Since returning to the music industry, B.I has certainly been busy building his presence as an independent artist. Even as he was going through the misfortunes that befell him, we knew that Hanbin had not only the skill but the will to prevail in the music industry. Earlier this year, he announced the release of a global EP, a few months after the artist signed a deal under Billie Eilish’s agent for global promotion (notably North and South America, along with Australia). This is pretty huge news for a Korean artist not under a huge label, and the global influence he’s shooting for is evident in the first pre-release single “BTBT (Feat. DeVita).”

The new single has the songwriter teaming up with American artist Soulja Boy and AOMG’s DeVita for a smooth and addicting track that blends English and Korean lyrics seamlessly. While the artist often flexed his rapping skills when he was still with iKON, we see him instead exploring his vocal talents for this new single. DeVita’s presence in the song is mostly to harmonize and support B.I’s vocals, while Soulja Boy is featured for a verse before the final chorus. The song certainly has potential wide appeal, as it has all the elements of a quintessential pop track. The beat takes inspiration from both EDM and hip-hop, melding the two together for a downright addicting beat.

The music video has a futuristic cyberpunk twist to it, showcasing a future dystopia. B.I. is seen with a crew of similar punk dressed companions, his focus often on the blonde haired girl in his group as if to shape a story of the lyrics surrounding his admiration for her. The cinematography is quite eye-catching, and the scale of many shots appears almost like a movie. The video is about half focused on B.I. and half on scenery, and we can’t lie that the cyberpunk aesthetic fits him very well. 

Check out the music video for “BTBT (Feat. DeVita)” below! Do note that Soulja Boy’s verse does not appear in the video, but you can catch the full song on Spotify.