J-Hope and his ‘idol’ J. Cole meet ‘on the street’ in new solo single
To be honest, it still feels unreal. It’s such an honor. Looking back, we’ve gone through so much to make this happen and it wasn’t always easy. If you listen to J. Cole’s verse, you can see how he really put his whole soul into it to tell the story of his life and true feelings within. It took a long time to work on it, and when I finally heard his verse, I was deeply moved.
The word “street” bears special meaning to me. It means “street dance” which is my roots as an artist. It’s where my inspirations come from and it symbolizes the path I’ve taken as j-hope. It’s also where I learn lessons of life.
To me, the street is a place where we can actually encounter and feel the real lives of people: a child’s innocent mind; first encounter with someone and falling in love; someone in an urgent moment; a quarrel; an avoidable breakup, etc. Street is a metaphor for life. I tried my best to convey all of this in the song, and wanted to share hope and courage to those who are walking through their lives. I want this song to accompany all those who are off to a new start or on a long journey, like a friend.
BTS’ agency, HYBE, has stated they intend for all seven BTS members to serve their military responsibilities when the time comes. As of now, the eldest member, 30-year-old Jin, began his conscription in December 2022 and has completed basic training. HYBE is aiming for BTS to fully reconvene as a group in 2025.