Jay Rock & J. Cole Are A Deadly Combination Lyrically And In Their New Video

With June 15’s Redemption, Jay Rock released his first album since suffering a nearly fatal dirt-bike accident in 2016. The album’s title and much of its content deal with themes of triumph over adversity, including singles “King’s Dead,” “WIN” and “The Bloodiest.” With his J. Cole collabo, “OSOM (Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind),” Eastside Johnny got introspective about the frustrations of his early career and getting signed, along with the financial and personal burdens that come with public attention. Cole incorporates some of the keynote elements of his April album, KOD, in his verse—namely drug addiction, gluttony and paranoia. Taken together, the two rappers’ contributions offer a glimpse into internal struggles we may all relate to, to varying degrees.

Today (June 20), Jay Rock has released the music video for “OSOM.” In it, the two play partners in crime in a robbery who eventually part ways after splitting the bag. Cole plays the role of the paranoid one, concerned with getting caught and lamenting his role in committing the act. Jay Rock is less shaken but as the clip evolves, his fear becomes triggered by innocuous things he sees around him. Cole’s character arc is similar, and as he makes it home he notices a suspicious car parked outside. Spliced in between their dovetailing storylines is “footage” of the robbery they committed, which they appear to have pulled off without getting caught. By the time the two link up again, however, it becomes clear their characters have opposing viewpoints on the suspicious things they’ve each encountered throughout the day. The video closes with an arresting scene before the words “Out of Time” flash on the screen.

Jay Rock’s Bloodiest Video Shows That Sometimes Nothing Is What It Seems

The video for “OSOM” was directed by Dave Free of the Little Homies and Jack Begert, who previously worked together on the video for Jay Rock’s “King’s Dead,” featured on the Kendrick Lamar/Top Dawg executive-produced soundtrack for Black Panther in addition to Redemption.