ROOK MONROE MAKES HIS WARNER RECORDS DEBUT WITH GENRE-BENDING ANTI-ANTHEM “i don’t wanna be you.”

If you’re looking for something safe, polished, or predictable… Rook Monroe is not your guy. The acclaimed alt-pop rulebreaker, known for penning Rihanna’s “Desperado” and carving out cult acclaim with his 2020 debut Californialand, has officially joined the Warner Records family via BPG Music—and he’s crashing in hard with his explosive debut single “i don’t wanna be you”.

With an interpolation of Good Charlotte’s early-2000s pop-punk classic “The Anthem”, the song rips open with raw guitars, aggressive drums, and Rook shouting a defiant mantra into the void: “They/them, he, she / None of these ni***s is f*’in with me.”

It’s part emo confessional, part punk tantrum, part rap flex, and fully Rook. The track cuts through the noise of identity politics, internet performance, and industry expectations—delivering a chaotic, cathartic reminder that not everyone wants to fit the mold. “i don’t wanna be you.” is as much about refusing conformity as it is about embracing the mess and madness of your own mind. And Rook, as always, isn’t asking for permission.

Born in Chicago and based in LA, Rook Monroe has built a steady rep as a genre-agnostic force—writing and producing for artists across pop, R&B, and indie (including Aminé, Jeremih, and The Chainsmokers), while quietly amassing over 29 million global streams on his own. His 2020 track “Honey” (14.8M streams) introduced listeners to his signature blend of surf rock soul, while his 2024 feature on 1999 WRITE THE FUTURE’s “L’Eggo My Ego” hinted at a darker, more experimental edge.

Now, “i don’t wanna be you.” marks the beginning of a bold new era—one where Rook’s throwing out the rulebook and making the music he wants. Whether he raps “I be stepping like a Flintstone,” crooning like a punk frontman, or name-checking trauma, Prozac, and internet rumors, Rook is turning catharsis into craft.

 

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