Jay Rock - Redemption

The Quietus

While he isn’t the most popular of all the rappers signed to Top Dawg Entertainment, Jay Rock has always been a standout act. On the team, he’s the street rapper with a lot of stories to tell and his music reflects the environment he was raised in - LA’s Nickerson Gardens Project. It’s been three years since 90059, but two releases from this album - ‘King’s Dead’ (his contribution to the Black Panther soundtrack) and the striking ‘WIN’ - built up anticipation. To further increase our expectations, Redemption features selected hit-makers like Kendrick Lamar, SZA, J Cole and Future.

And there are so many attention-grabbing beats here. From the adrenaline rush that comes with ‘King’s Dead’ and ‘WIN’ to more downtempo tracks like ‘Knock It Off’ and ‘For What It’s Worth’, the production quality stays sky high. Being in sync with other artists isn’t always easy, but with the guest artists on this album it seems Jay Rock knew the perfect team to work with. Witness Kendrick’s ad-libs on ‘WIN’ and the lyrical flames he spits on ‘Wow Freestyle’ - there is serious chemistry between them. On ‘OSOM’ and ‘Tap Out’, the flow he has with Cole & Jeremih runs smooth. In the midst of his celebration, pride and fun presented on this album, Jay Rock doesn’t forget his roots. On ‘ES Tales’, ‘OSOM’, and ‘Broke +-’, he raps about the the struggle, people, and experiences that come with living in the projects. With Redemption, Jay Rock elevates the level of his artistry while creating resonating tunes.

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Pitchfork 80

After a life-threatening motorcycle accident, Jay Rock returns with his strongest album yet, a collection of rap songs that highlight his struggle and journey.