RM (rapper)

RM
RM at Seoul Music Awards on January 19, 2017
Background information
Native name	김남준
Birth name	Kim Nam-joon
Born	(1994-09-12) September 12, 1994 (age 23) Ilsan-gu, Goyang, South Korea
Genres	K-pop
Occupation(s)	Rapper Songwriter Record producer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2013 (2013)–present
Labels	Big Hit Entertainment
Associated acts	BTS V Zico Warren G Krizz Kaliko Primary MFBTY
Website	bts.ibighit.com

Kim Nam-joon (Hangul: 김남준; born September 12, 1994), better known as RM (formerly known as Rap Monster), is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is the main rapper and leader of the South Korean boy group BTS, managed under Big Hit Entertainment. In 2015, he released his first solo mixtape, RM. To date, he has recorded with artists such as Wale, Warren G, Gaeko, Krizz Kaliko, MFBTY, and Primary. As one of BTS's main songwriters and music producers, he has over 60 songs accredited to his name by the Korea Music Copyright Association. On September 19, 2017, Rap Monster announced on his Beats1 Noisey Interview that he would be changing his stage name to RM. This was later confirmed via BTS' official fan cafe.

RM was born on September 12, 1994, in Ilsan, South Korea. Before his debut with BTS, he was an underground rapper under the stage name "Runch Randa". He released a number of tracks and once collaborated with fellow underground rapper Zico.

He was part of the top 1.3% of the nation in the preparatory university entrance exams for language, math, foreign language and social studies, and has an IQ of 148. He is fluent in English and Japanese, and while all members of BTS studied Japanese as trainees, RM continues to learn Japanese after debut. He has described himself as an atheist.

RM was recruited as BTS' first member back in 2010 during a Big Hit talent audition. RM trained for years with two other underground rappers, Jung Ho-seok (J-Hope) and Min Yoon-gi (Suga). On June 13, 2013, RM made his debut as a member of BTS on Mnet's M! Countdown with the track "No More Dream" from their debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool. He has produced and written lyrics for a variety of tracks on all of BTS' albums.