Jay Rock
Redemption
It's bold, candid stuff. And while he very much lacks the technical skill and overall creativity of many of his peers, none more so than label mate and frequent collaborator Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock viscerally channels the pain of his brush with death on "The Bloodiest" and "Redemption." So it's a shame that more of the tracks on this album don't feature such vivid details about his accident and recovery.
It feels like an especially galling omission on "For What It's Worth," on which Jay Rock squanders a heart-wrenching and elegantly minimalist instrumental (courtesy of Top Dawg in-house star producer Sounwave) by griping about a lady friend who might be out to get his money, making him the umpteenth rapper to rely on this sexist old trope. Ditto the radio-ready, Jeremih-assisted sex jam "Tap Out," which, undeniably catchy and carnal as it may be, amounts to an annoying distraction when listeners want to hear more about Jay Rock's injuries and recuperation.
On the other hand, one can hardly blame him for zeroing in on the joys of life and unspooling euphoric anthems after enduring such a harrowing experience. So even though I was left pining for more of the gripping imagery from the title track, the palpable joie de vivre on both "Knock It Off" (if you needed a textbook definition of "trap banger," this one would be a prime contender), and the anthemic "WIN" make Redemption essential listening for any hip-hop fan.
It's a heartening LP, both because of the top-notch, life-affirming beats throughout, along with the renewed vigour in the voice of a man who clearly takes nothing for granted now that he's on the mend. And while Jay Rock sounds palpably appreciative, we rap fans are every bit as lucky to still have him around.