Fresh off the release of his acclaimed new album The Off-Season, J. Cole has dropped a Scott Lazer-directed video for “Punchin’ the Clock.”
The video has a back-to-basics approach, starring the rapper as he performs from the back of a Taxi cab. Complete with the Tae Beast and Mario Luciano production, the New York City-shot video feels very much like a hip-hop throwback. The “Punchin’ the Clock” visual is Cole’s second collaboration with Scott Lazer in support of The Off-Season, with him previously handling the similarly styled video for “Applying Pressure.”
The Off-Season put up some impressive numbers for Cole in its first week, debuting in the No. 1 spot with 282,000 equivalent units. That total comprised of 37,000 pure album sales, and an astonishing 325.05 million on-demand streams. It’s the second biggest week for a hip-hop release in 2021, and the rappers’ sixth No. 1 album overall. In its second week on the charts, the record fell to No. 2 just behind Olivia Rodrigo’s debut effort.
Cole also recently updated his fans on his brief stint with the Basketball Africa League, which he said he returned home from due to a “family obligation.” He thanked everyone for their support and the league for accepting him. “I learned so much in the few weeks we were together,” he wrote, signalling that his basketball career had come to an end.
Watch the video for “Punchin’ the Clock” above. Cole is set to headline Rolling Loud California alongside Kid Cudi and Future this year, with the full lineup available here.
