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  • Deep Dive: Yeonjun Unapologetically Realizes His Artistic Vision In NO LABELS: PART 01

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    It’s here! Yeonjun has released NO LABELS: PART 01, and neither us nor our playlists will ever be the same again. We’ll be the first to admit that we had very, very high hopes for Yeonjun’s debut solo album, but we’ll also hold our hands up and say that he exceeded every single expectation. Rather than a perfect, sparkling pop album (which we all know Yeonjun is capable of, too), NO LABELS is bold, untamed, and disruptive.

    Throughout NO LABELS: PART 01, Yeonjun provocatively dares the listener to try and categorize him, whilst proving time and time again that it’s impossible. Every aspect of the album is rebellious yet calculated.

    However, as thought-out as NO LABELS: PART 01 is, it never comes across as inauthentic. Yes, Yeonjun has a point to prove, but that point is so intrinsically tied to him and his artistic self that it never feels deliberate. Yeonjun can’t help but demonstrate just how dynamic and enigmatic he is, because that’s just him.

    From now on, too, through my music, I’ll keep showing you the honest and new sides of myself.

    Yeonjun on the NO LABELS: PART 01 listening party CDs.

    There’s no doubt that K-Pop’s formula to promote upcoming releases works incredibly; from concept photos to MV teasers to tracklist announcements, with something happening pretty much every day at 00:00 KST, it’s a surefire way to get audiences hyped for a comeback or debut. With NO LABELS: PART 01, Yeonjun rebelled even against that process, announcing and promoting the album on his own social media, including setting up a Pinterest account specifically for the concept photos, and giving MOAs sneak peeks at almost every track on the album. Plus, throughout TXT’s career, Yeonjun has been notorious for dropping spoilers, and he seriously weaponized that talent for NO LABELS.

    Even the very notion of a PART 01 is disruptive. We already (especially after that teaser at the end of the music video) know we can expect a PART 02, but when and what that looks like is on Yeonjun’s terms. And he’s always one step ahead!

    My very presence speaks for me, and it will not be silenced. I exist on my own terms. Outside of words, this is just me.

    Text in Yeonjun’s NO LABELS: PART 01 packaging

    Track By Track

    Now, let’s get stuck into the details, and how each NO LABELS track proves Yeonjun’s artistry is limitless.

    ‘Talk To You’

    Once upon a time, we had ‘LO$ER=LOVER,’ which opened with Soobin kicking us in the face; now we have ‘Talk To You’ opening with Yeonjun getting punched. Unlike the music video, which has it as the grand finale, Yeonjun opens NO LABELS: PART 01 with ‘Talk To You,’ the title track. Like the rest of the album, this song toes the line of just-weird-enough, and on first listen reminded us of another album that straddles that line: RM’s RPWP. ‘Talk To You’ builds on a duality that Yeonjun is already well known for: the potent mix of rock and hip-hop. Both genres are rife with anarchy, which is exactly the energy that Yeonjun attacks them with.

    If there were ever any doubt that Yeonjun’s personal mark is all over this album, then ‘Talk To You’ alone would prove that theory wrong. Yeonjun is credited for both the lyrics and composition (he’s credited on five out of the six NO LABELS tracks), and further contributed to its creative direction through the choreography and performance. In fact, the choreography itself is some of the hardest we’ve ever seen, to the point where, in behind-the-scenes content, Yeonjun has been warning fans not to try it out! We’d expect nothing less from the 4th Gen It Boy, but he still exceeded all our expectations.

    ‘Forever’

    If ‘Talk To You’ reminds us of RM’s RPWP, then ‘Forever’ reminds us of another of RM’s previous collaborators, Anderson .Paak. Where so much of this album is deliberately disruptive, ‘Forever’ is its sleekest moment. A simple (in comparison!), bright hip-hop track contrasts with the nonchalant delivery of Yeonjun’s all-English rap, and we love this low-pressure version of a seize-the-day mentality. Yeonjun mentioned that a lot of his friends picked this track as their fave when he gave them a sneak preview of NO LABELS: PART 01, and we can totally appreciate why.

    ‘Let Me Tell You (featuring Daniela of KATSEYE)’

    This is the track for the 00s R&B lovers! With two of K-Pop’s best dancers, we knew the choreography of this track would hit, and it still blew us away. The sensual nature of ‘Let Me Tell You’ suits both Yeonjun and Daniela so well, and we need a full performance ASAP!

    And, once again, Yeonjun rebels against the limitations placed on idols, who often face massive backlash (think ENHYPEN’s ‘Bite Me’) for performing with people of other genders. Of course, male and female idols singing and dancing together shouldn’t be controversial, but it is, and Yeonjun and Daniela do a beautiful job of pointing out the absurdity of that, simply by not acknowledging it at all.

    ‘Do It’

    ‘Do It’ is an underrated gem on NO LABELS: PART 01, and we can totally see this track having some serious longevity. The song is full of confidence and charisma, but in a completely unexpected way; it’s not brash or loud. In fact, the live band style and jazz influences make ‘Do It’ feel like a very intimate listen, and this nonchalance adds to its effectiveness. Yeonjun doesn’t need to shout to be heard, or for everyone to stop what they’re doing and pay attention.

    In the second half of the album, which ‘Do It’ kicks off, Yeonjun responds to the question of NO LABELS more directly, speaking about his persona and the criticism that he has faced. Throughout ‘Do It,’ he teaches his critics how to be “YJ’s miniature,” but even when he plots out the most basic steps for them, they can’t manage it. All of this goes to show that just because Yeonjun makes something look easy, that doesn’t mean it is. That’s just his talent.

    ‘Nothin’ ‘Bout Me’

    Like ‘Do It,’ ‘Nothin’ ‘Bout Me’ tackles the album’s themes head-on. With lyrics like “you can’t fit me in any kind of frame,” and “I’m my own product,” Yeonjun speaks directly to people who try to contain him as any one specific thing. Moreover, whilst “you” try to box him in, he’s not even paying attention to your failed efforts; he’s busy “snoring in a Carnival.” A Carnival is the car most commonly used by idols, and it’s not the first time they’ve been used as a status symbol in a diss track, just look at the way ATEEZ belittle their stalkers in ‘MATZ.’

    Yeonjun co-wrote and composed Nothin’ ‘Bout Me,’ and you can definitely feel that raw, untamed energy come through in this hip-hop track. On an album full of self-assuredness, ‘Nothin’ ‘Bout Me’ still takes the crown for the most provocative and defiant moment.

    I rip off any label put on me, even if it gets sticky, sticky, sticky, I still go.

    Yeonjun, referencing NO LABELS and ‘GGUM’ on ‘Nothin”Bout Me’

    ‘COMA’

    ‘COMA’ is Yeonjun’s favorite track on NO LABELS: PART 01, and we’re inclined to agree with him. The production on this hip-hop track is deliberately disorienting, as Yeonjun displays how much power he has over his rapt audiences. In addition to creating the choreography for ‘COMA,’ Yeonjun co-wrote the lyrics. As a result, ‘COMA’ brings us one of our favorite Yeonjun trademarks: wordplay. When rapping “The ‘GGUM’ you were chewing on,” Yeonjun uses 씹다, which means both ‘to chew’ and ‘to belittle’ (source: TranslatingTXT), so this line can also be taken as a reference to the haters’ reactions to his 2024 mixtape.

    Yeonjun then goes on to say that he has “Fed this scene a new topic, eyes on me, all them eyes on me.” Yeonjun’s name is often mistranslated as ‘fed,’ so it’s like he already knows that everyone will be talking about NO LABELS: PART 01, and about Yeonjun himself too. With an album this iconic, can you blame us?

    It’s clear in every aspect of NO LABELS: PART 01 that Yeonjun has uncovered a true artistic vision, and as fans, we couldn’t be happier for him (or happier to reap the benefits!). From the lyricism to the aesthetic and everything in between, NO LABELS: PART 01 is completely undefinable, except for the only label it needs: Yeonjun.

    What’s your favorite track on the album? And tell us your predictions for NO LABELS: PART 02! Let us know over on Twitter @TheHoneyPOP! You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.

    And if you want more TOMORROW X TOGETHER in your life, you’ve come to the right place…

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TXT AND YEONJUN:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YEONJUN’S INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

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    Anna Marie

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  • Larry Hogan Senate Bid Is Good for Republicans, Bad for No Labels

    Larry Hogan Senate Bid Is Good for Republicans, Bad for No Labels

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    The Senate GOP’s unlikely champion.
    Photo: William B. Plowman/NBC via Getty Images

    Larry Hogan, who just made a surprise announcement of a 2024 Senate bid, is a bit of a unicorn in today’s MAGA-flavored Republican Party: a relatively centrist politician who has twice won statewide in a deep-blue state while regularly dissing Donald Trump. He’s legitimately a moderate, though no liberal. For example, he opposed restricting abortion in his state before and after the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, but he also opposed expanding abortion access. And he worked reasonably well with Maryland’s Democratic-controlled legislature — so well, in fact, that virtually no down-ballot Republicans were elected on his coattails.

    Term-limited at the end 2022, Hogan got a lot of media attention for criticizing Trump and was even the subject of some ill-informed speculation that he might run for president in the 2024 Republican primaries. He also became active in that centrist fantasy land, the No Labels organization. And when Hogan stepped down from its board, there was some more ill-informed speculation that he might be preparing a presidential bid as part of a No Labels “unity ticket.” He said “no” to that prospect and then last month endorsed the presidential candidacy of Nikki Haley.

    Perhaps this sign that Hogan wanted to remain within the general confines of the Republican Party signaled his next step, which surprised a lot of people: deciding to run for the Senate seat being vacated by three-term Democratic incumbent Ben Cardin. It’s quite the recruiting coup for Republicans, who last won a U.S. Senate race in Maryland in 1980. And although it’s been obvious for a bit that Hogan wasn’t actually looking in its direction, it’s a blow to No Labels, which has been making noises about wanting a Republican at the top if its “unity ticket” to allay concerns it was secretly or stupidly acting as Trump pawns. There’s really no other Republican in its orbit with the kind of recent electoral credibility Hogan has demonstrated.

    Hogan’s interest in becoming a freshman senator at the age of 68 is a bit of a mystery. Yes, he’d have a shorter commute than most senators and is already a familiar figure to the beltway media types who determine which puffed-up lawmakers get attention in a Capitol crowded with big egos. But it would in other respects represent a demotion. Governors have entire state governments reporting to them and can make news whenever they want, while senators have small staffs mostly composed of children and must fight for headlines and sound bites. But presumably Hogan really wants the job.

    Whether he wins it or not is another subject altogether. Surely Maryland Republican officials in Washington and in Maryland offered their first-borns to Hogan for giving them the best chance to win a Senate seat in the Old Line State in ages in an election cycle where they have high hopes of flipping control of the chamber. But you never know what sort of MAGA opposition might arise: In 2022, Hogan’s hand-picked candidate to succeed him as governor, Kelly Schulz, was waxed by Trump zealot Dan Cox in the GOP primary (Cox went on to lose badly to Democrat Wes Moore in the general election). Assuming he does brush aside intra-party opposition, Hogan will face either ultrawealthy congressman David Trone or Prince George’s county executive Angela Alsobrooks (who holds the same position in that large D.C. suburb as Hogan’s father once occupied back in the day).

    While Hogan has obviously shown he can win a statewide campaign in Maryland, he hasn’t run for a federal office in a presidential year, much less one in a hyperpolarized election year like 2024. He has vowed not to back either Biden or Trump if they are the major-party nominees in November and has also let it be known he did not vote for Trump in 2016 or 2020. In that sense, he is positioned to run as someone who is fiercely independent, but Democratic partisanship will be hard for him to overcome this time around. If nothing else, he’ll force Democrats to spend money in Maryland they’d prefer to spend on crucial Senate races in Ohio or Montana. For that, even Trump-supporting Republicans will be grateful.


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    Ed Kilgore

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  • Senator Joe Manchin Slams Biden as “Extreme Left” As He Mulls Presidential Bid

    Senator Joe Manchin Slams Biden as “Extreme Left” As He Mulls Presidential Bid

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    Wasting no time after announcing his retirement from the US Senate, Joe Manchin is going after President Joe Biden as he embarks on a quest to mobilize the “radical middle” and potentially run for president.

    “Joe Biden has been pulled so far to the left, the extreme left,” Manchin told conservative billionaire and radio host John Catsimatidis Sunday. “Makes no sense at all, it’s not the person we thought was gonna bring the country together.”

    The West Virginia Democrat added that he thinks former president and current GOP frontrunner Donald Trump “normalized this visceral hatred. He wants to … weaponize [the presidency] for revenge. He believes the only fair election is the one he won [in 2016].” Manchin previously stated that a second Trump presidency would “destroy democracy in America.”

    “Washington wants you and I to be divided, and the rest of America to be divided because it’s a better business model for ’em,” Manchin added Sunday. “I’ve decided to go around to see if I can mobilize the radical middle – the radical, moderate, sensible, reasonable, middle, modern part of this country,” he said.”

    In a video announcing his retirement from Congress, Manchin said he’d be “traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together,” spurring speculation that he’d jump into the 2024 presidential race.

    Manchin recently told NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker that he would “absolutely” consider running for president. “I will do anything I can to help my country, and you’re saying, ‘Does that mean you would consider it?’ Absolutely. Every American should consider it if they’re in a position to help save the country,” he said. Manchin told Welker that he hadn’t spoken with the president since announcing his decision not to seek reelection.

    For months, Manchin has been flirting with No Labels, a nonprofit political organization fueled by dark money and focused on fielding a “centrist” third-party ticket for president in 2024. In a statement, the group greeted Manchin’s retirement by calling him a “tireless voice for America’s commonsense majority and a longtime ally of the No Labels movement.” The group said they would “make a decision by early 2024 about whether we will nominate a Unity presidential ticket and who will be on it.”

    Speaking on Fox News last week, No Labels leader and former Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut said, “Joe Manchin deserves the most serious consideration if we get to that point.” Lieberman has strenuously denied that a No Labels ticket would help Trump, claiming that the group’s internal polling shows that a “unity” ticket wouldn’t play spoiler.

    Manchin, too, has denied that an independent run for president would help Trump win. “I don’t buy that scenario,” Manchin told CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell after announcing his decision not to seek reelection. “I’ve never been a spoiler in anything…I compete to win, okay? And I’m gonna work right now to try to win the middle back.”

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    Jack McCordick

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  • How Third-Party Hopefuls Could Put Donald Trump Back in the White House

    How Third-Party Hopefuls Could Put Donald Trump Back in the White House

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    President Joe Biden is a bit occupied with life-and-death issues at the moment. He flew into a war zone for eight hours to comfort Israelis and to negotiate relief for Palestinians and to try to avert even larger tragedies, then returned to Washington to deliver a rare, powerful Oval Office speech explaining the stakes to Americans–an address also aimed at growing domestic divisions about the U.S. role in the Middle East.

    That war, plus the one between Ukraine and Russia, will occupy a great deal of the president’s attention for the near future. But those conflicts are also likely to take up an increasing amount of space next year, as Biden runs for reelection–when he may well have more rivals criticizing him about foreign policy than just Donald Trump.

    Third-party candidates are the first worry a Biden adviser mentions when asked to list general election uncertainties: “This is set up for a higher percentage than the 6% in 2016, in the Hillary-Trump election.” In 2020, seven states were decided by less than 3% of the vote, and the margins in battleground states this time around are likely to be nearly as thin. The number of ballots cast for a third-party candidate doesn’t need to be large to do outsize damage. In Pennsylvania in 2016, for instance, Trump edged Hillary Clinton by 44,292 votes—while Green Party candidate Jill Stein attracted 49,941 votes. “It certainly concerns me because I worked for Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania in 2016 and saw what Jill Stein was responsible for firsthand,” says Brendan McPhillips, who went on to run the state for Biden’s 2020 campaign and then managed John Fetterman’s winning 2022 Senate bid. “I hope anyone who is continuing with some quixotic vanity project of a third-party presidential run will pull their head out of their ass in the next few months.”

    What’s been missing in the chatter is that the most prominent, most likely candidates would pose significantly different threats. Cornel West, the professor and activist, is coming at the president from the left, with a platform that includes universal basic income, nationalizing the fossil fuel industry, and reparations for Black Americans. The conventional wisdom has been that West would appeal to two constituencies where Biden is vulnerable: progressives and voters of color.

    The dynamics are unlikely to be that simple. Democratic strategist Rebecca Pearcey thinks third parties ultimately won’t have much impact—particularly if the Biden campaign hammers home the election’s stakes. “I think voters realize if they are going to go vote for a third-party candidate, it’s essentially throwing their vote away,” says Pearcey, who was the political director for Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 run for the Democratic presidential nomination. “None of these independents are going to get to 270. I think what Biden will need to do, in particular with the challenges from the left, is ensure that people understand the gravity of their one vote: ‘We may not check all your boxes, but it is certainly better than having Donald Trump back in the White House.’”

    West is a charismatic presence, and he’s sold a lot of books over the years, though is new to facing the kind of press scrutiny that comes with a presidential campaign. This week, he had to answer to taking money from Harlan Crow, the GOP megadonor linked to right-wing Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. West defended the donation, saying he is “unbought and unbossed.” Then he said he was giving Crow his money back. Meanwhile, West’s recent decision to ditch the Green Party, which has a strong record of getting its presidential candidates on ballots, could present a major challenge to winning votes. It’s the second time in four months West has left a political party and it contributes to the perception that he isn’t really a serious candidate. “The Biden White House was probably very glad to see that happen,” a Democratic strategist says.

    Indeed, Biden’s camp, and most everyone else, is less sure what to make of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s prospects. Earlier this month, Kennedy dropped his Democratic bid to run as an independent, breaking from his famous family’s deep ties with the party. The environmental lawyer turned conspiracy theorist has demonstrated skill at raising (and spending) money, as has the super PAC supporting Kennedy, though running a national campaign as a true outsider will become exponentially more expensive. The larger question is about his appeal. “Kennedy is more puzzling,” says Mark Longabaugh, a Democratic strategist who played a key role in the surprisingly strong presidential run by Bernie Sanders. “He’s moved beyond any kind of ideological association with his family’s political history. In some ways he’s more threatening as an independent than he would have been in a Democratic primary. His market would seem to be disgruntled voters, voters who are fed up with the system.” In the most optimistic Bidenworld view, this means Kennedy helps them by pulling fringe voters away from Trump. (Minnesota congressman Dean Phillips is still flirting with running in the Democratic primary, but has yet to officially challenge Biden.)

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    Chris Smith

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