On August 15th, Min Yoongi, better known as Suga from BTS, dropped his mixtape, simply titled "Agust D." The response was instant, as #AgustD started trending worldwide. The music video for the title track, which was released on the same day, reached over two million views in 24 hours.

To the casual listener, the mixtape is the definition of perfection. The upbeat tracks (like Agust D) are perfect for getting hyped for an event, while the slower tracks (like Tony Montana) seem to persuade your body to roll to the beat. Accompanied by the more melodious and vocal-focused tracks (like so far away), the mixtape has a track for every mood.

As beautiful as the self-produced beats are, the true value of the mixtape lies in his lyrics. Min Yoongi raps about his journey to fame, his success, and his struggles. In his skit, he mentions that the reason why he released the mixtape under the moniker Agust D (rather than Suga, his name in BTS), was because he was showing a new side of himself. And this new side of him might have something to do with the most important topic on the album - mental illness.

In 마지막 (The Last), lyrics like "I fall sometimes again into depression and compulsion" and "it was around 18 when my social phobia began ... / around that time my mental state became polluted" flow from his tongue while the beat starts and stops hesitatingly. Yoongi mentions his visit to the psychiatrist — "[my parents] said they hardly knew me / I don't even know my own self, so who can know me?"

For an idol to release a track with lyrics about their experience with mental illness is a huge deal. Idols are placed onto pedestals; they are supposed to be the personification of perfection. It'd be no surprise that many of them would suffer mental backlash under the constant pressure to be the best. Coupled with the strong stigma in Asian countries against mental illness, it's not surprising that only a few idols have spoken up about their issues. Hopefully, this track will help start conversations and destroy the stigma against mental illnesses.

All in all, Agust D is a masterpiece. Min Yoongi describes his life experiences with the skill of an artist, while he paints onto the canvas of the listener's mind with the brush of lyrical artistry.

(If you're interested in listening to the album, supporting the artist, or reading the translations of the lyrics, links are attached. Enjoy!)