It’s June, and you know what that means! I.M’s solo comeback is coming! This is his first comeback as a solo artist and it’s his first under his new label, Sony.

It should be good. I am writing this in May. Yeah, what’s that? I’m actually planning posts!

Ignore the fact that I planned to post this in April.

Anyway, there are many raps from I.M that I love. He has his own distinct style. I love how he’s so smooth and cool, calm and collected when performing but at the same time he has this raw energy.

Otherwise, without that raw energy he wouldn’t match so well with Joohoney. But I’ll talk about that later.

Onwards and forwards with my favs!

In no particular order,

Play it Cool

He adds to the sexy vibe of the song. He also adds a splash of Spanish. Go off!

The rap is the perfect addition to the song so it’s a shame it’s not in the English version, at least it’s not in the mv. I feel it works really well as the bridge. It starts off smooth and calm and then builds to the end chorus.

Rush Hour

It would be a crime to not include this song. It is fire!

I like the rhythm that he raps in, in this song, the staccato of it is satisfying and fun.

I feel like they both discovered the slang word ‘cap’ in this era but they use it in the correct way.

His main rap is good but so is his bridge rap, it carries on perfectly from Joohoney’s high tension bridge rap.

Crescendo

His image is very composed and sexy, yet his rap is like bullets. It is full of feel and he really had me thinking he was from the UK, especially at the end of his rap with the, ‘불러, 불러’.

*looks at him sideways* are you British fam?

In his rap he be talking about how he isn’t doing this for you, he’s doing it for himself. It being music. He does what he does for his own satisfaction. A word.

Destroyer

Need I say more?

A banger.

Will you blow on me, because you are my breath.

Damn.

The lyrics scream, don’t leave me.

The rap is interrupted with singing, one half is all in English and the other half is in Korean. I like how he did that.

I swear he raps in English more than the Korean Americans in the Kpop scene. I know he lived in America but it’s so fascinating because it was for a short amount of time. But in a way I get it. I’ve lived in the UK for a longer amount of time than I lived in Rwanda and yet Rwanda will always be with me. Not just Rwanda too but the other African countries I lived in.

Anyway, I.M fascinates me.

I love how the raps match the raw emotion of the beautiful harmonies of the song.

Destroyer is that girl!

I hope that you let me rest within you, I hope that I fall asleep peacefully inside.

Lone Ranger

I.M: Darling, let me take you home.

Me: Ok

This song is a vibe and I love how his rap bounces on the beat. It gives cowboy and I love it.

This has become my favourite song from that mini album.

Best I am what I.M:

Livin it Up, Shoot Out, Rush and Hero.

Got Me in Chains

The rap has me thinking I’m I.M, especially on the English parts.

I know I’m in danger
But I love to mess up with you
Face up, so I can see you
Let’s talk ’bout your all
Let’s talk ’bout our love

Watch me nail this song one day.

I love the adlibs and the sounds he adds whilst rapping, it is what made me fall for the song.

As the emotions deepen the pain thickens

Love Killa

The main bitch herself!

I couldn’t just walk past this song. It had to be on the list!

That’s right, you look in my eyes
Straight into my eyes and just say
“I want you, eat me like a main dish”

Fam, y’all misunderstood the lyrics in excitement. Man isn’t saying he wants to be eaten like a main dish, he’s instructing us (grain of salt people don’t get too delulu but stay with me here, don’t start imagining focus!) on what to say to get treated like a main course meal!

He was unhinged for this and I love it *Cheshire car grin*

The thing is though, every time I or someone else says look into my eyes, I think of I.M.

Also, can we have a moment for the growl. I feel like we don’t talk about that enough. It’s Shoot Out’s growl times eleven.

Rotate

Let’s keep the good vibes going with another song that made me pause and say, “Hold on, did he say what I think he said?!”

Switching positions I like to rotate, what do you want this time? Temperature is hot, you’re sweating, let’s make it moist, I want you to drop that.

Moist!

I love the fact that in the Korean parts he just doubles down on what he’s saying.

Yes, I wrote out the entire rap (translated) because it is gold. Also, I feel like I can do this rap. I would be that person to quote it in a passionate moment.

This is why I’m single, I’m so unserious.

Heaven

Does this man speak Spanish or is he learning it?

Quiero estar contigo! FAM!

*does the double tuck with my braids* That was smooth.

This is such a nice song, I love the vibes and I.M’s verse adds to the summer care free vibes.

It’s saying let’s go on a ride with no destination, let’s enjoy the moment and each other’s company.

I love the turn off the GPS line:

네비는 꺼놓고 가자 bon voyage

References Happy to Die, my favourite Duality song.

Autobahn

Bass pump gotta volume up

속도를 올려 우린 바쁜 몸

I’m done but they wanna talk

이럴 바에는 차라리 I wanna love

Hop on!

OK I’ll stop but as soon as I hear the beat slow down I’m ready because I know he’s coming! As soon as we hit “Bass pump” I’m already hype.

This is another song where I think I’m I.M. I can lowkey do this rap, heavy on the lowkey but with each passing listen I’m getting better!

When His Voice Melts Butter:

If with You (baby… ooh the way he starts!), And, Burnin Up, Pull Up Skrr (real name Just Love), Sorry Not Sorry (fits the mood of the song perfectly and starts off well), Night View (*chefs kiss*), You Problem, Tied to Your Body, Bebe, Breathe, Blow Your Mind and Middle of the Night

Oh My!

Think I gotta pull the trigger, gonna heat up like a burner

This is so hot and for what?! For what sir!

His rap in this song is short but impactful. Imagine hearing this live *faints*.

*starts to wonder if she’ll survive seeing Monsta X live*

I will. It’s my destiny.

Gambler

I fell in love with Monsta X with this song. I love the word play that is incorporated into his verse, i.e.: hot as f (degrees Fahrenheit and not f*ck).

Beautiful Liar

What was in the water when he made this rap?

I learned the first half for a TT video and I still know it. Part three of I think I’m I.M, I kill it with the first half. I have yet to learn the second half properly though.

Follow

I like the style of his rap here. It’s fun and it’s nice when they have fun with it. The ays x 3 really add to it.

Mohae

He needlessly goes hard in this song like sir, chill.

The rap is like the bridge to the song, in my opinion, and has another ay x 3 moment but more of the aye variety.

I just love how fast and hard he comes out with it.

Calm Down

Man starts with pure fire!

This one is part of a series of songs where the title does not match the vibe of the song.

They’re telling themselves to calm down because they’re too excited by the love they’re experiencing.

난 빠른 걸음으로
이제 네게 걸음걸음걸음
얼음얼음얼음
다른 남자들은 모두 얼음
불지른 맘에 질투는
기름기름기름기름
부름부름 나의 이름 불러
진정 시켜주기를

If you’ve read my Joohoney post you know I love repeated sounds. So, I just loved how this rap flowed.

Fallin

You got answers I got questions *beat does a thing*
We gotta start it get it action
I show you real, it ain’t fiction
Babe focus on me like a meditation

Man he gets me hype! Yes, I will focus on you like a meditation!

Man really builds till he reaches the whip it x 3.

Honourable Mentions:

Disaster (questionable lyrics in the beginning, sounded like something else entirely for a hot minute but then again… probs says more about my mind), See You Again (the emotion in: There is nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing my life forever!), Swish, Monsta Truck (he he), No Exit (erm… sir) and 갈증.

Mercy

This song gave me the idea for these posts. I was listening and I was like, “Wow, Joohoney and I.M were really in their bag with this song, these are such underrated raps. I wonder which other ones I’d say I love.” And here we are.

We don’t talk about this song enough, it’s so good from beginning to end.

I love how he comes in directly after Joohoney and carries on that sad and desperate energy. I’m not dissing them but rather their raps fit in so well with the theme of the song. They’re begging for mercy after all.

He desperately wants to be with her but he can’t and actually it’s hurting him. The break up caused him a deep wound and left a scar that won’t go away but he still wants her, thus he’s begging for mercy.

I.M’s deep voice and how he delivered it *chefs kiss*. This is a song I would love to see live.

He sounds breathless in the song accentuating the desperation, scared to stop talking and take a breath. The emotions were delivered so well.

P.S.: Solo favourites from I.M would have to be Happy to Die (turned out to be surprisingly sweet) and God Damn (because what a debut!).