Today marks 8 years since the very day that SUGA was unveiled as the third BTS member after RM and Jin. SUGA is a hard worker RM once revealed that SUGA usually writes one song a day! He is always working on something, even in all their travels like “Bon Voyage” or their episode “In The Soop” where they went to have a break and rest, SUGA can be seen working on music or lyrics.
SUGA is an all round artist, responsible for writing, composing, arranging, mixing, and mastering his material. Over 70 registered songs are credited to him by the Korea Music Copyright Association. He is a pianist, and produces hiphop and R&B music. His lyrics involve themes that are “full of dreams and hope,” conceived with the intent of his music becoming “many people’s strength.”
Here are a few facts about SUGA as we celebrate this amazing rapper, producer, singer, idol
The stage name SUGA is derived from the first syllables of the term shooting guard , the position he played in basketball as a student. He adopted the alias Agust D in 2016 for his mixtape, which is derived from the initials DT, short for his birthplace, Daegu Town, and “SUGA” spelled backwards.
He became interested in rap after hearing “Reggae Muffin” by Stony Skunk, stating that it was different from anything he had ever heard before. After hearing Epik High, he decided to become a rapper. By age 13, he began to write music lyrics and learned about MIDI. He worked a part-time job at a record studio by age 17. From then on, he began composing and arranging music, rapping, and performing.
Before being signed by Big Hit, he was active under the name Gloss as an underground rapper. As part of the hiphop crew D-Town in 2010, he produced “518-062”, a song commemorating the Gwangju Uprising.
How Suga was unveiled to the public back in 2013
“Hip-hop group BTS, which producer Bang Sie-hyuk is ambitiously preparing for, has revealed additional members ahead of its debut in the first half of this year. Big Hit Entertainment (Big Hit) revealed that it had recruited rapper (SUGA) as a member of BTS. Suga is a talented rapper who was finally selected in 2010 for hit it, an audition co-hosted by Big Hit. The company told Star News that “we will release members of the BTS group sequentially in the future,” and that “BTS, including Suga, is preparing to make its debut this May-June.” NAVER (2013.01.22 AM) Source
Suga released a free self-titled mixtape via SoundCloud on August 15, 2016. He decided against releasing the project as a commercial studio album, describing it as the “feeling of being trapped in some sort of framework.” On the record, he discussed matters such as his struggles with depression and social phobia. In 2018, he re-released the mixtape for digital purchase and streaming. The reissue reached number three on Billboard’s World Albums Chart.
The Korea Music Copyright Association attributes over 100 songs to Suga as a songwriter and producer, including Suran’s “Wine” which peaked at number two on the Gaon Music Chart and won best Soul/R&B track of the year at the 2017 Melon Music Awards.
In January 2019, Suga provided a rap feature on Lee So-ra’s single “Song Request”. The track was co-written by Suga and Tablo of Epik High, who also produced the track. The single debuted at number three on South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart and at number two on Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart.
Suga later produced a track for Epik High’s Sleepless in extended play, titled “Eternal Sunshine”, in February.
He co-wrote and produced the digital single, “We Don’t Talk Together”, for singer Heize, which she released on July 7.
In December, American singer-songwriter Halsey released the song “Suga’s Interlude”, from her third studio album Manic, which both featured and was produced by Suga.
On May 6, 2020, IU released the digital single “Eight” featuring and produced by Suga. The song debuted at number one on both the Gaon Digital Chart and Billboard World Digital Songs chart.
Suga released his second mixtape, D-2 together with the music video for its lead single “Daechwita” on May 22, which peaked at #76 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The mixtape debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and became the highest-charting album by a Korean soloist in the US. It is also the first Korean solo release to reach the top 10 in the United Kingdom, opening at number 7 on the UK albums chart.
Jeff Benjamin of Fuse said that Suga’s mixtape “showcases the star’s ear for hot productions, hardcore rap style, and how he can make his vulnerabilities a strength.”
Other critics stated that Suga’s “storytelling execution in the music he creates tears down the barrier of censoring and sugarcoating”.
In January 2018, Suga was promoted to a full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association.
In December 2013, Suga, who was diagnosed with appendicitis, underwent surgery at Severance Hospital in Sinchon on the 9th and was discharged on the 17th, but was hospitalized again on the 26th due to inflammation in the surgical site. Consequently, he couldn’t attend the year-end awards ceremony for the first time since his debut.
In December 2016, Suga suffered an ear injury when he tripped over a door threshold. Following doctor’s recommendation, he couldn’t participate in choreography or performances for about a week so the wound could heal well.
In November 2020, Suga underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum (reverse Bankart tear) in his left shoulder, announcing that he would take a subsequent break in order to fully recover.
Suga is as generous as he is an amazing artist…
In 2014, Suga made a promise to buy his fans meat should he find success as a musical artist. Four years later, on his 25th birthday, he donated beef to 39 orphanages as “ARMY”.
For his 26th birthday in 2019, he donated KR ₩100,000,000 (US$88,000,) to the Korea Pediatric Cancer Foundation alongside 329 BT21 Shooky dolls.
On February 27, 2020, Suga donated KR ₩100,000,000 (US$88,000) to Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association for preventing COVID-19 and helping the difficulties from his hometown Daegu.
Suga has spoken openly about mental health and equality for the LGBTQ+ community_ Billboard
Watch Suga’s first log on their Bangtan channel
BTS “BE” album teaser photos
From a rookie… To an elegant gentleman. ARMY appreciating the rapper and celebrating his existence as a gift to mankind
Happy 8 years with our favorite rapper, song writer, producer, Idol, Min Yoo-ngi, AgustD, Suga!!
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