K-Pop
All about J-hope's new single with J. Cole.

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

It’s his first song following his solo debut album.

BIGHIT MUSIC

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.

“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. Check out the full lyrics to j-hope and J. Cole’s new release below, which was translated from the official music video.

BIGHIT MUSIC

Chorus

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

Verse 1

My two feet walk willingly, anywhere

J in the air

For the path I’m on to become one of hope, I give my all

Even my walk was made of your love and your faith

To repay you even from afar, just like a butterfly

Pre-chorus

Now just walk lightly, whenever you want

Go on hopefully, wherever you walk

In the streets imbued with someone’s breath

I leave my soul and my eternity

Everywhere

Chorus

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

Verse 2: J. Cole

Yeah

All hail the mighty survivor of hell

Plopped down from heaven to sell

Holy water that I scooped from the well

Fought tooth and a nail

Just to prevail amongst the ruthless as I move through the field

Feelin’ worried in a hurry like a two-minute drill

To make a couple mil’ off a lucrative deal

Selling train of thought, name a artist who could derail

You’ll never see it like a n*gga hula-hoopin’ in jail

I got a friend smart as fuck, but he stupid as hell

He swear that God ain’t real

Since it ain’t no way to prove it his self

As if the universe ain’t enough

As if the volcanoes ain’t erupt

As if the birds don’t chirp

As if a trillion nerves don’t work in the human body

Sh*t, who would I be?

Without the creator of this theater beside me to gently guide me?

Some days, I wonder if I need to pick a different hobby

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

You see a top ten list, I see a Golden Corral, n*gga

As the moon jumps over the cowI 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​​

j-hope, Cole World

Chorus [j-hope & J. Cole]

Every time I walk (Every time I walk, yeah)

Every time I run (Every time I run on to you)

Every time I move (Every time I move)

As always, for us (Do this for us now)

Every time I look (Every time I look)

Every time I love (Every time I love)

Every time I hope

As always, for us (On the street, I'm still)