Review: J-Hope Creates Danceable Anthems with ‘Hope on the Street Vol. 1’
Along with a new documentary showcasing his passion for dance, BTS’ j-hope gave fans a six-song soundtrack meant to groove along to.
Although all the members of BTS are serving their mandatory services in the South Korean military, that has not stopped them from treating fans with pre-recorded content as they wait for the group’s 2025 return. Fans got lots of new content from j-hope, including a new six-part docuseries on Amazon Prime and an accompanied soundtrack.
The docuseries, “Hope on the Street,” features j-hope taking viewers on an international journey, emphasizing his roots as a street dancer in his hometown, Gwanju, South Korea, and highlighting popular dance styles from different cities worldwide. The soundtrack, “Hope on the Street Vol. 1,” was just as eclectic, reflecting on j-hope’s roots while showing the wide range j-hope has as a rapper and singer.
Two of the songs on the soundtrack were previously released and slightly reworked for this project. One was the opening track, a solo version of his 2023 hip-hop single with rapper J. Cole, “on the street.” The soundtrack’s fifth track was another reconstruction track, the dance version of “what if…,” a song from his debut solo album, “Jack in the Box.” This version of “what if…” was fairly similar to the original, but included a new verse from South Korean rapper and singer, JINBO the SuperFreak.
However, most of the small project featured entirely brand new tracks, with the first one appearing on the project being “i wonder….” With assistance from the featured artist, j-hope’s fellow BTS member Jung Kook, the members delivered a seamless vocal performance in a short time span. This infectious funk-infused pop song showed them trying to convince someone to enjoy the feeling of falling in love. Their voices glided effortlessly over the vibrant, bass and guitar-heavy instrumentation.
“Lock / unlock” was a crisp, English-language electro-pop track with groovy production done by producers Benny Blanco and guitarist Nile Rodgers. In his first fully English solo song, j-hope sings about giving someone the key to unlock his heart.
HUH YUNJIN of K-Pop girl group, LE SSERAFIM, joined j-hope on “i don’t know,” an exhilarating, melodic pop song about uncertainty in a relationship. Their captivating harmonies, particularly during the pre-choruses and choruses, and the fun, infectious production made this a standout song on the project.
The project’s title track, “NEURON,” closed out the soundtrack. The 90s hip-hop heavy song, featuring South Korean rappers, Gaeko and Yoonmirae, held deep meaning, delving into the artists’ individual passions. The song’s title pulls inspiration from j-hope’s dance roots, with it taking after the name of the underground dance crew j-hope was part of in middle school.
J-hope speaks on his dance origins, emphasizing how music and dance have given him great happiness and allowed him to connect with people worldwide. Gaeko and Yoonmirae speak on their beginnings and their admiration for music and rap respectively.
“My body’s freestyle, still freestyle / My timeless soul, a whole new type / Such a deep-rooted tree, like deep-spring water / ’Cause these neurons are the cells that awakened me,” j-hope raps.
Although the project was short, j-hope displayed his musical versatility and emphasized his vocal skills more than ever before. “Hope on the Street Vol. 1” was a solid demonstration of how to craft lighthearted, groovy music that anyone can enjoy.
