He might be the maknae, but Monsta X’s I.M is famed for his ferocity! I.M, aka Im Changkyun, is one of our favorite rappers in K-Pop, and we think he should be one of yours too! From his solo work to Monsta X’s monstrous discography, I.M always comes through with elite-tier verses.
If his unflinching delivery isn’t enough to convince you that he’s one of the best rappers in the industry, then maybe his distinctive songwriting style will. From their debut in 2015 up to the release of their 12th mini album REASON, I.M has amassed an incredible 125 credits on KOMCA. In case you’re not familiar with KOMCA, this basically means I.M has songwriting and/or production credits on 125 tracks – spanning Monsta X’s career, his own solo work, and collaborations with other artists.
In fact, Changkyun sits comfortably at around 15th on the most-credited idols of all time list! Not bad, eh?
If you somehow still don’t believe us when we say his work is next level, you better prepare to eat your words, or as Changkyun once said: “Eat This.” Every track on this list not only contains one of our favorite rap verses from Monbebe’s favorite maknae, but I.M also has writing or production credits on each of these songs too!
‘Gambler’
If we had to describe I.M’s energy in ‘Gambler,’ we’d say it’s “Hot as °F.” He really shines in Monsta X’s more aggressive, boastful concepts, and that’s exactly what the One Of A Kind and ‘Gambler’ era was like. This performance, in particular, showcases I.M’s charisma and natural affinity for this kind of track!
‘Shoot Out’
‘Shoot Out’ is the moment, the cultural reset. This title track took Monsta X’s career to a whole new level, and I.M helped write it. ‘Shoot Out’ is quintessential Monsta X as it perfectly demonstrates their group identity, so we love that Changkyun had a hand in its creation.
‘Rush Hour’
No Limit title track ‘Rush Hour’ is another song where Monsta X and I.M’s self-assured energy is at the next level. We mean, come on, the track literally starts with I.M saying, “Eat this.” What are we supposed to do except bow down to them?
‘Middle Of The Night’
Yeah, we’re clearly proving that I.M is one of K-Pop’s best rappers, but did you know he’s a really talented singer too? On English-language track ‘Middle Of The Night,’ Changkyun opens the track with his silky tones, and the lyric “You make me wanna run it all back” is actually about us listening to this on repeat.
‘Miss You’
‘Miss You’ was the first Monsta X track that revealed I.M as a triple threat, aka this was the first time that he co-wrote, composed, and produced a song. Whilst ‘Miss You’ is great in its own right, we also love it as a lens to look at Changkyun’s growth as a writer since then!
‘Deny’
From his first hat trick to his most recent! Taken from 12th mini album REASON, ‘Deny’ is a sultry r&b moment. We love that we get Changkyun rapping and singing on this one! Even more so, we love this performance where you can see just how much he vibes with ‘Deny.’
‘God Damn’
Truth be told, every track from I.M’s debut mixtape Duality should be on this list. In five tracks, he showcases his versatility, talent, and artistic vision. Title track ‘God Damn’ is a perfect hazy dream, and we really hope we get more solo work from Changkyun soon!
‘Just love’
“Pull up, skrrr” might be lowkey the funniest way to open a track, but ‘Just love’ is seriously one of our faves. “I’ll rеmember that all of this was beautiful” is us rediscovering Monsta X’s whole discography whilst compiling this list.
‘BEASTMODE’
This Eric Nam co-write is such a gem in Monsta X’s catalog. The group declares how they will push themselves forward, and they’re just gonna keep getting better and better the more they’re tested. World, it’s time to “Open your eyes,” and stan Monsta X.
‘5:14 (Last Page)’
Even without how great I.M is in this track, ‘5:14′ will always live rent-free in Monbebes’ heads. Unlike a lot of the more assertive songs that Monsta X tend to be known for, this track is a softer, sweeter ode to their fans. Even the title is a reference to the journey that Monsta X and Monbebe have been on together: Monsta X debuted on 5.14.2015.
‘Jealousy’
‘Jealousy’ contains probably some of the best fan service in a song, ever. The song is literally about the members getting jealous when their fans bias other members of the group, and you expect us to be calm about it?! I.M’s maknae-on-top energy really comes to the surface here, with lyrics talking about how he’s the “last” of the members, followed by “Think these guys are better than me?” And, of course, we have to highlight how iconic his “ra-ta-tata” is here. A cultural reset, actually!
‘Got Me In Chains’
If you’re Monbebe, we reckon we don’t need to explain why this verse lives rent-free in our heads. Monsta X are known for being one of the, *cough*, raunchier K-Pop groups, and, well, I.M’s verse in ‘Got Me In Chains’ is exactly that.
We could honestly put all 125 of I.M’s credited tracks, and the rest of Monsta X’s discography on here, but we won’t keep you that long when you could spend that time listening to the songs yourself! What’s your fave I.M verse? Did we miss something key off this list? Let us know all your thoughts over on Twitter @TheHoneyPOP! Or we’re also on Facebook and Instagram!
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