After 4 years, Agust D-alias of Suga (Min Yoongi) of BTS– has dropped another mixtape! Whether you’re a hardcore Suga fan or someone who barely glances at the lyrics, it’s worth taking a deeper look. We’re going to discuss a little about each track.
Review & Analysis: First up is the lead track “Daechwita”. Daechwita refers to traditional Korean military music that would often be played before a king. (For my historical drama fans, you know the cacophonous gongs and horns announcing an important person’s arrival? Replace your favorite actor with Min Yoongi.) The lyrics tell us to play the Daechwita loudly, announcing his arrival and success. He scoffs at all of his haters and those who said he wouldn’t make it in the past. Yet at the same time, he’s proud of where he came from and the hard work that got him to where he is now, saying “born a slave but now a king”. In the MV, he plays both the slave and the king, but instead of being ‘killed’ by his king persona, the slave stands up to him in the end. I by no means claim to be an expert in hip-hop, rap, or the Korean language, but I love it when rappers play with the flow and beats of their lyrics. Yoongi shows his technical skills in his timing of pauses, repetitive motifs, and variation in tempo. Not to mention, the cinematography and details of the MV are stunning. BigHit put their budget to good use; I felt like I was watching a fully-produced drama with a humorous cameo by fellow group members Jin and Jungkook (seen at the 00:58 second mark).
Although Yoongi’s verses are some of my favorite parts of BTS’ discography, with the alias of Agust D, we get a more raw look of the artist than with his Suga identity. The alias itself is a bit closer to home than his stage name- ‘Agus’ is Suga backwards and T&D stand for “Daegu Town”, where he grew up. That personal perspective is seen in the lyrics of the rest of the mixtape as well, which also distributes numerous references from past works. In “Moonlight”, we are confronted with the inevitability of change and forced to ask how we will react. “What do you think?” in the chorus is directed to the haters and those who try to take advantage of his fame.
In “Strange”, Yoongi and RM question who is stranger: those who live unaffected by the hypocrisy and moral ambiguity of the world or those who point it out in the first place? In the end, “the answer is that there is no answer.” Millennials may go through an existential crisis while listening to “28” (featuring singer NiiHWA), the title referring to his age and details how as we get older, we have to face the results (or shambles) of the dreams from our younger selves.
“I just throw the question mark; it’s up to each individual to decide.”
Min Yoongi for TIME magazine
I was especially excited to see American singer-songwriter MAX, who I’ve followed since his debut, featured in “Burn It”. This is a bit of a recurring theme in Agust D songs, the idea of not recognizing who you are in the mirror anymore. Do you muster up your courage to ‘burn up’ the ‘you’ of the past? Are you really that different than before, or will you end up burning your present ideals and persona? Either way we are encouraged:
“Start the fire, Whatever it may be
Whether it will turn out to be a blazing sun
Or become the ashes left behind
The choice and decision are always yours
Don’t forget that giving up boldly also takes courage”
Agust D, “Burn It” feat. MAX
Another thematic motif is that there is really no black and white for a lot of issues. This is especially brought out in “People”. Good or bad, people are just people; they change, they forget. What’s special to one person is mediocrity to the other. And that’s okay-it’s okay to be hurt, it’s okay to cry, “What’s wrong with living like that?” We are also treated to Yoongi’s vocals in the chorus, which add to the contemplative vibe of the track. “Honsool” examines the loneliness and sacrifices made for fame. In fact, “Honsool” (혼술) means ‘drinking alone’ in Korean. The dissonant electronic chords and distorted vocals give a feeling of melancholy throughout.
I’m still recovering from Yoongi’s vocals in “Interlude: Set me free”. The BTS rap line is very attentive to their pitch and tone even when rapping, so when we have the rare opportunity to hear them sing, you know that they are thinking of all the little details instead of using it as a gimmick. The song has an ethereal, atmospheric rock vibe to it, making the listener feel as if we are aimlessly “free in the air” along with Yoongi.
The last track on the mixtape, “Dear my friend” features Kim Jong Wan from the alternative rock group Nell. It tells the story of a childhood friend who got into some trouble, to the extent of going to prison. While reminiscing on the pleasant memories, Yoongi regrets that he wasn’t able to prevent his friend from going down that road. He wonders if they can even still be called friends; as he mentioned before people change and now his friend is unrecognizable- he’s become a monster. The words “I still miss you, and I still miss you again” perhaps refer not to the physical distance between the two now, but that he misses the friendship they once had, the people who they once were but can never be again. If things had been different, the last line hauntingly asks, “How would it be?”
“What’s good is good, and it’s up to the listeners to judge. I just do what I want to do.”
Min Yoongi for TIME magazine
Keeping in line with his previous solo works, D-2 gives us an intimate glimpse into the artist, not as BTS’ Suga, but as Min Yoongi.Where in his first mixtape he stressed that ‘we’re still young’ and focused on potential, in D-2 he confronts the inner demons and shadows that appear as you grow older. With the relative freedom of working solo, he is able to sample a variety of genres and techniques. The result is an introspective, yet highly relatable work that hits all of the right emotional notes for all of your different moods.
TL;DR: It’s worth all of the hype.
*Note: translated lyrics that appear in this post are from various fan-translated lyric videos. You can check out their channels here and here. All photos are properties of their respective owners and are used under fair use for commentary and education.
What’s your favorite track on the album? Let us know in the comments!