Lyrics by RM
Original Track: Oh My Darling by Run The Jewels
Note: One particular line “이건 의미없는 말놀이 (This is a meaningless wordplay)” sums up the song pretty well. Apart from it being a message to haters (who believe they are the real rappers and ‘idol rappers’ are fake, in particular), the song is comprised of wordplays with a heavy presence of end rhymes and lines that are not necessarily connected through each other in terms of their meaning. The track really showcases his wordplay ability and the technical aspects of his rapping skills. In his 2015 interview with HIPHOPPLAYA, he said, “‘Joke’ is a song that I wrote the lyrics using stream of consciousness. That’s why the title is ‘Joke.’ There’s nothing hidden in the lyrics, and the song is 500% for the auditory pleasure. I felt a necessity of a song that refreshes the mood without any particular meaning since I’ve included messages and sentiments in other songs. I included what I think are the ‘skills’ of rapping.”
There are some lines that I’m not particularly happy or comfortable with to translate and share. I do so, however, because Namjoon acknowledged his mistakes. To talk about the gender issue specifically, the lyrics are not directed at females. Nowhere in the lyrics, does he target females. However, I believe that it does not justify the usage of some female-specific derogatory words to degrade someone, even if the person(s) is not female (or even more so if the person is not female). I stand by this even if he did not intend to be disrespectful to women and even if it was all for wordplays because music and lyrics are often not about what are meant, but about how they are perceived. Again, I’m sharing my translation and interpretation because Namjoon himself acknowledged this and has been and is trying to not to repeat the mistakes, which is something I learn from him and admire him of.
As usual, please have in mind that my translation and interpretation are my own, meaning that they’re based on my own judgment that might be different from Namjoon’s intention and other people’s opinion.
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내 고막을 울리는 리듬
nae gomageur ullineun rideum
The rhythm that makes my eardrums vibrate
Bass & Drum 날 움직이는 기름
Bass & Drum nar umjigineun gireum
Bass & Drum, the fuel that makes me move
여기 존재하는 모든 행복과 너의 새해 복 까지 모두 imma fuckin get em
yeogi jonjaehaneun modeun haengbokgwa neoui saehae bog kkaji modu imma fuckin get em
All the happiness that exist here and even your new year’s luck, imma fuckin get em
나는 엘라스틴 너희들은 비듬
naneun ellaseutin neohuideureun bideum
I’m Elastin, and you guys are dandruff
Elastin is a Korean shampoo brand; “shampoo (I) gets rid of dandruff (you guys)”
랩 병신들 너희 수준 비등비등
raeb byeongsindeur neohui sujun bideung bideung
Rap cripples, your levels are all-alike
fame, girls, money that ma honey to the 100 to the 100
Notice how he pronounces hundred to make it rhyme with honey
누가 나를 막니 imma fuckin beat em
nuga nareur makni imma fuckin beat em
Who’s going to stop me imma fuckin beat em
거머리 같은 haters 나를 죽여 나를 묶어 나를 숙연하게 만들어
geomeori gateun haters nareur jugyeo nareur mukkeo nareur sugyeonhage mandeureo
Leech-like haters, they kill me, they tie me, they silence me
im so super i juss grew up
그지같은 motherfucker motherfucker 싹 다 섞어 손발 꺾어
geuji gateun motherfucker motherfucker ssag da seokkeo sonbar kkeokkeo
Crappy motherfucker motherfucker, mix them all and break their wrists and ankles
Word-to-word translation is beggar-like motherfucker
시켜 서커스 시켜 턱걸이 전부 fuck up
sikyeo seokeoseu sikyeo teokgeori jeonbu fuck up
Make them do circus, make them do pull-ups, they all fuck up
턱걸이 (pull-up) in Korean has two meaning: (1) pull-up (an exercise), (2) barely succeeding at something; “make them do something challenging and watch them barely make it and fuck themselves up”
한입으로 두말 여자들은 널 보고 불러 언니
hanibeuro dumar yeojadeureun neor bogo bulleo eonni
Two different things with one mouth, girls call you ‘unnie’
“Two different things with one mouth” is something that has been traditionally tabooed for men in Korea. There are even old sayings such as 남아일언중천금 (男兒一言重千金; a real guy’s one word carries the weight of a thousand pieces of gold). It is obviously an outcome of gender-biased prejudice, but is still widely used. Some would jokingly call a man who changes his word “a woman.” With that said, “girls call you unnie” because “you” said two different things from one mouth. “Since you spoke two different things with one mouth, you’re not a real man. So, I’m going to treat you as a woman, and those girls will call you unnie.”
너무나도 쉽게 까는 철판들 지들 곡에선 지들이 뭐 이건희
neomunado swipge kkaneun cheolpandeur jideur gogeseon jideuri mwo igeonhui
You get brazen-faced too easily. In your songs, you’re acting as if you’re Lee Kun-hee
Lee Kun-hee is the chairman of Samsung Group
에 여잔 파리보다 더 꼬여 아서 니 현실 싹 다 보여
e yeojan pari boda deo kkoyeo aseo ni hyeonsir ssag da boyeo
Eh, girls are swarming more than flies Stop it, I can clearly see your reality
홍대 예능쇼에 몇 안되는 힙수니들이 느이 그 고정
hongdae yeneungsyoe myeoc andoeneun hipsunideuri neui geu gojeong
At your Hongdae entertainment show, your regulars are those few hiphop fangirls
Hongdae is an abbreviation of Hongik Daehakgyo (University) and also refers to the area nearby. Hongdae area is known for its indie music culture, clubs, arts, and so on. A lot of indie artists, including hiphop artists, hold their concerts, which are described in a derogatory manner as “Hongdae entertainment show”, in this area. ‘힙수니 (힙순이 = 힙합hiphop + 순이 soon-ee, a common female name in the past),’ which means hiphop fangirls, seems to be a counterattack to some rapper(s) who said that BTS is followed by 빠순이 (= 오빠 oppa + 순이 soon-ee). 빠순이 (pronounced as bbasooni) is a demeaning word referring to hardcore female fans of male celebrities.
난 이곳의 문을 열고 닫아, 마치 개폐인
nan igosui muneur yeolgo dada, machi gaepyein
I open and close the door of this place like a fucking wasted person
개폐인 can be broken in two ways: (1) 개/폐인 (廢人): a fucking wasted person, (2) 개폐 (開閉)/인: who/that is open and shut (given the previous sentence, ‘I open and close the door,’ this is an intended double-meaning)
너희들이 맨날 느낀다는 rap pain
neohuideuri maennar neukkindaneun rap pain
The rap pain that you insist that you feel every day
난 순식간에 비트를 제패
nan sunsikgane biteureur jepae
I conquer the beat in a flash
널 보면 비트들이 말을 하네 쟤 패
neor bomyeon biteudeuri mareur hane jyaepae
When seeing you, the beats talk, “beat him”
배알이 좀 꼴리실 거에요 제 pay
baeari jomkkolli sirgeoeyo je pay
You must envy my pay so much that your stomach gets twisted
스웨덴, 독일 브라질 to 재팬
seuweden, dogil beurajil to jaepaen
Sweden, Germany, Brazil, to Japan
니 더러운 혀보다 강해여 제 펜
ni deoreoun hyeoboda ganghaeyeo jepen
My pen is stronger than your dirty tongue
“You can only talk dirty but I have an actual ability write lyrics.”
이제야 까보네여 오광보다 더한 제 패
ijeya kkaboneyeo ogwangboda deohan je pae
Now I get to reveal my card that is even better than ‘5 gwang’
5 gwang (five brights) is a way of collecting points in a Korean card game called Go-Stop or Hwatu (Hwatu is also the name of cards themselves). It’s similar to having four aces in poker.
Got six bullets in my tongue
Six snakes in my lung
Six shots got me feelin’ 2pac
그래 이건 에이셉의 가사여
geurae igeon eisebui gasayeo
Yeah, these are A$AP’s lyrics
The last line ‘Six shots got me feelin’ 2pac’ is indeed taken from A$AP Rocky’s ‘Wild For The Night (ft. Skrillex, Birdy Nam Nam),’ ‘Six shots got me feelin’ like Pac.’ Six bullets, six snakes, and six shots might all refer to the other six members of BTS who empower RM.
금실 좋은 부부처럼 별거 없지
geumsir joheun bubucheoreom byeolgeo eoptji
You don’t have anything special like a happily married couple.
별거 can be interpreted in two ways: (1) a special thing, (2) separation (別居). A happily married couple would not separate, but the real message is “you don’t have anything special.”
넌 천상 여자처럼 설 거 없지
neon cheonsang yeojacheoreom seor geo eoptji
Like a real woman, you don’t have anything to be erect.
천상 여자 is a colloquial term (with the correct term being 천생 여자) referring to a woman with qualities or appearance traditionally associated with women: modest, quiet, kind, good at cooking, and so on.
나는 탁탁 먼지털이 박박 쓸어버려 물 같은 내 혀, 설거지
naneun tak tag meonjiteori bakbag sseureobeo ryeo murgateun nae hyeo, seolgeoji
I’m a duster, beating the dust like tak tak, sweeping it off bak bak Like water, my tongue washes dishes
See how 설 거 없지 (seor geo eoptji; has nothing to be erect) and 설거지 (seolgeoji; dishwashing) rhyme
이건 의미없는 말놀이 you know
igeon uimieoptneun malnori you know
This is meaningless wordplay, you know
i got a mufuckin beat i got a mufuckin rhyme
i got a mufuckin flow i got a mufuckin style
i got a mufuckin wine i got a mufuckin shine
대체 몇 마디니 나의 mufuckin line
daeche myeoc madini naui mufuckin line
How many bars does my motherfucking line have
Bitch im the one im so mufuckin prime
너넨 존나게 촌스러 촌장님,
neonen jonnage chonseureo chonjangnim
You guys are fucking unsophisticated, village chiefs
촌장님 can be broken in two ways: (1) 촌장/님: head of a countryside village –nim, (2) 촌/장님: a blind person in the countryside
혹 또는 족발을 좋아하는 꼰대님 스탈
hog ttoneun jokbareur johahaneun kkondaenim seutal
An old man’s style, loving hog or Jokbal
He pronounces 혹 (hog) almost as 욕 (yog), which means swear word. 꼰대 is a slang word for an old man who is stuck with his own values (usually of the past) and tries to teach/govern young people’s behaviors. 족발(jokbal) is a traditional Korean dish consisting of pig’s feet cooked with soy sauce and spices.
Bitch im your man. 10 outta 10
심장은 꺼매 한여름의 썬탠
simjangeun kkeomae hanyeoreumui sseontaen
My heart is black, a mid-summer’s suntan
작전을 개시하지 그래 내 이름의 브랜드
jakjeoneur gaesihaji geurae nae ireumui beuraendeu
Let’s begin the operation, yeah, the brand of my name
혼자 다 해먹네 내 이름의 밴드
honja da haemeokne nae ireumui baendeu
I do it all by myself, the band of my name
여긴 내가 차린 놀이동산 pull the 레버
yeogin naega charin nori dongsan pull the rebeo
This is an amusement park that I build, pull the lever
뿌리부터 차이나지 너와 나의 레벨
ppuributeo chainaji neowa naui rebel
Even from the roots, there’s a difference between my and your levels
본 이름은 greatest 또 나의 성은 ever
bon ireumeun greatest tto naui seongeun ever
My real name is Greatest and my surname is Ever
Reference: lyrics from Forever by Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne & Eminem; “Last name Ever—first name Greatest”
절대 개명 신청 안해 나는 never ever ever
jeoldae gaemyeong sincheong anhae naneun never ever ever
I won’t every request name change, I’ll never ever ever
그램마 넌 갑보단 깝, 탑보단 밥, 답보단 짭
geuraemma neon gapbodan kkap, tapbodan bab, dapbodan jjap
Yeah, dude, you’re acting up rather than owning it, being eaten up rather than topping the food pyramid, being fake rather than being the answer
갑, which will be further explained later, can be used to refer to someone in a superior position. 깝 is a slang describing behaviors so energetic and overly enthusiastic to the extent that they’re almost annoying. 밥, meaning rice or food, can be used to describe someone who’s inferior or something that’s too easy. 짭 is a slang that means fake.
야동 보면 넌 3초면 싸
yadong bomyeon neon 3chomyeon ssa
When you watch porn, you come in 3 seconds
나는 top of the top, 갑 of the 갑, 답 of the 답
naneun top of the top, gap of the gap, dap of the dap
I’m top of the top, the ruler of rulers, the answer of answers
선배 후배들도 다 돌아가
seonbae hubaedeul do da doraga
All the sunbaes and hoobaes go back
그냥 좆이나 까잡숴 먹어봐 맛있어
geunyang jojina kkajapswo meogeobwa masisseo
Just suck a dick, have it, it’s delicious
Word-to-word translation of ‘just suck a dick’ will be ‘please bare your dick and eat it.’
그래 넌 나의 적 그러니까 적 까!
geurae neon naui jeog geureonikka jeog kka!
Yeah, you’re my enemy, so reveal where you belong!
The first 적 (敵; jeog) means enemy, and the second 적 (籍; jeog) means somewhere one belongs to (or is registered under). While 적 까 is translated as ‘reveal where you belong,’ it’s noteworthy that 적 (jeog) and 좆 (jot; dick) sound similar. As explained in the previous line, 까 (original form: 까다) means to bare, which makes 적 까 sound similar to 좆 까 (bare your dick), which basically means to fuck yourself or fuck off.
낮이던 밤이던 존나게 부지런
najideon bamideon jonnage bujireon
Day and night, fucking hardworking
세글자 랩밖에 못하는 쉐꺄 넌
segeulja raepbakke mothaneun swekkya neon
You bastard can only rap in three-syllables, you go like-
비비디 바비디 부비디 바비디
bibidi babidi bubidi babidi
니미니 나미니 지기미 차카미
nimini namini jigimi chakami
니꺼는 나가리 쳐먹어 노가리
nikkeoneun nagari chyeomeogeo nogari
Yours is cancelled, just eat up some dried fish
나가리 (nagari) is a Japanese-originated slang for being canceled or no longer considered as a valid option, and so on. 노가리 (nogari) is dried little Pollack that is often consumed as snack.
이름이 미미니 shawty? 노답
ireumi mimini shawty? no dap
Is your name Mimi, shawty? You’re impossible.
노답 is a slang that combines ‘no’ and 답(dap; answer) and is used to describe a situation or a person where there is no answer/solution.
내 랩 완전히 꼭지가 돈 랩
nae raeb wanjeonhi kkokjiga don raep
My rap is a rap that goes off completely
니 랩은 한마디만 할게 don’t 랩
ni raebeun hanmadiman halge don’t raep
Your rap? Let me say just one thing, don’t rap
내 껀 좀 큰 물에서 좀 논 랩
nae kkeon jom keun mureseo jom non raep
Mine is a rap played in big waters
니 껀 원래 랩이 아니란다 non-rap
ni kkeon wonrae raebi aniranda non-rap
Yours is really not a rap, non-rap
Some background information before moving onto the next four lines: there’s an old hierarchy system (technically it can be used for some other purposes, but we abstract from them here) called 천간 (天干; cheongan) or 십간 (十干; sibgan) with the order (in descending power): 갑(甲), 을(乙), 병(丙), 정(丁), 무(戊), 기(己), 경(庚), 신(辛), 임(壬), and 계(癸). 갑, appeared above, is the most superior and is often used to describe someone or something with power, authority, great quality, or great ability in doing something.
그래 넌 최고의 여자, 갑질
geurae neon choegoui yeoja, gapjil
Yeah, you’re the best woman, best vagina
Here, I interpret 갑질 as 갑 (best) + 질 (vagina), given that it follows ‘the best woman.’
So 존나게 잘해 갑질
So jonnage jalhae gapjil
So you’re fucking good at bossing around
갑질 itself is a slang (with 질 meaning behavior or activity), which is widely-used in recent years due to improper power abuse of chaebols and the resulting social outrage. It means a behavior of a person in a superior position forcing another person in an inferior position to perform unreasonable requests.
아 근데 생각해보니 갑이었던 적 없네
a geunde saenggakhaeboni gabieotdeon jeog eoptne
Ah, but, thinking about it, you were never really that powerful
갑 떼고 임이라 부를게. 임질
gab ttego imira bureulge- imjil
I’ll take ‘power’ off and call you ‘dear,’ gonorrhea
임 (im) itself means dear (lover). By replacing 갑 with 임, 갑질 becomes 임질, which essentially means gonorrhea. If we, however, stick to the word composition of 갑질, take 임 and 질 apart from each other, and interpret 임 as 임 (壬) in the천간 system and 질 as behavior/activity, 임질 becomes a behavior/activity of 임 (壬), which means someone who is sly and adulates his superiors. It’s also the second to last in the hierarchy order.
I pop it rock it knock it never stop it talkin some trashes
난 백수라서 없어, 자비 넌 real 백수. 없어 차비
nan baeksuraseo eopseo, jabi neon real baeksu. eopseo chabi
I’m jobless, so I don’t have mercy. You’re real jobless, so you don’t have bus fare.
자비 can be interpreted in two ways: (1) 자비 (慈悲): mercy, (2) 자비 (自費): one’s own expense. A jobless person would not be able to afford anything out of his own pocket, but the real message is “I don’t have any mercy for you.”
You know i aint about the thousands let me ride it yo drop it swap it
rock it mock it stalk it lock it in my pocket theres full of monsters
Yeah i gettin on em bitch gettin on em rich
해변의 아들 너는 son of a beach
haebyeonui adeur neoneunson of a beach
Son of beach, you’re a son of a beach
난 원석처럼 빛나 마치 son of a 비취
nan wonseokcheoreom bicna machi son of a bichwi
I shine like a gemstone like son of a jade
나는 괴물 so son of a 스티치
naneun goemur so son of a seutichi
I’m a monster, so son of a Stitch
Stitch is a title character of the Lilo & Stitch and is an illegal genetic experiment created by mad alien scientist.
Yeah man i told you that im a monster
That why i be rappin non stop
I do want your hands at the concert
Want your fuckin damn erry hands at the concert
Hit me
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