Watch J-Hope’s Incendiary Video for ‘Arson’

Rapper, producer, songwriter, dancer and BTS member J-Hope made his official solo debut earlier today with his first studio album, Jack In The Box. The record is led by the single “Arson” and follows the grunge-heavy, Nineties hip-hop pre-release track, “More.”

Much like its predecessor “More,” “Arson” leans towards old-school production, dipping into gritty Nineties electronica and hip-hop blends, heavy with thrumming bass with a focus on percussion as dark synth runs all through like a siren in the background. The track serves as an introspective number where J-Hope looks back at his global success and decides where to go next: “If anyone asks me/ “Right, I lit the flame”/ Now I ask myself, choose what/ Do I put out the fire, or burn even brighter?”

The music video sees J-Hope walking casually through a fiery landscape, surrounded by flaming cars and smoke. At first he seems unaffected by it all as his white jumpsuit remains pristine, but as the sky darkens and the fire goes out, the clip transitions to show that he was on fire as well and his jumpsuit is as scorched as his surroundings. A slightly unsettling zoom into his chest reveals his heart glowing like an ember and the following zoom-out unveils his burnt, but glowing visage – insinuating that the fire that consumed the earth around him originated from him. The flaming word ‘Arson’ surrounds him as he falls to the ground.

Jack In The Box comprises a total of 10 tracks including “Arson” and “More,” the others being “Intro,” “Pandora’s Box,” “Stop,” “=” (Equal Sign), “Music Box: Reflection,” “What If…,” “Safety Zone” and “Future.” The album is darker than anything the rapper has released before and he presents a completely different side of himself as compared to the 2018 mixtape Hope World and 2019’s “Chicken Noodle Soup.” According to a press release, with Jack In The Box, J-Hope aims to show audiences his “own musical personality and vision as an artist” and his “aspirations to break the mold and grow further.”

J-Hope is the first BTS member to officially kick off solo activities after the group announced they would be taking a short break from making music together to focus on individual releases. In addition to dropping his debut studio album, J-Hope will also be headlining Lollapalooza on July 31st where he will likely be performing the entirety of Jack In The Box, Hope World and more.