With the popularity of BTS, there’s no gainsaying that Namjoon holds a pivotal place in the band. As the leader of the boy band, Namjoon, professionally known as RM, has an ever-growing fanbase. Over the years, fans have come to see the multifacetedness of the singer.
Namjoon is not only the band’s leader but also a rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Besides his work with BTS, the South Korean sensation has collaborated with several other popular artists. Here’s a look at his journey from Dongjak District, Seoul, to the leader of one of the most successful boy bands in the world.
Namjoon’s Early Growing Years
Although he spent most of his growing years in Ilsan District, Goyang, he was born in Dongjak District, Seoul. He was born Kim Nam-joon on September 12, 1994. One of the earliest things fans noticed about Namjoon was his fluency in English. He has stated he learned to speak English as a child and mostly from watching NBC’s sitcom Friends with his mother. As a young student, Namjoon was actively writing poetry. His poetry earned him several recognition and awards. At a point, Namjoon considered having a literary career, often posting some of his poetry on an online poetry website.
Besides his poetry, Namjoon was an exceptionally brilliant student. With an IQ of 148, Namjoon was ranked among the nation’s 1% in the university entrance examinations for math, social studies, and foreign language. Namjoon attended and graduated in 2019 with a Broadcasting and Entertainment degree from Global Cyber University. He also got his Master of Business Administration in Advertising and Media from Hanyang Cyber University.
How Namjoon Got Interested In Music
His first acknowledged interest in music came in the fifth grade when he was 11. Interestingly, Namjoon’s first musical genre interest was Hip-Hop. It was love at first “listen” when he heard Epik High‘s hit single “Fly.” With an already-established love for poetry, Namjoon soon began experimenting with rap. His school teacher noticed his love for the genre and introduced him to American rapper Eminem. It was an encounter that opened Namjoon’s mind to lyricism. He later began songwriting and creating self-composed recordings. By 2008, he participated in his first concert and began working in the underground Korean hip-hop scene. Namjoon’s first chosen name as a musician was Runch Randa, and he collaborated with other upcoming rappers like Zico.
How He Chose His Stage Name
Namjoon was part of the famous South Korean idol trainee. He chose to use the name Rap Monster. The inspiration for the name came from the lyrics of South Korean rapper San E‘s “Rap Genius” song. The song’s first verse begins with I’m a Rap Genius, I’m a Rap Jesus / Call me Rap Monster, cause I rap nonstop. Namjoon was known professionally as Rap Monster until he effected a name change to RM in November 2017. In 2019, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, RM said he decided to use the new name as it “could symbolize many things.”
Namjoon’s Musical Career With BTS
A 15-year-old Namjoon auditioned for Big Deal Records in 2009. Although he made it through the first round, he was eliminated after forgetting his lyrics in the second round. Luckily, he exchanged phone numbers with rapper Sleepy. In a conversation with Pdogg, Big Hit Entertainment producer Sleepy mentioned RM and his unique lyrical flow. An audition was set up with Big Hit Entertainment CEO Bang Si-hyuk in 2010. RM, who was 16 at the time, was offered a contract with the record label. Bang Si-hyuk and Pdogg began looking to create a hip-hop group. As such, RM, Suga, and J-Hope trained together for about three years, with RM writing many of their songs. Si-hyuk and Pdogg’s hip-hop group became BTS. The band released its debut extended play (EP) on September 11, 2013.
Namjoon’s Solo Musical Career
Although a member and leader of BTS, RM has featured and released several solo tracks. He collaborated with American rapper, producer, and DJ Warren G on the song “P.D.D (Please Don’t Die),” which was released on March 4, 2015. RM also released his debut mixtape, RM, on March 20, 2015. The mixtape peaked at number 12 on Billboard 200. RM featured and collaborated with artists and rappers like MFBTY, Tiger JK, Homme, and Wale. The singer released his second mixtape, Mono, on October 23, 2018. RM released his debut studio album, Indigo, on December 2, 2022. The album peaked at number 2 on Korea’s Circle Album chart and 1 on the Billboard 200. Indigo was certified 2x Platinum by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA).
Nominations And Awards He Has Received
Regarded as one of the best Korean rappers, Namjoon has received several nominations and awards for his work with BTS, his solo career, and as a songwriter. Over the years, BTS has received 5 Grammy Award nominations. As a solo artist, RM won Collaboration of the Year and Music Video of the Year for the song “Sexy Nukim,” featuring Balming Tiger, at the 2023 Korean Hip-hop Awards. He also received his first Grammy Award nomination, albeit as the songwriter on Coldplay‘s ninth studio album, Music of the Spheres. As one of the album songs’ writers, Namjoon was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
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