J. Cole Joins BTS' J-Hope on 'On the Street'
The Real is back.
In addition to releasing the Dreamville-produced Creed III soundtrack, J. Cole links up with BTS member J-Hope on the latter’s new solo single “On the Street,” which arrives alongside a video.
On his verse, Cole World—who previously teased his retirement—reflects on his place in the rap game.
“As the moon jumps over the cow / I contemplate if I should wait and hand over the crown / Or stick around for a bit longer / I got a strange type of hunger / The more I eat, the more it gets stronger,” he raps over the whistling beat.
Just days before the song’s release, J-Hope announced that he would be enlisting in the South Korean military for his mandatory 18-month service. The song serves as an homage to his street dancing roots as a member of the Neuron dance crew.
“J-Hope wrote the track to share his candid feelings toward his fans,” his label BigHit Music said in a statement. “The title ‘On the Street’ refers to J-Hope’s roots — street dance — from which his dream to become an artist began, and the path the artist and fans will continue to walk together. We hope that J-Hope’s ‘On the Street’ serves as a meaningful gift to everyone who supports the artist.”
The collaboration shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to J-Hope fans. He shouted out Cole’s 2011 debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, on “Hip Hop Phile” off BTS’ 2014 album Dark & Wild. He also sampled Cole’s “Born Sinner” on BTS’ “Born Singer,” which was originally released on SoundCloud in 2013.
Additionally, Cole can be heard on “Adonis Interlude (The Montage)” off Creed III: The Soundtrack, which also features Big Sean, Kehlani, Ari Lennox, Bas, Blxst, and more.