BTS’ J-Hope Dropped A New Single With J. Cole, & It’s Inspiring

Whether flowing on a grungy beat or keeping it mellow with soft synths, j-hope always drops inspiring musical gems. His lyrical pen excels when he’s being vulnerable, as it normally culminates in him uplifting listeners to believe in themselves and dance. Considering his stage name includes the word hope, this skill is rather fitting. On Mar. 3, the BTS rapper teamed up with J. Cole for his latest inspirational effort, “On the Street.” This track feels like a warm embrace from j-hope, who dedicates several verses to thanking the ARMY for their unconditional love and support over the years.

“On The Street” arrives less than a month after his thrilling documentary dedicated to his debut album, Jack in the Box. Guided like a butterfly with a whistle melody, this song is a reflection of j-hope’s career and where he’s heading in the future. J. Cole’s feature — which is a surprising treat considering he hasn’t released any solo work since last fall — only caps how much j-hope’s career has evolved. IYDK, j-hope has always labeled the Dreamville rapper as his idol.

According to a press release, there’s layers to this feel-good release. j-hope’s inclusion of “street” in the title acts like a double entendre, so listeners can interpret the word as a path that everyone walks in life to achieve their dreams. On the other hand, “street” is also a nod to the rapper’s former stint as a street dancer prior to joining BTS.

His past street dance origins glimmer in the accompanying music video. Beginning with him strolling in a New York alleyway, the performer bounces into several dance numbers while trekking through the crowded city. He looks so effortlessly cool, his smooth two-steps and glides vibing well with the track’s lo-fi beat. Let’s dive into the English translation behind this release.

j-hope kicks off the breezy melody with affirmation: Everything he’s done in his career has been because of his fans.

“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,” he raps, those whistles calmly mixing with the b-boy stylized production.

He then dives into his solo verse, which sees him sweetly defining his “path” as a mixture of “love and faith” from his fans. There’s so much gratitude oozing throughout this release, and listeners can feel how amazed he is with the status of his career. J. Cole comes in around the two-minute mark, delivering a thought-provoking sermon about his nearly 15-year presence in the rap scene. In one section, he spews:

“I’m deep in with this rappin’, it’s all a n*gga know / I never didn’t nothin’ better, it’s hard to let it go / But like a father watching his daughter / Walk down the altar with tears in his eyes / You gotta let her grow / And so I shall, but first, I been honing my style / Coldest around, with more quotables than what the quota allows.”

“On The Street” is such a feel-good anthem. Confessionals such as this truly humanize j-hope, and lets his music move like a diary entry rather than an overly produced track only designed for the charts. Read the full lyrics to “On The Street” in the official music video below.