J-Hope, dance captain and key member of pop kings BTS, officially dropped his debut album, making him the first of the group take that leap. The album's title, Jack in the Box, is a reference to Pandora’s Box, much like his BTS stage name. “It was Hope that was kept in the innermost nook of the box. It trailed behind the miasma of darkness, assuaging the ill effects on humankind. Hope gave people the will to keep on living amidst the pain and strife,” the opening track of the album, aptly titled Intro, offers in a little mythology lesson.
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Settling into his sound after the 2018 EP Hope World, Jack in the Box is the work of an experienced architect. It’s designed to “flow like a well written book,” he says, requesting that fans first listen to the album from start to finish, taking time to pause at the interludes on the musical journey.
The album was also accompanied by a new music video for "Arson," the last, and possibly most explorative, track of the bunch. According to the initial press release, we’re meant to see J-Hope “encountering the world outside the box and standing at the crossroads agonizing which path he should take.” For "More," which was previously released as a single, this crossroads takes the form of a mysterious package that transports the rapper into another realm, while "Arson" feels like the artist's turning point — a fiery final decision.
J-Hope sets a high bar for the rest of the members of BTS to compete with during their periods of self-exploration. Stream Jack in the Box and watch the full music video for "Arson" below.
Photo via Getty/ Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic
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