The grind by no means stops for rapper I.M, who’s presently making ready for a summer season tour throughout Europe, the U.S., and Asia by beating the hell out of his abs. “[When working out] I normally separate my physique into chest, again, shoulder, arm, [and] legs,” he says over a Zoom name from Seoul. “However I do abs day by day.”

As a member of the Ok-pop group Monsta X, I.M paired this bodily brawn with lyrical machismo. However as a solo artist, I.M’s music is extra like his thoughts: introspective with a melancholic craving. His new EP, “Off the Beat,” is as ruminative as ever; lead single “Lure” loops by way of a one-sided dialog with a paramour about going public.

We requested I.M to get out of his head for a bit and inform us about what he likes listening to and watching on-line when he isn’t making music.

1. Ty Dolla $ign – “Zaddy” [Music Video]

I.M: “Zaddy” is one in every of my favourite songs of Ty’s, and when I’ve to check my audio — my headphones, my massive audio system — I check with this tune as a result of the bass is dope.

Mashable: You realize what zaddy means, proper?

I do not know what the tune means. I similar to the vibe. I do not know what zaddy means.

I believe I’ve seen followers name you “zaddy.”

Oh, it means “daddy,” proper?

Yeah, however like cooler and youthful.

Is it OK to take it as a praise?

Yeah, for certain.

OK, I am zaddy! [laughs]

What different artists have you ever been listening to?

Chase Shakur and RAAHiiM. And naturally, Bryson Tiller. He is my favourite. And Solomon. They make the identical sort of music as I do — chill R&B, a little bit of a sticky, horny vibe.

How would you describe a sticky sound?

Once you hearken to a extremely authentic, basic [piece of] music, do you’re feeling prefer it’s sticky? It is sort of just like the vibe of a tune. Do you nod? Once you hearken to a rock tune, you swing your head like this [moves head up and down]. However while you’re listening to R&B, your vibe is extra like [moves head slowly to a beat]. It is just like the groove.

2. LET ME KNOW – “偽愛とハイボール (Love and Highball)”

I discovered this band on Instagram, I used to be scrolling, and I heard the tune and was like, “Rattling, they’re good.” It is a completely different vibe from what I’ve listened to earlier than. The style is metropolis pop, I believe. It felt fairly contemporary after I heard it.

How typically do you uncover new music like that?

I do not dedicate time to it as a result of while you play a tune [on Spotify] it performs extra songs with an analogous vibe. I want concepts, new issues, and contemporary air, and Spotify provides me these ideas. I hearken to their curated playlists so much, too.

3. League of Legends gameplay movies from 롤박사 해도리

I play League every time I’ve time after work. I began enjoying in quarantine, in 2021 or 2022. You play with a random group, and typically I play with my buddies in the event that they’re on-line. In the event that they’re offline, I play on my own. I like enjoying video games, however I am not a gamer. A gamer is, like, hooked on video games.

Avid gamers have a chair and lights and the entire setup.

In fact, I’ve a chair, nevertheless it’s for my again.

It is a gaming chair, however you employ it in your again?

It is an workplace chair. I exploit it for my well being.

What different video games do you play?

Nothing else, simply League. You may assume a personality’s character together with your enjoying model, and each single tiny motion is basically significant. [Laughs] Ah man, I sound like a gamer. I play as Kindred, a wolf educated in archery. That character provides life and demise. And in case you’re actually good at that character, it is simple to hold the sport. You change into vital, the MVP, and might face 5 versus one. Once you kill somebody, you get a “stack” that offers you extra energy. As that stack grows, you get tremendous robust. My lane is “jungle,” so I wanted to discover a jungle character.

Your lane?

Yeah, my lane. There are 5 lanes inside the sport: high center, jungle, ADC, and assist. After I took a while to grasp the sport, I selected jungle as a result of it is difficult. You want numerous information, and you must give you numerous methods inside your head. I hate after I’m unhealthy after I play the sport, so I’m going again to the moments that I used to be unhealthy and take a look at to determine what I might have achieved to repair it.

The sport displays my character. In the event you’re grasping within the sport, it may be a mistake. It could trigger numerous demise and trigger your group’s demise, too. So balancing my greed with [other elements of my] character permits us to win the sport. The way you management your character inside the sport is an extension of your character exterior the sport.

4. Spaceman

It is a film I not too long ago watched a few man who goes to house and is visited by an extraterrestrial creature within the form of a spider.

When the spider got here out, the visible of that was fairly disgusting. However the issues he mentioned had been so simple. There was a line, “Hearken to the silence,” that punched my coronary heart. It is sort of a bizarre sentence, “Hearken to the silence,” as a result of silence isn’t a noise. Silence occurs when you do not understand it, and it is like, “Oh, it is quiet.” That line was enormous for me. To me, it means, “It is advisable to decelerate and be grateful.”

5. 미국 근본의 맛 (“A style of American roots”) @dudely_08

I watch this type of content material to kill time. I do not like aggressive, intense movies. I like to look at issues that do not mess with my vibe. Typically I’ve to look at my weight loss program [for work] and might’t eat so much, so I try to fulfill [my appetite] with movies. I do not like conventional mukbangs the place folks sit and eat. This man is completely different; he opinions the meals, the view, and the presentation.

Normally, I am probably not that grasping about consuming meals, it is simply one thing I must dwell. I get pleasure from consuming, however the strategy of all of it— selecting from a menu, for instance — is aggravating to me. So I would be high quality if somebody had been to decide on one thing for me [to eat], however I would hope it would be scrumptious.

What else do you do to relax out?

Typically after I’m actually exhausted, I hearken to a tune with no lyrics, simply instrumentals. As a result of if there’s something to consider, my mind tries to maintain working. So [I listen to] jazz music and drink some whiskey. Each alcohol has a unique sort of vibe. Whiskey can really feel very lonely, and it is simple to get drunk on. However beer is sort of gentle and straightforward to drink, so I drink that when enjoying League. It matches the sport.

You mentioned earlier that League is a balancing train for you between your wants and the wants of the group. Does that apply to your actual life?

I am not making an attempt to idiot myself about who I actually am. I really like all the things I do by myself, and I really like being with my Monsta X group. So steadiness is not that vital or that tough as a result of I really like each second after I’m doing music. I attempt to do my finest in each second nevertheless it’s vital to face actuality and acknowledge what you are able to doing one hundred pc. I am probably not a constructive man, however I do my finest to not waste a chance and to face challenges after I can.