Well, this is a surprise! I somehow missed the announcement about this song, so hearing a collaboration between two of K-pop’s most influential rappers comes as a pleasant little shock tonight. Stop The Rain pairs Epik High’s Tablo with BTS’s RM, crafting a multi-generational shot of emotional catharsis.
I’m always hesitant to write about songs like this because I don’t feel like they fit well into my ratings system. I tend to cover music created for a wide audience and chart ubiquity. Some might call it “manufactured,” but I’ve always hated the negative connotation that word entails. Given its collaborating artists, Stop The Rain will always be part of chart conversation, but above all else it feels like the musical equivalent of a diary entry — a confessional airing out of inner thoughts. As such, blathering on about its “hooks” feels a little silly.
Sonically, the first thing I notice about Stop The Rain is how well Tablo and RM’s voices fit together. Each has the ability to move from airy melodicism to sharper textures. This track falls much closer to the “airy” side of this spectrum, though its more confrontational verses contrast nicely with the soft chorus. Overall, it’s quite a beautiful piece. I don’t know how much I’ll actually listen to the song on its own, but I appreciate how it makes a strong, resonant statement. There’s a place within the wider K-pop industry for this style of project and it’s nice to be reminded of that.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
man the song’s lyrics just give me the feels, just reinforcing my heavy bias for joonie every time
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also remind me to replace the songs on my apple music playlists with mp3s in case they get pulled due to licensing issues (fucking kpop companies)
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im serious its an absolute bitch to replace them whenever they gray out smh
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Oh, if I like a song, I plunk my $1.29 down right then and there. Moments after listening and nodding my head. Old school. If itunes goes poof, my ipods are still there there. (ipod nano 7th I have four of them in different colors. Still available on ebay.)
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cuz like im here having to go on jpopsuki to download tens of albums just to replace them on my playlists (some of them are dead torrents so fuck me)
oh well if i lose my subscription i have my mp3 player on my side
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*sigh* I hear you. Start with your current favorites, then your oldest favorites. Then you will run out of energy and money, and will pick and choose more over many months or years. Or never. Some you find again in a decade or two hence and be like, Oh Song! I knew you when!
C’est la vie.
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Well it’s honest and emotional, which is what Namjoon does best. It is also refreshing to see such a famous rapper (especially in kpop but not exclusively) that avoids all kinds of braggadocio in his solo career. This man truly needed a break from all of this and it shows. Leaving this here in a similar style:
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Love this tbh. I like Namjoon’s writing style a lot and his music has grown on me with each of his releases. Tablo has the nicest flow in the industry, he is just pleasant to the ear. And as you say, their voices match so well together. I like that the song doesn’t hold punches, but has an overall hopeful message, something typical of Joon’s music. I appreciate that he insists on seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, more so considering how influential he is.
As you say, hard to rate as a potential bop because it is just not its intention, so I will just say I want more of whatever Namjoon is cooking and I am always glad to listen to Tablo.
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It’s nice. the Instrumental is a touch too “girl studying with cat” one for my liking. The lyrics also cover a lot of territory that has been traveled before. But hey, if this does it for you, have at it.
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I like this song. The lyrics make me emotional.
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