With four singles and a highly dope 30-second studio snippet already out in the open, Jay Rock's sophomore album 90059 can't be lurking more than a couple months away. It's been four years since he dropped his 2011 debut album Follow Me Home. Jay Rock's place in hip hop has grown since then, in large because his TDE-mates Schoolboy Q and especially Kendrick Lamar are now getting the shine they deserve.
No less talented, Jay Rock is poised to make the jump. He is the complete package -- he possesses a tenacious yet lyrical flow, a distinctive voice, and a story to tell. His competence as an MC is beyond question, and the only unanswered question left is how he'll assemble 90059 as a complete package. We put together a wish list for the album in hopes that it will cause his popularity to catch up to his ability.
Sounwave
Lots of Sounwave production
TDE in-house producer Sounwave is one the chief architects of the TDE sound, having produced Schoolboy Q's "There He Go," Kendrick Lamar's "Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe," and several cuts off To Pimp A Butterfly, including "For Sale," "Hood Politics," and "These Walls."
The Compton native is one of Kendrick's closest collaborators, having been working with him since he was 16. His artistic relationship with Jay Rock is more precarious, as he produced just one song on Follow Me Home, and it was the intro skit. He's already produced one song on the new album -- “Pay For It" -- hopefully Jay Rock has gotten him in the studio for several more.
In addition to Sounwave, praying for a substantial helping of Terrace Martin and DJ Dahi.
Wayne
A Lil Wayne feature
Back in the late '00s, when Lil Wayne was at the height of his powers, he appeared on two Jay Rock songs -- "All My Life (Ghetto)" and "Colors” off Jay's mixtape The Takeover.
The two rappers share a natural chemistry. Both are lyrically minded, both hail the toughest parts of their city, and Lil Wayne's high-pitched flow pairs well with Jay Rock's gruff baritone. They could both stand to benefit from a new Jay Rock-Lil Wayne collab. It's a no-brainer.
Below: watch the "All My Life (Ghetto)" video as well as footage of Jay and Wayne in the studio recording the joint.
Female
A catchy hook sung by an attractive female artist
Jay Rock is one of the most talented MCs in the game, but he lacks crossover appeal. That is not to say he can't develop it -- Kendrick Lamar seemed to be in a similar position a few years ago, and look at him now.
If Jay Rock wants to get some radio play and make inroads into the popular musical psyche, he should start by spicing up his album with some sex appeal. A hot single with a hot hook sung by a hot female.
Follow Me Home had zero female vocalists. 90059 already has one, as 41-year old Canadian singer-songwriter Chantal made an appearance on "Pay For It." But that's not going to cut it. Jay Rock ought to dream big -- Kehlani, Jhene Aiko, even someone like Beyonce might be available and even eager to hop on one of his tracks.
LA
Some LA features outside of TDE
Like Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock is a cinematic rapper. His words paint vivid, dramatic portraits of life on the streets of Watts, CA. His artistic approach is very much informed by his hometown, and as such he should keep the bulk of his features local.
It goes without saying that Kendrick, Schoolboy Q, & Ab-Soul are all going to show up on the album -- it would be nice to see Jay reach out to rising LA stars like Vince Staples, Boogie, & Casey Veggies.
A dope cover
Perhaps Jay Rock's biggest weakness is his taste in album and mixtape covers, which, as you can see in the gallery above, have uniformly sucked. Even his Follow Me Home cover left much to be desired, and that's what happens when you limit your album cover budget to $10.
A memorable album cover is vital to an album's success. Jay's "Gumbo" cover was a step in the right direction. 90059 promises to be a superb project -- let's hope that he can give it the cover it deserves.