BTS’ RM and Epik High’s Tablo released their emotional collaboration Stop The Rain on May 2, 2025, revealing deep personal struggles through raw lyrics, including RM’s haunting reference to the 27 Club. Tablo’s careful release strategy protected RM from potential backlash, leaving fans moved by the song’s honesty.
What Is the 27 Club?
The 27 Club refers to a group of famous artists who died at age 27, often under tragic circumstances. This includes musicians like Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, and SHINee’s Kim Jong-hyun. Many faced mental health struggles, addiction, or intense pressure before their deaths. The term has become a cultural phenomenon, symbolizing the heavy toll of fame and emotional turmoil on young artists. RM’s lyric, “When I was a kid, I was convinced that I was destined for the 27 club,” reveals he once feared he would share this fate. Now at 30, he reflects on surviving those dark thoughts, though struggles persist, as seen in the line, “I’m twenty nine, sinkin’ in the bathtub, sippin’ gin, lookin’ for another club.”
Stop The Rain: A Deeply Personal Track
Stop The Rain is a mid-tempo rap song with a haunting melody and animated visuals of a child hiding pain. Released on May 2, 2025, at 1 p.m. KST, it features RM and Tablo sharing their emotional battles. The song opens with a minimalist guitar riff, setting a somber tone. Tablo raps about a childhood marked by religious strictness and abuse, with lines like, “Raised by guilt, raised by shame, raised by the rod / Bloody calves sacrificed in the name of their God.” RM addresses his mental health, referencing the 27 Club and feelings of isolation. The chorus, “Can’t run away from the pain / I’m tryna stop the rain,” captures their shared fight against inner turmoil. Fans praised the song’s raw honesty, noting how both artists’ verses blend without overshadowing each other.
“The rain, the rain will fall / And tomorrow may not come / But maybe the tears will fall to wash the pain away / I’m tryna stop the rain.” — RM and Tablo, Stop The Rain lyrics
RM’s Lyrics and Mental Health Struggles
RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, is known for deep, introspective lyrics. In Stop The Rain, he reveals a childhood fear of dying at 27, a thought tied to the 27 Club. The line, “I’m twenty nine, sinkin’ in the bathtub,” suggests ongoing struggles with depression, possibly hinting at escapism through alcohol. Fans expressed heartbreak, with one writing on X:
“After getting to know what ‘27 club’ meant in the ‘Stop the rain’ mv .. knowing he thought that he could never make past 27 yrs is haunting me.. He saved us but who’s gonna save him?” — X user, May 2, 2025
Another fan noted RM’s growth, referencing his past lyrics:
“‘i was convinced that i was destined for the 27 club’ but at 27 he said ‘life is better than the death i’ll prove it’ instead. you’re the bravest person i’ve ever come across in this universe, namjoon.” — X user, May 1, 2025
RM has addressed mental health in songs like Magic Shop, Groin, and Sea, but fans noted this is his most direct reference to such dark thoughts. His military service, ongoing until June 2025, adds context to his absence from promotions, making the lyrics even more poignant.
Tablo’s Protective Release Strategy
Tablo, from the hip-hop trio Epik High, delayed Stop The Rain for nearly three years, despite recording it before RM’s military enlistment in December 2023. In a May 1, 2025, Rolling Stone interview, Tablo explained the lyrics felt like “pages out of our journals.” He hesitated to release them, especially RM’s vulnerable verses, fearing sensationalism or backlash. Tablo faced a smear campaign called TaJinYo years ago, which made him sensitive to protecting RM. Only after RM urged, “Release it,” a few months ago did Tablo move forward.
“When we were making the song, we were so into it that we didn’t realise how personal the lyrics had become.” — Tablo, Rolling Stone, May 1, 2025
Tablo chose minimal promotion, letting fans discover the song organically. He shared on X before the release:
“It’s an honest song, and because it’s honest, there is pain there. But that’s also what makes it an empowering song. What we want is for you to nod your head to it, blast it at the gym or in your car on the way to work, dance & sing along to it, make memes, make it yours.” — Tablo, X, April 2025
This approach earned praise for respecting RM’s privacy while serving in the military.
Fan Reactions and Emotional Impact
Fans, known as ARMY, flooded social media with emotional responses. Many were moved by RM’s vulnerability and Tablo’s care in handling the release. On X, fans shared:
“Get your tissues ready coz we are about to bawl our eyes.” “this song will be really personal, I hope we don’t just listen to it through our ears, but also through our hearts.” “tablo and joon, you’ve both come so far, i fear this song will wreck me.” — X users, May 1-2, 2025
Others expressed gratitude for the duo’s strength:
“tablo and namjoon are the definition of vulnerability as strength … i thought that Namjoon’s verse would crush me, but it was Tablo’s that swung out the gate and hit me right in the chest.” — X user, May 2, 2025
Fans also connected the song to RM’s past work, like his 2017 SoundCloud track Always, which hinted at similar themes. The animated music video, showing a child hiding pain, amplified the emotional weight, resonating with listeners who felt the song was a “warm hug” for those facing struggles.
The Song’s Creation and Background
Stop The Rain was written by RM, Tablo, Will Leong, and Anthony Watts, with the latter three also producing. The track builds on their previous collaboration, All Day, from RM’s 2022 solo album Indigo. RM suggested English lyrics for a smoother flow, a choice Tablo praised. The song’s theme of rain symbolizes persistent emotional pain, with both artists aiming for a sound distinct from their past work. RM recorded his parts before enlisting, and Tablo held onto the track until 2025, ensuring RM’s approval. The teaser, released April 25, 2025, featured rainfall sounds and symbolic imagery like a falling angel and a woman with an umbrella, hinting at the song’s depth.
RM and Tablo’s Musical Bond
RM has long admired Epik High, citing their song Fly as an early influence. Tablo equally respects RM, praising his effort in their collaborations. Their mutual trust allowed for honest lyrics, with RM shaping the song’s direction and Tablo ensuring its careful release. This is their second collaboration, following All Day, and fans hope for more, with one writing:
“I’m immensely thankful for Tablo and Epik High and their music. But also thankful that BTS has them as friends.” — X user, April 29, 2025
As of May 3, 2025, Stop The Rain is available on all major streaming platforms, with fans actively sharing and creating memes, as Tablo encouraged. RM remains in military service, set to be discharged in June 2025, and has not commented publicly on the song. Tablo continues to engage with fans on social media, expressing gratitude for their support. The song has sparked discussions about mental health in the music industry, with listeners appreciating its universal message of resilience.
