The expression “My Thang” in BTS ‘s Black Swan is repeated and underlined many times in the beginning of Black Swan. Have you ever wondered, what does it mean?
Let’s examine it a little bit. First consider examples for the use of the phrase “My Thang”:
- “What is that thang on your head?” stands for “What’s caught in your head?”
- “Ain’t no thang” means “It’s no big deal (it’s no big deal)”.
- On the other hand, when we say “somebody’s thang”, we are talking about something that attracts a person’s interest, something that motivates him. It also means something that someone is adept at doing. Accordingly, we refer to “our preference” or “our passion” when we express “my thang”.
- The semantic basis of the Black Swan piece is “Fear of losing the passion for art”. Accordingly, anxious thoughts get caught in the mind of the artist, even trapping him and making him unable to breathe.
- As you remember from the movie Black Swan starring Natalie Portman, the artist was alone, she was actually asking “what’s my thang” type of questions to herself. Her passion for her art was her lifeline. By the instance she lost it, i.e. her passion for her art, the door of destruction was opened for her.
In sum, we can say that there is a multilayered usage that combines above mentioned meanings of the phrase. It is in line with the dark theme of the song.
But don’t be afraid, dear BTS fans, at the end of the piece, our beloved artists hold tight to their passion for their art and bestow themselves on us. Everyone can breathe a sigh of relief. Let’s all enjoy the MV of Black Swan and the Jimmy Fallon Show Black Swan Performance:
