Think Outside the Box with j-hope’s “MORE”

It’s been a long four years for fans, but the wait has finally paid off in the form of j-hope’s newest single, “MORE.” The track comes as a prerelease ahead of his July 15 album Jack in the Box.

Over the years, j-hope has established his image as an artist both as a member of BTS and as a solo performer. With songs like “Daydream” and “Outro : Ego” in his repertoire, j-hope is known and loved for his vibrant, bubbly demeanor. In “MORE,” he blends his penchant for old school hip-hop with a gritty rock concept, trading in bright colors for smudged eyeliner and playful melodies for grungy guitars. 

“MORE” starts out with a simple hip-hop beat that sounds straight from the ‘90s, and j-hope attacks right out of the gate, with his verses building in edge until the intense chorus. Backed by explosive guitars, j-hope channels his inner emo band persona in the chorus, blurring the lines between the polar opposite genres of rap and rock. The lyrics speak of his desire for “more,” his greed to explore his artistry by pushing his own boundaries. “MORE” certainly does just that.

The video for “MORE” starts with j-hope being delivered a suspicious box. He then moves from set to set, dissecting his identity, and quite literally exploring the concept of j-hope from the inside out in shots of him getting an X-ray of his skull. Amidst cuts of him performing in front of a rock band, the video ends with j-hope closing the mysterious box he’d received, only to see that the box contained the different video sets all along. It’s a very fitting metaphor for the concept of Jack in the Box—a toy meant to cause surprise. And surprise us, j-hope did.

Check out the video for “MORE” below and prepare yourselves for July 15.

Edited by Meighan Peters