CORTIS reconnect with Juicy J on “MOTION” after first working with him on an unreleased pre-debut song called “The League”
The members describe blending Juicy J’s hook and melody ideas with their own production style to build something new
Martin and Juhoon contributed to writing the second verse, folding their own experiences into a track about new beginnings
CORTIS have opened up about “MOTION,” their new collaboration with Juicy J, revealing that the partnership was years in the making. Long before the track came together, the group crossed paths with the Memphis artist during pre-debut song sessions, and the relationship that formed then set the tone for everything that followed.
The story does not begin with “MOTION” at all. It begins with a song that never came out. James traces the origin back to the group’s earliest days in the studio, when a Juicy J cut called “The League” quietly laid the groundwork for a friendship that would outlast the session itself. “Our connection actually started before this collaboration, when we worked together during song sessions before our debut. We worked on a song called ‘The League’ that Juicy J brought in, and he helped guide Martin and me through the rap process,” he recalled. “He gave us a lot of advice and was really supportive of our style, which helped us lean into what felt natural for us. Even though those songs didn’t make it onto the album, we stayed in touch, so finally getting to create ‘MOTION’ together made this collaboration come full circle.”
For Martin, the bond was rooted in something more personal: a genuine fluency in the history Juicy J helped write. That knowledge, unusual in someone so young and so far from Memphis, is what first got the rapper’s attention. “We’ve always looked up to Juicy J, even since we were really young. I’ve especially been really interested in hip-hop and his music, especially his journey and impact on Memphis rap and Southern hip-hop,” he said. “I had a chance to talk about that with him on a phone call before our debut, and I think he was surprised and happy that someone from Korea knew his story and music so well, especially because I was so young back then. That led to him visiting our studio before our debut, and that’s how we first started getting to know each other. So being able to work on a song together as artists now feels really special and honestly a little surreal.”
Bridging two very different approaches to production became the central creative challenge, and Seonghyeon frames those differences as the track’s greatest asset rather than an obstacle. “Juicy J had a lot of ideas for the hook and melody, and we built on those ideas with our own style. Our ways of making music were so different at first, so we had to find a good middle ground when it came to production,” he explained. “What impressed me most was how naturally ideas kept flowing between us. Even though we approached music differently, those differences ended up making the song stronger. Watching his creative process firsthand also gave us a different perspective on making music. It was a great experience.”
That instinct to build outward rather than converge is what Keonho points to as the turning point, the moment the group stopped trying to sound like anyone but themselves. “I think we had really good chemistry. When we worked on ‘The League,’ we got to see Juicy J’s vision of CORTIS, but we also wanted to create something that felt more like us,” he said. “At one point, we realized the best approach wasn’t trying to fit into one another’s sound, but building something new together. That process naturally brought Juicy J’s style together with our own energy, and I think that’s what makes ‘MOTION’ feel so unique.”
The result carries a clear thesis, one that Juhoon and Martin wrote directly into the second verse. For Juhoon, the title itself is the message, and the hope is that listeners hear their own uncertainty reflected back. “For us, ‘MOTION’ represents a new beginning and the feeling of moving forward. It’s about taking on new challenges, trying new things, and continuing to grow,” he said. “Martin and I also participated in writing the second verse, so we were able to bring some of our own experiences into the song. I think everyone reaches a point where they wonder what’s next, and I hope people can find a little bit of themselves while listening to it.”
Stream CORTIS and Juicy J’s “MOTION” on Spotify.
