REVIEW: MONSTA X – RUSH

It’s tiiiimmeeeeee!!📢📢📢📢

From like October 2015 til about February 2019, I was a diehard Monbebe. Monsta X (note, I’ll probably alternate between the proper all caps version of their name and this version) was easily in my top three favorite groups.

I was following them closer than I was SEVENTEEN. They were the first group I officially joined a fan club of, and my first lightstick purchase. I was in deeep. Rush era, or rather “Hero” to be more specific, was what brought me into the fandom.

If you knew me during this time, MONSTA X, GOT7, VIXX, SHINee, and EXO were my top 5 boy groups. So it’s kinda weird for me to have, like, zero evidence on that on ATK. If you search deep enough through my Tumblr, you’ll find loads.

Well… maybe. I didn’t use tags that much then, and Tumblr’s search feature is notoriously awful. But if you were passionate enough, I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for, lol.

So similar to me going through my favorite songs/albums from particular artists (like the Taemin posts), I’m going to continue this trend with Monsta X over the next couple of weeks. Starting things off with my first MX album, RUSH.

RUSH

So I’m going in order of song appearance on the album. But it’s funny, starting with my second impression of Monsta X. I remember liking “Rush”. More for all the chaos going on in the music video. It’s not that I didn’t like the song, but it didn’t hook me like “HERO” did.

I haven’t watched the music video for “Rush” in years, but immediately seeing Jooheon’s bright ass red hair took me back to 2015. I used to have his photocard, but I ended up giving it to a friend. Minhyuk’s blonde hair, I remember, being my favorite color on him for a while. Wonho crying into a bag a chips is still one of my favorite reaction memes.

I was very much a Hyungwon, Minhyuk, Wonho girl back then. Hyungwon actually was my favorite member until about summer of 2016? I think that was the concert when they first came to Atlanta. I became a Wonho girl that night and never looked back, lmao. But those three were still my mains while Kihyun, Shownu, Jooheon, and I.M basically all tied for fourth place.

I could easily create an argument why all of them were iconic and my faves, that’s a sign of a perfect group in my eyes. I love everyone here.

And Eunseo being appearing in the music video, and who they’re all fighting over? Love to see it. Now that I think about it, I have more WJSN content on ATK than MX, atm. Second note, I also call them MX for short, I will also alternate between this name too.

The styling in “Rush” is fine. Nothing I’d pick at 28 or 21 tbh. But I do love the cut-off sleeves and baggy shirts, and skinny jeans that we see in other images from the album photos. The soccer (football) jerseys, I still think, is a cool concept. Kinda hard to mess that up.

I think it’s also a fun take on school boy looks. Pretty much every Kpop group ever has some school concept. I liked that for MX, they made them look less polished, but still good. Like this was them hanging out after school.

But they’re not in like, I don’t know, math club, lol. It goes with the imagery that they’re trying to show. Them being tough bad boys that will treat you right. I feel like that’s the main takeaway.

You have a Hip Hop heavy song, and them in your face with all these instrumentals. I just loved this noise music era for them. It was such a fun time. I didn’t realize until now that Giriboy wrote and arranged this song. Jooheon and I.M writing their raps, of course.

HERO

If you look up iconic Kpop music videos, this is in the top 10 video. Just trust me on this. This was the song and video that got me into Monsta X. I’m not sure how I missed their debut. I think Because it was in May and that was a super busy month.

I didn’t follow any blogs or sites that posted monthly debuts and comebacks. So I just checked out whoever I saw other people I followed were talking about. I think I ran across “Hero” from word of mouth.

“Hero” has similar energy to “Rush” with the whole being interested in a girl. This time, there’s a huge increase in their confidence. The choreo is still one of my favorite Kpop choreographies ever.

The lyrics and their line delivery is flawless. I love the camera work with each member getting time in the middle and then the other drones circling around them.

I always get excited for I.M’s part. I love the Mario instrumental before he starts and then him referencing the mushroom power up. Then Jooheon’s rap, whereby the end of it he just yells, lol. I need a collab with him and Changbin from Stray Kids, stat. My rap yelling kings.

Styling wise, this music video is closer to my style/what I like. Funny again too because, this is Wonho’s music video, however I was completely enamored with Hyungwon here. I love his pushed back hair here.

“Hero” was one of the first Kpop songs my mom loves. She still listens to “Hero” like it came out yesterday. I still listen to it a lot as well. Shout out to Punch Sound and Rhymer for their additions to this. I.M and Jooheon also have song credits on here.

“Hero” is usually one of my recommended Kpop music videos I always show to people if they’re interested in Kpop.

Perfect Girl

I keep saying I want to do a favorite selfie cam music video article. Idk when I’ll actually get to it, but this one is definitely on that list. This is STILL one of my favorite MX songs. I love me a good midtempo R&B track.

And the slight sample of Jon B’s “They Don’t Know“. GENIUS!!! On the Wikipedia page, they talk about the heavy influence of Black music in creating this album. Totally one of the reasons I love it so much. There’s a nice mix of Black and Korean elements going on to create something unique. Esbee, Lissie, 9999, idk who they are, but they have credits on here along with Jooheon and I.M.

As much as I love “Hero”, “Perfect Girl” is my favorite song off this album. I can go back to it at any time and never get tired of it. “Hero” I have to be in a hype mood to truly enjoy. But if it pops up on shuffle, I never skip it. Easily my second favorite song from Rush.

Anyway, back to the music video for “Perfect Girl”, from the jump we start off good. We have another special video, and the creativity they put into these still blow my mind. They took a simple concept and added cute details to make it feel less professional from the previous two videos.

The boys timing their phones and tablets with the music actually starting, and watching their reacting to other members parts and the lyrics is still engaging to me years later. I can’t help but to smile.

Shownu and Hyungwon hanging out in their group closet was something I forgot about completely. Kihyun being on the bed then sitting up on the bed. Jooheon and I.M playing with plushies.

Wonho basically in the same position the whole time with giant slippers on. Minhyuk body rolling is me every time this song is on, lol. It’s so dramatic and goofy at the same time. Unserious personified.

Amen

My third favorite song from Rush. I didn’t realize the lofi influence in “Amen” until I started watching more of those lofi and chill videos on YouTube. You don’t really hear as many of these songs with random old film dialogue as much as you do now, make sense because trends in music genres is completely normal and expected.

I like this setup for a music video too because if you’re new to a group, and still learning names, this is a perfect setup. Well, minus the Hangul names, but usually you have someone who’ll list who’s who in the comments.

I guess if I’m picking a music video, I enjoy the styling of the most, it’s this one. Pretty boring, but I like it. Hair and clothes are on point. The backgrounds are simple. Not much to really go in depth on.

Crybaby, Take’M and The Beat worked on this song. The only one that doesn’t have an MX member participating in.

Gone Bad

I completely forgot about this music video. I’m just imaging how funny and embarrassing this must have been to record in public. I love a good behind the scenes’ music show content like this. Like we’ve got some kill before we go on Inkigayo, let’s film something.

We got another noise music song. I love it. “Gone Bad” doesn’t have an I.M credit on here, but it does have Jooheon and it shows, lol. Mad Clown, Taewan, and Ye-Yo! worked on this one.

Broken Heart

I don’t say this often, but I wish we had more boring ballads like this from MX. The back and forth between Kihyun and Shownu as the songs builds up more and more, Minhyuk, Hyungwon, and Wonho’s vocals filtering in and out, plus Jooheon and I.M’s quieter but serious tone in rap? Chef’s kiss. This is my fourth favorite song from Rush.

The range with Monsta X is something that always stood out to me. They have some of the best rappers and vocals in Kpop. And for a long time people were sleeping on that.

“Borken Heart” has I.M and Jooheon back in the credits. I think this one has a few others working on it, Rescue The Beat, Kim Seungjoon, and Go A-ra.

Also, the album art with the members faces in the letters? Love it.

What a solid ass album. I love when a group’s follow-up album improves on the previous one. I have love for their debut album, Trespass, but it sounds like a first album. You can tell there were improvements made.

They really elevated the sound from Trespass. I’ll talk more about this album in my Other Fave Monsta X Songs article that will be at the end of this series.

What are y’all’s favorite songs from Rush? Are you a Monbebe? Former Monbebe? Don’t really check for them? Let me know in the comments.

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I’ll see y’all next post!

Ash ✨