Iconic artist j-hope fulfilled one of his dream collaborations with J. Cole as the two complemented each other in the newly released lofi single “on the street”. The song comes shortly after it was announced that j-hope was preparing for his enlistment in the mandatory Korean military service. Possibly presented to his fans as a farewell track, it could be noted that the lyrics are stirring and tugging at the heartstrings.

On the surface, j-hope and J. Cole’s song is like any other collaboration where the two rappers join their styles and verses to curate a well-thought-out idea. However, if one has been following j-hope and BTS since the very beginning of their career, they should know how the collaboration was a bucket-list item for the artist.

For those unaware, j-hope has time and time again portrayed his admiration for the American rapper. As a rookie group, BTS released their track, “Born Singer” in 2013, which is a lyrical rewrite of J. Cole’s “Born Sinner”. j-hope further expressed his appreciation for J. Cole in BTS’ song “힙합성애자 (Hip Hop Phile / Hip Hop Lover)”, where the former wrote,

[EN]

Hope, Hope World
Before I made my own world Cole World
When he lit up Friday nights
got inspired and wrote my songs

A day before his legendary stage performance at Lollapalooza, j-hope also interacted with J. Cole backstage, and excitedly exclaimed, “You’re my muse.” In the music industry, having colleagues and seniors who inspire you is not uncommon, but it seems like j-hope and BTS have truly won as fans with this noteworthy collaboration with their idol.

Now, coming back to the song, the focus should be on the instrumental, which has a strong enough presence to be always noticed but never steals the spotlight from the lyrics or the vocals. The instrumental follows the same pattern through and through with emphasis on looped guitar beats and old-school hip-hop breakbeats. It remains cool and easy-going, even when a whistled sample is added to elevate the production.

As mentioned, the instrumental takes its own space in the song, but never overpowers the singers. It grows as the two artists add their own vocals to it. The most significant moment is when j-hope and J. Cole harmonize towards the end. The rappers flaunt their vocal abilities, as j-hope’s hook, which is repeated in the chorus sections of the song, takes the centre stage in a more powerful manner. The arrangement allows itself to provide enough space to the artists, while also being rather subdued when required.

j-hope, who has primarily been a rapper and a dancer in BTS, has often sung for the group and in his solo endeavors, but the way he pulled off the subtle singing parts in “on the street” has to be commended. Going back to the hook, which repeats in the catchy parts of the song, j-hope proves his vocal abilities as he manages to sing the lyrics differently with each new line. He does not shy away from experimenting with his tones and textures while complementing J. Cole’s power-packed rap verse.

j-hope also performs his own rap in the beginning of the track where he lyrically explains his journey from being a street dancer to a globally-acclaimed artist. The emphasis on the word “street” comes from the rapper honoring his roots while recounting the journey he has been on. In a recent interview with Variety, j-hope explains it like such:

The word ‘street’ bears special meaning to me. It means ‘street dance’ which is my roots as an artist. It’s where my inspirations come from and it symbolizes the path I’ve taken as j-hope. It’s also where I learn lessons of life[.]

Notice how he does not overcook the lyrics to sell them, rather, he keeps them as true to his experiences as possible. He weaves a humble story with the simplest of words, describing the love he has received from his admirers and his team. j-hope eventually brings in imagery to indicate that he does not take the love and trust for granted. The artist sings,

[EN]

Reciprocate, be a butterfly from that far away

The next few lines seem like advice to his fans, as j-Hope tells us,

Now, just walk lightly, whenever you want
Go on, hopefully, wherever you walk

While the rap verse is mellowed down yet spontaneous, the laid-back chorus comes with a beautiful flow. It narrows down the themes of the song, and seems to be a letter of appreciation to his fans, and to his modest beginnings.

Every time I walk
Every time I run
Every time I move
As always, for us
Every time I look
Every time I love
Every time I hope
As always, for us (On the street, I’m still)

The icon, J. Cole, on the other hand, brings in a lot of character to the song with his rap verse. His eloquent delivery and the right portrayal of emotions uplift the track and add a different essence.

As the moon jumps over the cow
I contemplate if I should wait to hand over the crown
And stick around for a bit longer, I got a strange type of hunger
The more I eat, the more it gets stronger
The more it gets stronger
I said the more it gets stronger

Rapper J. Cole bends, curves, and twists his lines which perfectly accompany j-hope’s easy-going verses. The two do not cross their territories in the song often, but you can understand that the collaboration is lyrically and sonically successful due to their individual inputs and personalities.

It is one thing to create a hit song, and a whole other thing to make a music video that supports the song through and through. While listening to it, one may feel that the lyrics are the most thriving aspect of the project. However, upon watching the music video, you may want to switch your vote to support j-hope’s dancing and the overall vibe as the most noteworthy aspects of “on the street.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6WbbU_lLCA

Not only does the choreography look satisfying and bring something unique to the table, but the aesthetics of the video also make it a worthwhile watch. Here we have j-hope, emoting his verses on the streets and in the subway, and J. Cole taking the terrace to perform his poetic rap. The settings seem to have been chosen intentionally, with j-hope, who has been a fan of J. Cole’s work since the beginning of his career, taking to the streets, referring to his days as a rookie. Whereas, J. Cole takes the terrace, denoting that the rapper is already at an advanced position with his artistry. The two eventually meet at the terrace, where they hug it out, and the song comes to an ideal end. A lot of other interpretations could be applicable to the cinematic approach of the video, but one thing is for certain: both j-hope and J. Cole have presented the themes of hard work, passion, and generosity throughout the production seamlessly.

“on the street” is an inspiring track – it covers every facet of an artist’s career. It makes you wonder about an artist’s journey, adversities, and willpower while offering you a clearer picture of the relationship between the artist and his fans. It also tells about the mutual respect between the man who made it, and the admirers who helped him profoundly.

Check out “on the street” on all streaming platforms and read the lyrics and translations for the song here on Genius.

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