Despite the Black Lives Matter Donation, RM and Suga Reveal Why BTS Isn’t ‘Political’
The BTS performers are using their platform for good, donating money, and inspiring their ARMY to take action, as well.
However, during their cover story with Variety, RM and Suga confirmed that these performers aren’t really trying to make a political statement with their actions — they’re just trying to make a positive impact on their fans.
BTS donated to the Black Lives Matter movement
RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook break records with their music. These performers also take the time to donate to various causes. Most recently, that includes the Black Lives Matter movement, where the BTS members donated $1 million.
Fans took the involvement one step further. Inspired by the philanthropy of these artists, they went and donated to the same cause, matching the band’s $1 million. Still, RM and Suga confirmed that BTS isn’t trying to be political. Instead, they were simply standing against racism.
“We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together,” BTS tweeted in a statement on June 4, 2020.
Some members supported coronavirus (COVID-19) relief efforts, even though they confirmed they’re not trying to be ‘activists’
Aside from Bit Hit’s donations, one of the rappers of BTS, Suga, reportedly gave money to coronavirus release efforts. That prompted fans to donate the money initially spent on concert tickets to the same cause.
During an interview with Variety, Suga shared that the BTS members aren’t exactly as political as some expect.
“I don’t consider ourselves as political,” Suga said. “We aren’t trying to send out some grandiose message. We would see ARMY as a conduit for our voice or our opinion. ARMY speaks their own initiatives, and we always respect their opinions, as we respect any other person’s.”
“We are not political figures, but as they say, everything is political eventually. Even a pebble can be political,” RM added during the same interview.
BTS even had their own ‘Love Yourself’ campaign, partnering with UNICEF
Donations aside, these K-pop idols often raise awareness regarding mental health, advocating for fans to “love themselves” with their UNICEF campaign. They also released inspirational and uplifting songs like “Answer: Love Myself” and “Spring Day.”
“The message of ‘you, yourself, are enough, and you should love who you are and start with that — I think people miss how radical that can actually be,” Candace Epps-Robertson, assistant professor of rhetoric at the University of North Carolina, said. “We can’t overlook the power of that as an invitation to people to be part of this community.”
The “Dynamite” music video is now available on YouTube. Music by BTS, including their recently released album, Map of the Soul: 7, is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and most major platforms.
