On April 20, 2025, Nate Walka, the Grammy-winning artist, appeared on The Frankie Biggz Show, where he reminisced about his interactions with the globally renowned K-pop group, BTS. His fond memories trace back to 2014, when BTS participated in the reality show American Hustle Life>, during which the band spent approximately two weeks in Los Angeles, guided by a group of hip-hop mentors.
Walka revealed that his admiration for BTS began early in their career, particularly with their groundbreaking album We Are Bulletproof. Intrigued by their music after watching several videos, he eagerly accepted the opportunity to collaborate with them on the reality series. However, he noted that there was skepticism surrounding their potential success at that time.
“The first interaction of their Music was “(We are) Bulletproof” and just watching that one video got me onboard to do this. It was interesting because there was a writing camp for a different group and their camp was trying to get me to not work with BTS. There were a lot of doubters, thinking they were a filler group,”Walka remarked.
Despite the naysayers, Walka expressed a strong belief in BTS’s capabilities. He underscored the importance of recognizing the true essence of music and entertainment, which he felt many critics did not grasp.
“There were a lot of doubters, thinking they were a filler group. When I watched the BTS video, it became clear that those who were doubting truly didn’t comprehend what music and entertainment are all about. Among everything I had encountered in the K-pop scene, BTS really stood out to me.”
Nate Walka, also known as Nathan L. Walker, is a 38-year-old American record artist and songwriter based in Atlanta, Georgia. He has earned Grammy accolades for his contributions to numerous hit songs, including “Blame It”by Jamie Foxx and “Ready”by Trey Songz.
Overview of BTS Members and Their Solo Endeavors
In 2022, BTS made headlines by announcing a hiatus to focus on individual careers, coinciding with the group’s members preparing for mandatory military service. As a result, the members began releasing their solo projects, starting with j-hope’s debut album, Jack In The Box, in July 2022.
Following j-hope, Jin released his single The Astronaut in October 2022. Soon after, Jin enlisted in the military in December 2022, while j-hope followed suit in April 2023. Meanwhile, RM debuted his solo album, Indigo, in December 2022.
Jimin contributed to the solo projects with his album FACE in March 2023, while SUGA released D-Day, the final part of his mixtape trilogy, in April 2023. Jungkook marked his solo debut with the single SEVEN featuring Latto in July 2023, which paved the way for the release of his album GOLDEN in November 2023.
In September 2023, V joined the ranks of solo artists with his studio album LayoVer. The same month, SUGA began his military service, and by December 2023, all BTS members had enlisted. To keep their fans engaged during their hiatus, some members pre-recorded music for release throughout their service.
Notably, V dropped a single titled FRI(END)S in March 2024. In subsequent months, Jimin and RM released their albums MUSE and Right Place, Wrong Person in May and July 2024, respectively.
As of June and October 2024, Jin and j-hope completed their military service, with Jin announcing his first studio album, Happy, in November 2024, and a follow-up album titled ECHO set for release in May 2025.
Following his discharge, j-hope has already released three tracks: MONA LISA, Sweet Dreams featuring Miguel, and LV BAG featuring Don Toliver. He is currently on a solo world tour dubbed HOPE ON THE STAGE.
The five remaining members—SUGA, Jimin, RM, V, and Jungkook—are expected to complete their military service around June 2025, marking a significant transitional period for both the group and their fans as they continue to support their solo ventures.