the happiness I thought I had is temporary
Yeah, I been goin', no matter what's in front
I have been persevering, regardless of the obstacles
Whatever may come
I will face everything that comes my way
A memory of spouting out something while holding the edge of dawn
Recollection of speaking my thoughts out loud at dawn
A society of people with only loud voices
A society where only the loudest voices are heard
I still remain silent
I am still quiet and reserved
This is paddling, a fully matured sailboat
This is navigating a matured vessel to reach my destination
Reaching all misunderstandings and prejudices
Reaching and dissolving all misunderstandings and biases
I am not pleased with your flattery
I do not appreciate your insincere words of admiration
My two feet are on this land
I am rooted to the ground
Surrounded by nameless flowers
Enveloped in anonymous beauty
I can never go to the stars, I can't
I can never aspire for something unattainable
I just go under my feet
I simply live my life, step by step
To a destination without any purpose
Without any aim, just going forward
Without even realizing sadness
Without recognizing or acknowledging any sadness
Even the shadows become my friends, I be gone
Even the darkness becomes my comfort
Lighting up the sky with flowers
Bringing beauty to the world
Light a flower, flowerwork
Shining in my own unique way
Lighting up the sky with flowers
Bringing beauty to the world
Light a flower, flowerwork
Shining in my own unique way
Suddenly I stop and see my shining bare feet
Suddenly I stop and realize how far I've come
I had nothing that was originally mine
I had nothing that I could call my own
And don't tell me like you gotta be someone
Don't tell me I have to be someone else to succeed
I can never be like them
I am inherently different and can never be like anyone else
Yes, my start was a poem
My journey started with a work of art
With the one strength and dream that has kept me going
With the determination and dream that fueled me to keep going
From burning fire to gentle flower
From a fierce determination to a calm and beautiful existence
From a boy to an everlasting existence
From an uncertain youth to a timeless being
I will stay in this barren field
I will continue to reside in this desolate and unchanging environment
Someday I will return
One day I will go back
Lighting up the sky with flowers
Bringing beauty to the world
Light a flower, flowerwork
Shining in my own unique way
Lighting up the sky with flowers
Bringing beauty to the world
Light a flower, flowerwork
Shining in my own unique way
Flower field, that's where I'm at (where I'm at)
I find myself in an open field of flowers
Open land, that's where I'm at (where I'm at)
I am in an open expanse of land
No name, that's what I have (what I have)
I do not have a name, I am anonymous
No shame, I'm on my grave (yo)
I do not feel any shame as I talk about my own mortality
When my feet can't touch the ground
When I feel lost and disconnected from reality
When your mind goes beyond you
When your thoughts are bigger than yourself
When my dream engulfs me
When I am consumed by my aspirations
When I am not myself
When I am not true to who I am
All those times, yeah
Every instance when I feel disconnected
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Nam Jun Kim, Sung Min Kim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeonbella7611
getting Kim Namjoon to 100M viewers Let's go army
@Aline-ji2qf
let's armys beat 100M💜
@TreeTreeTree6501
We are getting close!
@7Anpanman-pi1th
let's go stream more and more
@NandoBlack-vt3ie
He s❤❤❤❤❤ó nice
@JoaquinPoncedeleon-nh1oc
Falta poco!
@Btsarmy_bell_
It's April 2024 .... let's see how many people's are here to support our beloved leader
@lawrencianogabe7889
Still here
@juliecook8364
I'm here doing my part to get Wildflower to 100M YT views! Loving and supporting BTS as a group and each member... always!
@karolineoliveira2887
hi... i'm here!!!! let' go