recount of the meaning of “mic drop” and why it is important, for non-army listeners:
• It is called ‘mic drop’ (inspired by the final speech of obama where he threw the microphone to the ground —from here we start to make political criticism with bangtan lmao—) because it is the final discourse that they give to all those who despise them in their career.
• Bangtan Sonyeondan is a group of seven musicians who signed under the name of one of the poorest artistic companies of south korea (bighit entertainment). The South Korean musical media, like in America, is dominated by “three big” renowned companies, whose artists saturate the platforms in Korea. The media is important, because all the information is shared through it: the fact that three main companies are the controllers of what is transmitted, also implies a blocked flow of news, of truthful information, a minimum approach to other artists, etc.
• Coming from humble origins, bangtan sonyeondan were cataloged under a cultural context as the “dirty spoons” of music. The critics predicted that they would never get far. The music of bangtan is mainly lyrical, and its lyrics all the time resort to subjects of social interest and censures of youth. From the beginning it was decided that bangtan would have a concept that would act as the microphone for those who can not raise their voices. You may understand how this results counterproductive to the media.
• J-Hope (Jung Hoseok) opens the first verse of “mic drop” by rapping: «Who says my spoon is dirty? I don’t care, when I take the microphone I only have golden spoons». It comes to my mind that food utensils have always been an habit of the upper class, and that, of course, a dirty spoon is attributed to poverty. They, as they emerged from an incredibly poor company, were put aside in their ambient because, well, how does one takes advantage of someone that doesn’t even have their own advantage? Anyway, when the boys take the microphone (when they make their own music) automatically their spoons are golden: they have climbed to that artistic status on their own.
I want to make a parenthesis that this song is ironical. They are not bragging about their success. In fact, they are making fun of their opponents. Faithful to rap, they are being sarcastic.
• J-Hope continues: «world business center, first on the recruitment list, all sold out; This class is not common, enjoy the value. The odors with good perfumes go against the rules. mic-mic bungee». a bungee is an elastic league. the metaphor is that the microphone bounces: when it was taken away from them, it came back. The rest I think is quite clear.
• Suga (Min Yoongi) continues: «bright lights going forward. You thought I would fail but I’m fine, I’m sorry. I am sorry; billboard. I am sorry; worldwide. Your son is too talented, I’m sorry mom. I’m being good in place of you». Now, Yoongi is really including that last line because his parents didn’t believe in him. I think to any Yoongi stan this verse is important since we are aware of his turbulent path, and how much he had to endure to be where he is now.
• The chorus is what makes people think they are being arrogant. «Did you see my bag? it’s filled with trophies». This is a play on words. It seems they say 'bag’ as 'pocket’; and that’s the intention, but they are creating a similarity with the word 백 (bag) in Korean, which means “connection”. Then: «have you seen my connections?» of course we haven’t, because in their media they had no connections, no support from their artistic environment compared to other artists who boast their abundance, but have never gone as far as them, despite all the chances they have in their favor.
• I would like to include that in the original version there’s a reference to «lodi dodi» by Snoop Dogg. The song says: «lodi dodi, we like to party, we don’t cause trouble, we don’t bother nobody. we’re just some men that’s on the mic, and when we rock up on the mic we rock the mic». Just to add meaning to the song.
• RM (Kim Namjoon) says in his verse; «this is the last saying, right will prevail in the end. Aesop’s fable bee, look at your reality; it’s bad. But even if I die now, I’m damn happy». The the moral lesson of the Aesop’s fable is that the damage always turns back to whom did it first. Namjoon is saying that even if some people keep on telling that they’ll soon die and they’re just a trend, he is happy with what Bangtan has achieved, because this path was walked by them without the help of anybody. And that’s a better story to tell other than if the success would’ve been gifted to them.
• The bridge of the song is a direct call to those who humiliated them for their humble beginnings. «There’s no need to see each other ever again, this is our last goodbye. There’s nothing left to say, don’t even try to apologize. Look closely; look at your pathetic self».
Bangtan goes against all odds on them. When everybody told them that they would never make it, they turned worldwide; they performed on the biggest music industry’s country as guests, they are recognized as the biggest Korean Pop act ever, and they keep on being good after all of that. They keep their values and their confidence, and they are making use of their wide platform to spread a good message. Their concept is about love; not the romantic idea of love, but love for oneself and every other kind. They are talking about what no one talks about. They address taboo and silenced social issues in their music, all for the young and ignored, for the underdogs. All their music, is for the youngsters without dreams. They’re not just selling a product as other performers in their global environment, but actually trying to reach out for a change. And that’s something that must be recognized. People really need to realize the dimension of their success and how they’ve come to make it.
Lastly, at the end of each performance, Min Yoongi always drops the mic.
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