20 of the Best Lyrics From Jay Rock’s ‘Redemption’ Album
Jay Rock isn't always mentioned in the same breath as hip-hop's most potent street lyricists, but longtime Top Dawg Entertainment fans know that he should be. The 33-year-old Watts, Calif. MC's latest argument for placement in street rap's elite comes in the form of Redemption, an emotional, 13-track album that marks his first project since surviving a horrific motorcycle accident over two years ago.
With his combination of sincerity and a penchant for vivid storytelling, Jay Rock's Redemption carries with it some of the most immersive street tunes you'll hear all year. It also includes a steady stream of his underrated technical skills (see: the SZA-featured title track or lead single "King's Dead" with Future and Kendrick Lamar).
Using a voice TDE artists compare to a grizzly bear, Jay Rock takes you through the war zone that is his Watts neighborhood—and the ethos that defines it. Exhibit A arrives on "ES Tales," a track that finds the rapper letting listeners know exactly what it is.
"Look, I'm deep inside the projects, where it's bracking at? You know the zip/Where we take a quarter piece, flip it, till the corner lit/A-1 yola, that fresh over-the-border shit/Shootouts and abortions, situations so unfortunate," raps Jay Rock, taking listeners through a crash course on life in the projects within just a few bars.
Jay Rock's latest LP, which is a follow up to his 2015 effort 90059, is loaded with emotional storytelling and impressive bits of verbal acrobatics. XXL takes an extended look at the rapper's best examples of grown-man bars.
"The Bloodiest"
Jay Rock"I'd rather rob than get a job, don't insult me/Remember it was nicks and dimes in '03/I was doing bad so I took your bag/Tables turned, lessons learned, karma come back fast" —Jay Rock
"The Bloodiest"
Jay Rock"Magic in a dope spot, four chickens, that's Popeyes/More spinach, that's Popeye/Four women sippin' Mai Tais/I'm a cold nigga, free my guys/Free PI/Free Puta May/Free shooter Ray/From the foul line/We gon' get money or die trying"—Jay Rock
"For What It's Worth"
Jay Rock Featuring Brent Faiyaz"Got the streets and these beats right in front of me/Should I kill this nigga or should I let him slide?/If I don't, he double back, we got family ties?/If I do, I can't rap, and that's suicide" —Jay Rock
"Knock It Off"
Jay Rock"I don't trust nobody/But my daughter and my shotty/If it blasts, that's a bag, if he leave, porta potty/Two-door seats, you know me, windows tinted, so the law don't see" —Jay Rock
"ES Tales"
Jay Rock"Look, I'm deep inside the projects, where it's bracking at? You know the zip/Where we take a quarter piece, flip it, till the corner lit/A-1 yola, that fresh over the border shit/Shootouts and abortions, situations so unfortunate" —Jay Rock
"ES Tales"
Jay Rock"So we in the hood, lituations look grim/One-time circling for colors of your skin/Black Lives Matter out here, no way/Cops get promotions while the family gotta pray" —Jay Rock
"Rotation 112"
"112th Street, dude, slime, tell a friend/Parking lots, dope spots, hard rock, I'ma get/Duke it out and shoot it out, fuck a opp, who was him?/Pack him out, I stall him out, we need to find out where he live/GTA, 211s, double dutching, Mack-11s/Section 8, welfare, EBTs on the dresser" —Jay Rock
"Tap Out"
Jay Rock Featuring Jeremih"How you feel? I might be too raw for you, too real/I know you homegirl wanna pop pills/Ducked off in them Hollywood Hills/I be on bullshit, we be on bullshit/Pull up on me one time, know you ain't doing shit" —Jay Rock
"OSOM"
Jay Rock Featuring J. Cole"Lil Wayne on my single now/Fucking hoes like I'm single now/Triggers close to my fingers now/But when the label frozed up, they all chosed up" —Jay Rock
"King's Dead"
Jay Rock Featuring Kendrick Lamar and Future"La di da di da, slob on me knob/Pass me some syrup, fuck me in the car/La di da di da, muthafuck the law/Chitty chitty bang, murder everything" —Future
"Troopers"
Jay Rock"Day ones in the sandbox, from breakin' through the padlocks/To burners in the stashbox, your whole hood mascots/My whole hood mad Watts/That's gang, gang, gang/We politic, on missions, don't hang, hang, hang" —Jay Rock
"Broke +-"
Jay Rock"The damage is done, but who's to blame?/Finger pointing, naming names/Nobody willing to pay that full admission to ride the gravy train/Death is a part of life, happens daily, gotta face the pain/I be limping through it with lacerations, both my ankles sprained" —Jay Rock
"Wow Freestyle"
Jay Rock Featuring Kendrick Lamar"Black on black/My coupe ain't strap/I ain't ballin' on these hard tops/I told y'all to call Top/Now my number, 'call blocked'/I don't miss, I call shot" —Kendrick Lamar
"Wow Freestyle"
Jay Rock Featuring Kendrick Lamar"Cap on, and I got racks on/Don't be bitter, your dope they reconsider, that shit be stepped on/Eastside Johnny way out that project building then I get my rep on/Fuck your feeling, no question bitch, I kill it, I bring that check home" —Jay Rock
"Redemption"
Jay Rock Featuring SZA"I think 'bout if my motorcycle crash was fatal/Broken bones, internal bleeding, stretched on the table/Going through surgery, two machines helping me breathe/Sorry mama, I wanna stay but I gotta leave" —Jay Rock
"Redemption"
Jay Rock Featuring SZA"I see my funeral packed/I see some lying, some crying and some giving dap/I see false claimers, strangers and foes with their head in their laps I see more division/I see some of them showing up just to post a picture/Like they was my nigga, Instagram's a dead man's best friend" —Jay Rock
"Redemption"
Jay Rock Featuring SZA"If I had a second chance in life this what I'd do/I buy you flowers talk to you for hours, give you truth/I listen to you when you're hurt, I should've went to church with you/But my credentials didn't work, I still should've work with you" —Jay Rock
"Win"
Jay Rock"Fuck niggas don't stay outside when I play outside/I put the beats on, I'm like Dre outside/I got the Bay outside, and L.A. outside/And if you act bad, I'll bring the K outside" —Jay Rock
"Win"
Jay Rock"I'm all in the wind with it/On deuce line, I've been with it/She too fine, I been hit it/Crashed two times, I limo-tinted/My new ride, I'm riding with the toaster (toaster)/12 better not pull me over (over)" —Jay Rock
"Win"
Jay Rock"And your diamonds like tap water (tap water)/That shit way too foggy/These VVS's way awesome/Parked CLS for baby mama" —Jay Rock