A brush with death can do much to change how you approach your life. This horror was Jay Rock’s reality on the night of the 2016 Grammys when TDE’s longtime anchor suffered a serious motorcycle accident that left him with multiple broken bones. Fortunate enough to recover from his injuries, the Watts native got back to work on his craft, eventually distilling his outlook on life and his post-accident mentality into a commanding, convincing chant: “Win. Win, win, win, win!”
The thunderous declaration that arrives on “WIN” is a fitting exclamation point to close Jay Rock’s Redemption chapter, placing the stoic on a champion’s pedestal with his most technically sound album to date. His delivery and vocal performance are stellar throughout the project, making for a more engaging product that still retains his hard-edged persona. On “Rotation 112th” he slices back and forth over the eerie synths with the precision of a five-star chef, while elsewhere on “The Bloodiest” he settles into an exasperated cadence in the first verse before snapping into laser-sharp focus on the second.
Redemption shines brightest when the music itself matches Rock’s dynamic performance and infuses enough energy for him to seize the moment. “Wow Freestyle” is the album’s standout track for this reason, with blistering production courtesy of Hit-Boy supplementing relentless verbal attacks from Jay Rock and Kendrick Lamar. The golden child of TDE is sprinkled all over the album in the form of ad-libs and a lone chorus on a shortened version of “King’s Dead,” but his lone verse on Redemption is a doozy, reminding the rap world of the seamless chemistry he’s had with Rock since “when Top had the red charger.”
When Jay Rock steps out of this formula to vary the soundscape, some switch-ups work better than others. The J. Cole-assisted “OSOM” is one of those that succeed. Dreamville’s head honcho returns with another addiction-centered verse akin to his message on KOD, while Rock’s snarling second verse bookends the song on a high note.
He saves his most powerful reflection for the titular track “Redemption,” envisioning the scene at his own funeral in the wake of his near-fatal car accident. It’s not a perfect picture (“I see mo’ division / I see some of them showin’ up just to post a picture / Like they was my nigga, Instagram’s a dead man’s best friend,” he raps in the first verse), but it cuts to the heart of what made this project so essential to the rapper, while SZA’s majestic work on the chorus uplifts the song with added dimension.
That said, silver medal moments do litter Redemption, making for sparse profound introspection. The slow brooding “Broke +-” stumbles to the finish line due to its dreary production. While packed with metaphorically solid lyrics, the pensive thoughts about his trial-bulations deserve a beat that grips the listener to the speakers the same way his words do. The equally dull “For What It’s Worth” is equally underwhelming for a Sounwave contraption, lacking the ranging dynamics that give the album a sluggish kickstart.
Still, “Tap Out” serves as a solid change of pace midway through the tracklist, reminiscent of a mellowed-out version of SOB x RBE’s fiery Black Panther cut “Paramedic!” Jeremih glides over the chorus on an instant earworm, while Jay Rock’s effortless verses blend beautifully over the magnetizing 808s.
As a staff, record label and muthafuckin’ crew, TDE has become a standard for excellence in Hip Hop and Redemption certainly clears the bar when it’s all said and done. Sure there are missteps, but there’s also growth. It’s not like Jay Rock needed to do anything else to prove his place in Hip Hop but it’s always a treat to watch the established rappers give it their all in the studio.
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Worst Jay rock album ever. He was one of the few left that could make great gangster old-school Westcoast rap. Each album he made got progressively worse than his debut, which was phenomenal. This album is a no go for me. It’s pop rap. Kendrick is whack now. One of the best to do it. And now they are all pop music
OLD SCHOOL? MUTHAFUCKA IT’S 2018. GET WITH THE TIMES!!! You probably made he didnt put it out on a CD too? HAHAHAHAHA
Bro, listen to 90059 or follow me home. Listen to section 80 or gkmc. Listen to control system. Oxymoron…
All of these albums are classics because they have everything that old-school legends embodied. Can u seriously tell me that old school hiphop style isn’t wildly popular?
Modern rap doesn’t have to be radio music… Which this album is.
They need to put it out on vinyl
1/5
TDE only drops classics.
This album is straight fire
TDE is the new Motown .
lol I forgot to rate it but its a 5 to me.
I just finished listening today. I like the album but honestly not as much as 90059. Rock is at his best when he does his more introspective songs like “fly on the wall”, “gumbo”, “money trees duece” or the aggressive songs like “90059” and ” easy bake”. So far I’m really digging “OSOM”, “BROKE” ,”REDEMPTION” and THE BLOODIEST. I totally get the need to have more radio ready records because he’s with interscope. 3.5 outta 5.
I hate this album. Loved his past too, and agreed. Fly on the wall is an amazing song.
Fly on the wall? Smh.. that beat makes me wanna sleep… Boring!!! This new album has crazy production… Deeper songs, and rock seems like he’s alot looser in the booth on this album… I’m sure this is his favorite album that he made… 4/5 = WIN, JUST LIKE THE SONG!!!
Flawless album!!! No littering, stumbling, mishaps, etc. I don’t know what you heard but this album is a classic! Gold medal status!
Broke and For What’s it Worth are two of my favorites, lol
???
What the did I just listen to? This dude used to be dope, this album is nowhere near the quality I expected from the guy who made Code Red. Does not deserve another listen.
I’m a huge TDE fan but this album is really not doing it for me ! I was expecting so much more specially after hearing a few snippets posted on jay rock and top dawg IG account. There are only four tracks I really dig on this album “broke +-” “WIN”. “Knock it off” and “Redemption”. The rest is low quality to me, specially after hearing what Jay Rock did on 90059 where he set the bar very high with tracks like “fly on the wall” “vice city” “gumbo” “money trees pt. 2” and “necessary”. I was already seein my self bumpin the “Redemption” album for the whole summer but I already skipped it four days after its realease.
Album is Nice. Some Good West Coast heat here. Gets better with each playthrough back and 4th 2 the work Gym Etc. Some Good albums dropping in da 18
Follow me home was west coast. Idk about high hats and auto tune being west coast lol. Sounds like every other radio rapper nowadays. West coast is NO Elbows… Not Troopers lol. Troopers sounds like your a average generic no talent rap song
Agree bro Jay Rock first 2 albums were better period.
Ha!!!!! Mf say period like that ends the discussion. Nope! No one is listening to you. Both of yall sound crazy. No one stays underground forever. Styles/ sounds evolve and that’s what this is. This album is the truth.
Fire. Jay Rock leveled up. The flows. The beats. The lyrics. He killed it. Top to bottom. No wack tracks. Just throw it on and let it ride out.
Tde has been disappointing me for a whole now. I know all of the newer fans will dissagree… Because they became fans from the new shit.
Tde used to be referred to as the next death row records. Absouls past two albums were lame in comparison to Control system, long term tapes. Jay rocks albums getting progressively worse. Kendrick section 80, gkmc, and tpab were great. Damn was a talented album, but too radio for me, so I don’t play that one.
Only one that stays consistently great IMO is Q. Funny, cuz I wasn’t a fan of him in 2009, now he’s the least radio one of em all… Aside from soul, but his last albums not even playable.
You love the underground. You hate when artists appeal to a bigger audience and makes you feel alienated. Zzzzzzzz
True- I dont think anything this label has put out has lived up to GKMC to be honest. That album is a classic and since then they seem to release whatever
This actually might be album of the year so far, need to be in the discussion at least…
#dope
Gooood stuff
Better than alot this year.
One of the best albums so far this year.
Dope album!
Great Album, songs could’ve been better… But it’s still dope
Great album. He’s so underrated.
I think he picked his best beats & used his best flows on this one. This is a good album. It opens up with a bang. Could have been great. I think that the rotation was messed up, example the Jeremiah track shouldn’t be on there, then it’s one or two after that, then it picks up again. 3.9-4/5
Rating might change in a few months. You need time with any album to really be able to rate it.
Bored at work??
Sometimes some ppl need to kill themselves.
I miss 90059, redemption ain’t bad but half the album is disappointing, featurings are disapointing (jeremih, SZA and future’s feat tracks are awful, Kendrick’s track is average).
Where DF are Schoolboy and Ab-soul ?
The Bloodiest, ES tales, Rotation, OSOM, broke +- and Win save it all but none of theses tracks comes close to Gumbo, the ways, Telegram, vice city, Money trees deuce, the message… I don’t even talk about its older tracks
3/5 max
Body of work!!
Sure, this isn’t Follow Me Home or even 90059, doesn’t make it a bad album. Jay Rock uses a different sound each album but still manages to make it bang. TDE is just on another level now.
Second best rapper in TDE. If Jay Rock shot me and stole my wallet, that bullet hole would be my favorite autograph.
No dumbass, then you’d be dead
Jay rock is slept on he has carried the TDE label from Day 1 and opened the door for Kendrick Lamar to do his thang!
He definitely came through with this one! Flames all the way. TDE been dope since forever!
Jay Rock is a skilled dude, no doubt about that. He is way above average, and has a boastful amount of life ( hood ) experience to be able to summon memories and comparisons.
I personally thought Follow Me Home was a subpar project for his potential. 90059 was, however, a tour de force. The unknown guy being featured on a dope track? Check (signees Lance Skiiwalker and Sir). Legend on a reminiscence-based track ? Check (Busta). Posse cut with the powerhouse of artists that TDE is ? My mans you check. But also the self motivation, the swagger and his loud bars are what mold the album together.
Redemption is an attempt to make a conceptual album while not being the best versed artist. I’m sorry Johnny, but this is the truth, and you are not Kenny. The Blank Face LP is an album with a very specific vibe that made that album so enjoyable and screamed high quality, with them dark tones. The Sun’s Tirade, an album that i hold dearly, has that nonchalance vibe attached to it, in addition to his inner struggles ; it creates an atmopshere.
The ‘back in the projects’ and thankfulness-towards-God motifs give the album an identity of redemption. What i did not like was the back and forth of ‘wins and losses’. Of course, you could make an argument that that’s the verisimilar aspect of the album. That’s indeed a conceptual construction for Jay’s LP. However, the quality of each song is what lets the album down, and that’s what sets this project apart from the rest of the TDE coronations.
Some tracks (beats) could’ve gotten more. Damn guys, get Q on ES tales. Get Jeremih off that song! Don’t push SZA down our throats And where the hell is Zay ???
OK, without going too rudimentary, i can certainly say that Redemption is a step in the right direction, as he can certainly create a masterful record without falling into the old ways of just dropping good records in an album.
As the title says, it’s a career Milestone. And i believe that Jay Rock still has the fuel and the clique to make it happen. Extremely excited to see the guy take it to the next step!
p.s. : What the fuck happened to Ab-soul ?
Well said. You should write for a hiphop site.
Good solid music
If you know hip hop you Know this album is a classic jay rock delivered. Hes way underrated this album will make people wake up and make them take notice.
Sonically, I think this album uses very creative and well produced. Jay Rock has obviously always been a great rapper. But I’m this album, he opens up. We see a different side of him that we’ve never seen before. I’d give it a 8.6/10
CLASSIC ALBUM
Great album. Sad to see that people would only consider this a classic if it was from a “bigger” artist. This album has potential to be a classic, he shouldn’t have left King’s dead on there tho
One of the best of the year