Once again, two titans of hip-hop are minting their first ever collaboration. J. Cole appears on an A$AP Rocky track for the first time with their “Ruby Rosary.” Here’s everything you need to know about the Harlem MC’s latest single and what it means for his upcoming “Don’t Be Dumb” album.
A$AP Rocky Turns In “Ruby Rosary” As “Don’t Be Dumb” Faces Delays
For long-time Rocky fans, the delay of his fourth studio album isn’t necessarily a surprise, and depending on how much you’ve stacked on his previous rollouts, might not even be all that affecting anymore. “Leaks” remain the cause of the numerous delays surrounding the project. While an artist wanting to maintain creative control over how their music hits the public is undeniably a noble cause, it’s a bit Charlie Brown & Lucy to have the project pushed back for (hopefully) the final time only a matter of days before it was to finally drop.
Given that, “Ruby Rosary” hits digital shelves as what feels like a tacit mea culpa, a holdover effort to keep fans engaged despite a tumultuous release cycle. It’s entirely successful in that way, executing the biggest collaboration in Rocky’s recent catalog while giving red meat to his long-time fans.
Eerie Production And Overt Disses
To the latter point; “Ruby Rosary” utilizes a moody, boom-bap beat that taps into an eerie, psychedelic atmosphere, feeling like a mix between his own “Kids Turned Out Fine” and Tyler The Creator’s “SIR BAUDELAIRE.” It’s illustrative in how Rocky plans to merge an aesthetic that’s half a decade old at this point with his current style of rap, heavily utilizing homophones and word association-style metaphors: “Ruby stones on me like a rosary, champagne gold, rose in pink / Ring around the Rosie, ten man army, scared n**** tryna crow with me”
Any dissection of this song would be incomplete without mentioning the continuing Drake subs & disses, largely taking place during Flacko’s second verse. “Cut everything but the family ties/Cut the shit, cut the lies, word to the wise/Who in your top five” stands as the most obvious moment, but those really tapped into the continuing feud can surely derive further subterranean shots.
J. Cole Shines In His Introduction To Rocky’s Catalog
J. Cole taps in around the halfway mark, turning in a rapid-fire, staccato guest appearance. While his pen can never be questioned, if there’s a criticism to be levied against his performance (and the song as a whole, truly), it’s in terms of focus. Neither Harlem’s finest nor North Carolina’s hones in on much of a subject, with the Fayetteville product instead spending scattered moments on his come up, current status in hip-hop and the ruthlessness of his affiliates through his sprawling 24+ bar verse.
Overall, that minor flaw doesn’t detract from this being a solid overall contribution in either artists’ catalog, and a perfect teaser for the hotly-anticipated “Don’t Be Dumb.” A concrete date hasn’t been attached to the project, instead still slated for “Fall 2024.” While we wait, check out “Ruby Rosary” as well as the A$AP Rocky & J. Cole backlog wherever you stream your music.
Elsewhere in our coverage, Rich Homie Quan’s passing highlights a tragic turn in Atlanta’s trap legacy.
