BewhY: “I Have Failed,” But Now It’s His Reborn Era
Photo: Dejavu Group
“But now, I will face it. I have failed.” That’s what BewhY (비와이), born Lee Byungyoon (이병윤), said in an Instagram post to announce the release of “SOUTHSIDE FREESTYLE,” published May 8. It is the lead single for his third full album POP IS CRYIN' (out May 29), and it pulses with the introspection of a man who has stared down failure and emerged sharper.
The previous studio album by BewhY dates back to 2019 (The Movie Star), and, as the rapper himself mentioned in the open letter we quoted, the new music comes after the shutdown of Dejavu Group, the label he personally ran. The lengthy message on his Instagram profile (which has been cleared of all previous content) arrived one week before the release of “SOUTHSIDE FREESTYLE,” and read:
“Hello, this is BewhY.It's been 10 years since I started making music and rapping.
Throughout that time, I ran forward without a doubt, fueled by the belief that I could achieve anything.
Even when I had nothing, that one conviction brought me before you all,
and in the end, I experienced success.
That experience filled me with certainty,
and I believed the paths I chose would always be right.
But life didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
Business ventures, relationships, and even my inner beliefs
all flowed in ways far removed from the direction I envisioned.
My mistakes and errors piled up,
and I didn't want to admit that reality.
The moment I acknowledged it,
I'd have to face how foolish and wrong my choices were—
I feared the label of "failure" would follow.
But now, I will face it.
I have failed.
I've come to clearly know my own limitations,
and I've decided to let go of the things I clung to.
I'm shutting down the activities of Dejavu Group, the label I founded in 2017.
This decision was never taken lightly,
and all responsibility lies entirely with me.
I also want to express my gratitude to the artists who believed in me and walked alongside.
To everyone who watched over and supported Dejavu Group all this time,
I offer my sincere thanks—and my apologies.”
Seven days later, the song dropped, and it became clear that all those feelings and considerations were the foundation of his music, a gritty rap that brims with the candor and spontaneity of freestyle, unpolished performances, capturing his emotional shifts. It marked him closing the chapter as a CEO, rebuilding as an artist, and embracing responsibility as a family man.
A representative of BewhY also stated, "This single is a key to understanding the organic narrative of the third album—please look forward to the true face of BewhY returning to his roots as an artist after being an operator."
Toss out my perfect pics, full of flaws and stains
Failure now crumbles behind me, right under my feet
Rebuild my style fresh, just like SOUTHSIDE FREESTYLE
“SOUTHSIDE FREESTYLE” opens with “IX EX MACHINA 2.0 BewhY,” hinting at a rebooted version of the rapper, before proclaiming, “My life is a movie, I live it,” and then spiraling into a flurry of words and expressions that come together to depict his journey like jagged pieces of a unique mosaic.
BewhY’s music surely sounds different, freer, and more unabashed. Having discarded pressing expectations, recentered and dropped the CEO’s hat to only wear the artist’s one surely influenced this evolution.
Ready to see if BewhY 2.0 is up your alley?
Edited by Sandy Ou