J-Hope Is Demanding "More" in His Gritty New Single

The time has finally come, ARMY. With the July 1 release of J-Hope's debut single "More," BTS has officially begun the rollout of each member's music as bonafide solo artists. J-Hope's much-anticipated debut off his upcoming album, "Jack in the Box," finds him merging his trademark gritty hip-hop beats and rapping with a new sound: rock! Each time J-Hope slips into the chorus of "More," heavy-metal guitars ring out. The song itself, which is primarily in Korean, lays bare J-Hope's desire to step outside of his comfort zone musically to keep his passion alive. Check out the English translation of J-Hope's "More" below and keep reading to get a deeper understanding of the message behind the song.

Check out J-Hope's "More" lyrics in English ahead.

VERSE 1
Yeah, I'm thirsty
I need to go surfin' on the beat
I'm in my element
Soak up the music
Eenie meenie miney mo
Dancin' baby flow
Keep my passion, I gotta go
I'm still (not enough)
Self-learning for 11 years
My highlighting's my art of learning
Endless studying
I crash and fall to make my art
Still make it move from where I stand
Make it mine, make it right
Somebody's favorite song again
That's half my life, reason for living, joy of life
Motivated to carry on

PRE-CHORUS
Bring it all
I'm doing it all

CHORUS
Hah! Shout out
I say 'more'
Hah! Yeah right!
'Cause I want some more
Hah! Shout out
I say 'more'
Hah! Yeah right!
'Cause I want some more

VERSE 2
Kick snare in my ears, hear that hit that
Keep going nonstop, make my mixtape
Get feedback but still get back
Take everything like KitKat, tastes so sweet (appreciate)
Mutual relationships, so good for me
Pump some gas and I drive to the beat
Watch out everyone, I'm reckless
Drunk in the artistic painting, keep hypin' up "Dali"
I want it, stadium with ma fans, still
Bag all the trophies and Grammys too
Fame, money's not everything, I already know it
My work makes me breathe, so I want MORE
Inhale, inhale, exhale, exhale
I feel alive

PRE-CHORUS
Bring it all
I'm doing it all

CHORUS
Hah! Shout out
I say 'more'
Hah! Yeah right!
'Cause I want some more
Hah! Shout out
I say 'more'
Hah! Yeah right!
'Cause I want some more

OUTRO
Yeah, I'm thirsty
I need to go surfin' on the beat
I'm in my element
Soak up the music
Eenie meenie miney mo
Dancin' baby flow
Keep my passion, I gotta go
I'm still (not enough)

From the start of "More," J-Hope is expressing how vital his artistry is to his existence, reiterating this simple fact at several points throughout the song. "Yeah, I'm thirsty / I need to go surfin' on the beat / I'm in my element / Soak up the music . . . That's half my life / Reason for living / Joy of life / Motivated to carry on," he raps in the first verse. He stresses how important improving is to him, referencing 11 years of "endless studying" to become the self-taught rapper and producer he is today. He goes on to express how making music that resonates with his fans is crucial to him, but his connection to the music is ultimately most important. "Make it mine, make it right / Somebody's favorite song again," he says.

Verse two seems to indicate a passage of time as J-Hope reflects on his success. "I want it, stadium with ma fans, still / Bag all the trophies and Grammys too," he raps at one point. But he brings himself back down to Earth in the next breath, stressing that fame and success aren't everything if the art he's making isn't fulfilling, which is why he always wants more. "Fame, money's not everything, I already know it / My work makes me breathe, so I want more."

While the chorus of "More" is seemingly the most straightforward aspect of the song, with J-Hope repeating the lyrics, "Hah! Shout out, I say 'more,'/ Hah! Yeah right! 'Cause I want some more!" it serves as the emotional crux of the song. J-Hope shouts the lyrics passionately, symbolizing his visceral desire to dive deeper into his artistry and show the world more sides of himself. In the song's outro, J-Hope raps, "Keep my passion, I gotta go / I'm still (not enough)," indicating he'll always strive for more.

At the beginning of the "More" music video, a box is delivered to J-Hope while he's in a dark room. J-Hope is then depicted performing "More" in various locations, like an office building surrounded by workers, in a hospital bed as he's getting an X-ray of his skull, or in a room performing with a zombie-esque band. Ultimately, the final shot of the music video sees J-Hope looking into the now-opened package he received at the beginning of the clip, which is revealed to contain mini versions of the rooms he was performing in throughout the video. He closes the box.

J-Hope's closing of the box may indicate that he refuses to be boxed into one concept or genre, and "More" represents just one version of J-Hope. He closes the box on the rooms from his "More" video because we may find him performing in different "boxes" in the future. Ultimately, the idea that J-Hope can fit into many boxes connects to his new album "Jack in the Box"'s concept because a Jack in the Box is inherently meant to surprise you. The "More" lyrics promise that J-Hope is constantly striving to grow in his artistry and refusing to be boxed in, so fans can probably expect that whatever "box" J-Hope opens next will contain even more new and exciting sounds.

Check out J-Hope's "More" music video ahead.