HAON delivers ‘R.I.L + King’s gambit,’ the explosive final track from Show Me The Money 12. The performer collaborates with producers ZICO and Crush on this powerful anthem. He tells his hip-hop origin story over their hard-hitting beat.
Released: April 3, 2026
R.I.L + King′s gambit (Prod. by ZICO, Crush)
Haon | Zico • From “Show Me The Money 12 Final”
R.I.L + King′s gambit (Prod. by ZICO, Crush) Lyrics Meaning Haon | Zico | Show Me The Money 12 Final
The lyricist drafts a journey from his first MP3 player to finding his voice. He notes, ‘Rhythm is life. Life is my rhythm,’ framing his entire existence around music. The songwriter mixes specific memories like karaoke sessions and school rumors with his rise to the competition’s final stage.
Naega yeodeop sal ttae gatge doen MP3 ane deureoissdeonThe Billboard Top 100 tracks that lived in the MP3 player I got when I was eight,
Billboard Top 100Billboard Top 100.
Yeolne sal-e jwi-ge doen deureom seutigeOn the drumsticks I picked up at fourteen,
Giseuga nal ttaemyeon nalttwineun BPMthe BPM goes wild whenever they get a scratch.
Geuda-eum yeondo-e mannan chinguneunThe friend I met the following year
Nareul wanjeonhi saeroun segye-ro indohaeleads me into a completely new world.
I-eoponeul tonghae naui gomage daheun geoseunWhat reached my eardrums through those earphones
Mind blow yuri gong-yewas a mind-blowing display of glass-like artistry.
Deol daero doerago haerobuteoFrom the sun that told me to just let things happen,
Pac Biggie Beenzino dakchineun daero oewossgoI memorized Pac, Biggie, and Beenzino as they came.
Jedaero baeteo bon ge dongne noraebang gyohoecheoreom spiritualSpitting rhymes at the local karaoke felt spiritual, just like church.
Gwanggaekdeuri naemin soneunThe hands the audience reached out…
Yeol gaedo an doegon haessjiman da-eum nal hakgyo-eseon…numbered less than ten, but the next day at school,
Somuni peojigi sijakae ‘yae syomideomeoni-e nagaya dwae’rumors started spreading, ‘This kid needs to go on Show Me The Money.’
I- I rap through the phone cheat mic-neun UFOI- I rap through the phone, my ‘cheat mic’ is like a UFO.
Geurae bang-gwa hue naui su-eop siganeun on repeat RECYeah, after school, my lesson time is on a constant recording loop.
Tto memojange sseo naeryeogan raimdeureun muddaepoThe rhymes I scribbled in my notepad are reckless.
Huhoe eopseo baro da-eum mudae-roI’ve no regrets, heading straight to the next stage.
Bareul omgineun naui deungeul duduryeo jun geonThe ones who patted my back as I moved forward
VJ 1llionaire geurigo GAEKOwere VJ, 1llionaire, and GAEKO.
Rhythm is lifeRhythm is life.
Life’s my rhythm life’s my rhythmLife’s my rhythm, life’s my rhythm.
Rhythm is lifeRhythm is life.
Rhyme’s infinite lines go drill ’emRhyme’s infinite lines, go drill ’em.
Byeorak chyeo lightThunder strikes like light.
Taituhage jjogaejineun pilleumThe film is tightly sliced into pieces.
Nae sami got rideum rideumeun got samMy life is rhythm, and rhythm is my life.
Life is not too good not too badLife isn’t too good, but it’s not too bad.
Haru jal sassdamyeon da jan chaeugo jachukaeIf I’ve lived the day well, I fill my glass and celebrate.
Dopamine-e jeoryeojyeo sone jusawiwa hwatupaeSoaked in dopamine, I set down the dice and gambling cards
Jamsi naeryeonogo gin teoneol soge nal gadu ttaeand lock myself inside a long tunnel for a moment.
(Meori bago napbam deep in it)(Head down, day and night, I’m deep in it.)
Mind travelingMind traveling,
Rhyme deureibeullingdribbling rhymes,
Hiphap-gwa pap du gaeui siblingship-hop and pop are like two siblings.
Bowers & Wilkins speake-re rideumiThe rhythm coming from the Bowers & Wilkins speakers…
Pyeondoche-reul kkaewo get ‘em in…wakes up my amygdala, get ’em in.
Anti-agingAnti-aging,
Money chasingmoney chasing,
Meomchwo jamsistop for a moment.
Back to basicsBack to basics,
Nas to JAY-Zfrom Nas to JAY-Z.
Gajchwo yeuiji ppurijjae deutji da so amazingEquipped with manners, I listen from the roots, it’s all so amazing.
(Gaeko) Naemsaeman makgo ga jeolmeumui chanranham(Gaeko) Just catch the scent and go, the brilliance of youth.
Sone deun keullobeo han jang deo buchyeo jwoAdd one more clover to the one in my hand.
Tteonagi jeone nan eopdeuryeo jeol badaBefore I leave, I’ll take a deep bow.
(Echo) San-euro ollaga riboneul dara nwa(Echo) Climb the mountain and tie a ribbon there.
Dadudeun durira jeongsangi oeroul il eopsjiSince there’re two of us, the summit won’t be lonely.
Da-eumeun ama nan NirvanaNext up, I’ll probably reach Nirvana.
Rhythm is lifeRhythm is life.
Life’s my rhythm life’s my rhythmLife’s my rhythm, life’s my rhythm.
Rhythm is lifeRhythm is life.
Rhyme’s infinite lines go drill ’emRhyme’s infinite lines, go drill ’em.
Byeorak chyeo lightThunder strikes like light.
Taituhage jjogaejineun pilleumThe film is tightly sliced into pieces.
Nae sameun got rideum rideumeun got samMy life is rhythm, and rhythm is my life.
Rhythm is lifeRhythm is life.
Life’s my rhythm life’s my rhythmLife’s my rhythm, life’s my rhythm.
Rhythm is lifeRhythm is life.
Rhyme’s infinite lines go drill ’emRhyme’s infinite lines, go drill ’em.
Byeorak chyeo lightThunder strikes like light.
Taituhage jjogaejineun pilleumThe film is tightly sliced into pieces.
Nae sameun got rideum rideumeun got samMy life is rhythm, and rhythm is my life.
Rhythm is lifeRhythm is life.
Life is rhythmLife is rhythm.
Rideumiran naui sameul umjigineun gireumRhythm is the oil that moves my life,
Nareul baro se-un gidungthe pillar that holds me upright,
Sinke daheun naui gidoand my prayer that reached the sink.
Dasi ollatage dwaesseo naega isseobeorin gireulI’ve hopped back onto the path I’d forgotten.
Chilheup gat-eun eodum-eseo galgodageun nae verseMy verse, polished in the pitch-black darkness.
Taeyangcheoreom binnane ireumA name that shines like the sun.
Gwireul se-wo baewonne yeonpireun nae soneI learned with my ears open, a pencil in my hand.
Deombideut dallabuteo bumpin’ on itClinging to it like a challenge, bumpin’ on it.
Bulwanjeonhan na-egedo seonmyeonghan feelin’Even for an imperfect me, the feeling is clear.
Teoki pusnaegi ttae nareul kiunThe fatal nasality that raised me
Chimyeongjeogin bi-eumback when I was a rookie.
Feng ShuiFeng Shui.
Yeah yeah yeah yeahYeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You non-believerYou non-believer,
You a none nothin’ to meyou’re nothing, you’re zero to me.
You’re done I’m a leader nowYou’re done, I’m a leader now.
Yeah yeah yeahYeah, yeah, yeah.
You non-believerYou non-believer,
You a none nothin’ to meyou’re nothing, you’re zero to me.
You’re done so done nowYou’re done, so done now.
Geobi nadeun maldeun gane umjigyeoWhether I’m scared or not, I move.
Geuge geomeunsaegideun huinsaegideunWhether it’s black or white,
Han georeume dallyeo inneun ge eokhundreds of thousands of dollars are riding on a single step.
Nangtteoreojineun gyedan-euro byeonhaeThe cliff transforms into a staircase.
Al piryoga eopseo naraganeun beobeul ayI don’t even need to know how to fly, ay.
Nan bureoumeul sago bonaseu-ro miumkkaji badaI buy envy and receive hate as a bonus,
Geurigo aju manheun doneun sa-unpumand a massive amount of money is just a gift.
Gageum muneul dudurineunThe magic that occasionally knocks on the door
Sutgarageul guburineun masuland bends the spoons.
Sameun naege maeu ppudeuthage bodapal ppunLife’s just rewarding me with great pride.
Nan su-eopsi manheun geoseulI take in countless things
Naui bangsigeuro geodeureoin my own way.
Yae noryeokdo an hago-seonThis guy didn’t even put in the effort,
Eodeon geollo neomu kkeodeureokbut he’s acting so arrogant over what he got.
Beoreuseopsi guneunTo the punks
Nyeoseokdeurege nallin eopeokeotacting so rude, I throw an uppercut.
Tteodeureo bwa deoKeep talking your trash.
Making it hitMaking it hit
Like a percussionlike percussion.
Meosdeureojin geosdeulStrip away the fancy stuff,
Ppae borago Auto-Tunetry taking off the Auto-Tune.
You ain’t on my levelYou aren’t on my level.
Ollawa bwaTry to climb up here.
Cut that throatCut the chatter.
Classeul ttajimyeonWhen it comes to class,
Modeun mareul gajin momI’m the one who owns every word.
Doreul deonjyeossdamyeonIf you threw a stone,
Geon imi loserthen you’re already a loser.
Pain on my shoulders but I can’t feelPain’s on my shoulders, but I can’t feel it.
Vein gettin’ colder but I can’t see no bloodMy veins are getting colder, but I can’t see any blood.
Mugeopne haengbokHappiness feels heavy.
Museopne nae haengdonggeoji hanahanaMy every move is terrifying.
They be watchingThey’re watching,
Cause I’m a kingbecause I’m a king,
So I gotta winso I’ve got to win.
Victory in the windVictory’s in the wind.
The King’s GambitThe King’s Gambit.
Yeah yeah I gotta beat itYeah, yeah, I’ve got to beat it.
Yeah yeah I gotta beatYeah, yeah, I’ve got to beat it.
Pipyeeossdeon mameun cleanThe exhausted heart is now clean.
Nalla haneul nopiI fly high in the sky.
Meolliseo bon insaeng-eun comedyLife seen from a distance is a comedy.
Maeil rutin gat-eossdeon bleedThe daily routine that felt like bleeding out,
Jangsikae finale pisbicceuroI decorate the finale with a blood-red hue.
But anya beomin-iBut there’s no culprit here.
We gotta get that moneyWe’ve got to get that money.
Binteolteori beoineun deo gilyeojin chaeroWhile the shadows of the empty-handed grow longer.
Ridin’ on coupe yeahRiding in a coupe, yeah.
Gin jam dwi gijigae dasi iron kkumStretching after a long sleep, a dream that’s risen again.
Bin jan chaeowo michige nan iryuk jungFilling up the empty glass, I’m taking off like crazy.
Nan jeonguk dora beoreoI tour the country and make bank.
Yae-neun jigu dora beoreoThis guy tours the globe and makes bank.
Uri dureun piri buneun sonyeoncheoreom georeoThe two of us walk like the Pied Piper.
Rae-peuro wae kkabeureoWhy are you acting up as a rapper?
Geunyang samuso nagaseo dareun jari arabwaJust go to an office and look for another job.
Jangdamhae neo deo beoreoI guarantee you’ll earn more that way.
Nan mandeureo da-eum jangeulI’m writing the next chapter.
Dogeu-l pumgoseonHolding onto my ambition,
Geureose-da damaI put it in a bowl.
Jeonsijange gajda pal-a beoryeoThen I sell it off at the exhibition.
Tunnel kkeute naeryeo biccLight pours down at the end of the tunnel.
Eopseo dasi doragal ilThere’s no going back now.
Gajyeowa bwa trophy mog-e medaly gae-reoBring the trophy, I’m gathering medals around my neck.
Pain on my shoulders but I can’t feelPain’s on my shoulders, but I can’t feel it.
Vein gettin’ colder but I can’t see no bloodMy veins are getting colder, but I can’t see any blood.
Mugeopne haengbokHappiness feels heavy.
Museopne nae haengdonggeoji hanahanaMy every move is terrifying.
They be watchingThey’re watching,
Cause I’m a kingbecause I’m a king,
So I gotta winso I’ve got to win.
Victory in the windVictory’s in the wind.
The King’s GambitThe King’s Gambit.
Yeah yeah I gotta beat itYeah, yeah, I’ve got to beat it.
Yeah yeah I gotta winYeah, yeah, I’ve got to win.
Victory in the windVictory’s in the wind.
The King’s GambitThe King’s Gambit.
Yeah yeah I gotta beat itYeah, yeah, I’ve got to beat it.
Yeah yeah I gotta beatYeah, yeah, I’ve got to beat it.
R.I.L + King′s gambit (Prod. by ZICO, Crush) Music Video
If you want to understand ‘R.I.L + King’s gambit,’ the lyrics offer a triumphant story of ambition and victory. HAON stars in this track from Show Me The Money 12 Final.