j-hope of BTS has released a six-track special album titled HOPE ON THE STREET VOL. 1. Stream it below.
The follow-up to full-length solo album Jack in the Box shows the BTS dance leader return a bright, optimistic, and ’90s-infused sound closer to the energy in his first solo mixtape, Hope World. The project accompanies a new docuseries of the same name, in which each episode corresponds to the title of one of the tracks in the EP. The first two episodes are currently available to stream on Prime Video.
The album opens with “on the street (solo version),” a reimagining of his 2023 collaboration with rapper J. Cole. The second track, “i wonder…” features his BTS bandmate, Jung Kook, and allows both members to flex their melodic muscles. Next is a bouncy, groovy offering, “lock / unlock,” with benny blanco and an excellent guitar solo from Nile Rodgers.
More collaborations await in the remaining three tracks, with HUH YUNJIN of LE SSERAFIM jumping into the mix for the stellar “i don’t know.” Things close out with a take on Jack in the Box cut “what if…” (dance mix with JINBO the SuperFreak), and the focus track, “NEURON” (with Gaeko, yoonmirae). Unsurprisingly, j-hope participated in lyric writing and production on every track on the album.
j-hope and his BTS bandmates are all in the midst of completing their compulsory military service, and while vocalist Jin has 75 days remaining, j-hope isn’t too far behind with 202 days left. But who’s counting?
Recently, V also dropped some music that he’d prepared before enlistment began, releasing a fun single titled “FRI(END)S.”
HOPE ON THE STREET VOL. 1 Artwork:
HOPE ON THE STREET VOL. 1 Tracklist:
01. on the street (solo version)
02. i wonder… (with Jung Kook of BTS)
03. lock / unlock (with benny blanco, Nile Rodgers)
04. i don’t know (with HUH YUNJIN of LE SSERAFIM)
05. what if… (dance mix with JINBO the SuperFreak)
06. NEURON (with Gaeko, yoonmirae)