Dear J. Cole (re: Cole World)

I was beginning to think you were going to be relegated to the fate of Dr. Dre and the artist formerly known as Young Jeezy, Jermaine. No, seriously... It has been a long time coming, but finally, the kid from Fayettenam who came to the city of New York with his beat machine and a matriculation to St. John's has released his oft-delayed debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story. I'll admit, Jermaine. I was a bit reticent to give this a listen. As of late, I'd gotten disillusioned again with the direction rap was taking; valuing names and sensation over actual skills, placing novelty over quality, and deeming anything with two decent songs a 'classic'. And in your case, I'd grown bored of your 'struggle raps'. Yet, to veer from what makes you great rapper would be stupid. I eat my words at what was a precursor to a seemingly illustrious career ahead of you.

To accurately touch on Cole World, though, I have to hearken back to a line from 'Friday Night Lights' that describes your position at the moment:

To the college kids no scholarships starting your semester / unpacking your suitcases filling up your dresser / enjoy it while you got it, after that it’s God bless ya / life is your professor, you know that b*tch is gon test ya

That line exemplifies your music, Jermaine; the hardships of transitioning into true maturity. Cole, to be honest, I feel like I've become an adult listening to you over the past two years. Your music has been the soundtrack to the strife that a college student goes through, not only before, but after graduation. Embarking on my own life's journey, it's hard not to embrace your genre of 'struggle music'. If the three mixtapes were college, Cole World is definitely the culmination of an undergraduate tenure and the start of a promising life and career. As a graduate, to see you in the throes of a world tour, a successful (by today's standards) album, and a promising future, is inspiration.

Starting off with the story of your signing to Jay-Z's Roc Nation is akin to the offer letter a grad gets from the huge firm. Add 'Dollar and a Dream III' and 'Can't Get Enough', to that, and you have the perfect juxtaposition of seeing the spoils of victory arisen from the mire of hard work. The next track, 'Lights Please', a holdover from 'The Warm Up', makes the perfect transition to the 'Interlude'. Even as a successful black man, it is nearly impossible to evade the long arm of the law. The album starts out showing how many aspects there are to such a caricature, from the diligent, to the frivolous, to the pensive, to the sensual.

My favorite song is the secondary titular track 'The Sideline Story' because it brings all of those aspects into view, along with reaching for the loftiest of goals. Your assertion that 'Can't nobody tell me what I ain't gonna be no more / You thinking I'mma fall, don't be so sure' is a thumbing of the nose to a system that tries to put everyone from college graduates to rappers and everyone in between in boxes. Rather than follow a pattern or formula, you do what is in your nature, and nothing more. In that same song you say 'Some niggas ask me why Jay never shout me out like I’m supposed to give a f*ck.' That line does wonders for so many reasons. Despite the fact that Jay is a mentor to you, and is on your album (albeit on the next song), you not needing him to cosign you is the greatest sign of independence I've seen in hip-hop today. Everyone in rap is trying to be the next Jay, and here you are espousing your freedom from that delineation. You, the graduate, the next up at bat, are standing up on your own two. Rather than look to the top for guidance, you looked to yourself, something that I want to do in my own life. Much like LeBron dropping the number 23 to leave his own legacy as number 6, you are making your own path.

Cole World goes on with another titular track that sounds as grimy as its namesake. The song, while a huge pat on the back, seems a bit misplaced. I suppose when the first half is as loaded as yours, you can't help but get a little sloppy. 'In the Morning' and 'Lost Ones' pick the album back up, juxtaposing the sultriness of mid-morning lust with the pain of fathering a son out of wedlock. Frivolity versus futility, salaciousness versus subjection, Cole, you show the duality that ails the young black. It is a weighty discussion that has been in our minds since we knew what sex was, and that you explore both sides in 'Lost Ones' is exceptional.

The album hits a short a lull after this, to me, Jermaine. It seems as if the postgrad world indeed has its peaks and valleys. A lot of the subject matter you touched on in the first half is revisited, albeit in a different manner, but still rehashed. The track with Missy, while valiant, sounded sluggish aside from Missy's chorus. 'Rise and Shine' didn't really do much for me, and seemed like a filler track that could have honestly been left out, as did 'God's Gift'. 'Never Told' takes the issues of non-communication in a somewhat roundabout way, while in an ascending fashion, 'Breakdown' shows the weakness that our generation has when faced with trying situations. Yet as the Missy song implies, no one is perfect. One of the things that our generation of young adults must contend with is learning about life while living it. That means making mistakes, and letting go of old things. That second part is the theme of 'Nothing Lasts Forever', where you recant on love lost and learning to move on. For me, that was a welcome song, having a new chapter of my life to start.

Your original lead single, 'Who Dat', is the perfect way to end Cole World, as it signals a changing of the guards. Your name is a non-issue if you continue to improve and spit flames, Cole. This album had no 'certified bangers', which honestly was a high point for me. Rather than relying on a single to do your work for you, you put out something that has to be listened to. One can't passively listen to you, Jermaine, although songs like 'Work Out' and 'Can't Get Enough' are certainly radio-friendly enough to draw a buzz. Is it a turning point in hip-hop? I'm not sure. With the way that Wayne, and Ye-Z (see what I did there?) sold, we might not see the rise of a oft-called 'conscious MC' for a while. But it starts with the college kids and graduates. #occupywallstreet, Obama's election and a new youth movement are certainly examples of this shift, and your debut album can be one of the many sounds to march to. Your ideal seems to be warming up to the world, Cole.

J. Cole - Leave Me Alone (ft. Kevin Cossom)

J. Cole - Leave Me Alone (ft. Kevin Cossom)

A little while back, I threw up an unfinished J. Cole track called 'Problems', with piano chords lacing a midtempo beat. A few months later, and the track finally has a chorus and a new name. 'Leave Me Alone' features Kevin Cossom on the hook, but is essentially the same song. Still no word on 'Cole World', if it's still even going to be called that. I suppose the cons of leaks might be outweighing the pros of it when it comes to new artists. The blog era's casualties are the full-length albums, though there really should be more synergy between the blogs and the industry. That's another blog post though. Check the finished track out...

Dear J. Cole (re: Friday Night Lights)

DOWNLOAD: J. Cole - Friday Night Lights



I've said it numerous times, and I'll say it again: Basketball and hip-hop are closer akin than most would like to believe. Both are team sports (check this post, if you're unsure as to what that means), both require intense practice and tutelage, and both are very unforgiving. Most players only get one chance, and most of those players either thrive or don't get a second chance.

J. Cole, this is your third mixtape. By industry standards, and for how famous you are at this juncture, that is about 2 mixtapes more than most make in their lives. The first one was 'The Come Up', or the work leading up to the game. The second one was 'The Warm Up' or the practice right before the game, and the subsequent introduction to fans of a wider variety. Now that it's your third mixtape, those 'Friday Night Lights', or more aptly put, the limelight is on you and is waiting for your performance. Keeping in line with the athletic motif, it's obvious to see why you will be an All-Star in hip-hop for years to come. This mixtape is as complete of a game as one will find today, with an array of different facets of your game for admirers and opposing players to marvel at. From thought provoking tracks, to love songs, to songs for the ladies, to pure beat-knockers, to those 'damn I can relate' songs, there's something for everyone in this work.

One of the things that impressed me so much with FNL is that you were able to seamlessly integrate the features you did into the mixtape. Your first two mixtapes only had 2 features on them altogether. This third one had not only your imprint-mate Omen and your Roc Nation kin Wale (on 'You Got It'), but Drake on the bedtime ballad 'In the Morning'. I point to this namely because you held your own on a track that could have been a massacre for you. Cole, I won't lie. Your style of rap doesn't lend itself to being soft, even though feelings are a great part of your lyrics. That said, Drake is the king of emotions in hip-hop today. That you could go bar for bar with him on a song about the fairer sex and your erotic escapades with them is nothing short of practice gone perfect.

Another part of FNL that made the work so memorable was how honest it was. The best works of music are an accurate portrait of the artist's internal and external reality at that point in time. That means the artist's understanding of what's going on around him and how he and those around him are affected by those goings on. Albums like Illmatic, Ready to Die, and Lifestyles ov da Poor and Dangerous (to name a few) are instant snapshots of what their respective makers were going through at that time. Hip-hop is a barometer for the masses, which is why most great works aren't recognized until well after they happen. Your work on FNL is no different, although you deal a lot more in the ruminations of a college graduate/rapper, rather than a drug dealer/rapper. Tracks such as 'Home for the Holidays' talk about the trivialities of coming home from a semester at school to the ills of the ghetto, while 'Too Deep For the Intro' delves into the troublesome standard that black women adhere to.

Cole, your penchant for telling stories is well seasoned and well-worn in this mixtape, as well. Where other rappers simply describe situations, you inscribe your understanding into the listener's mind without flinching. While you have interesting discourse as to the conundrums that plague the black community, you never hesitate to say 'niggas', just as a reminder that while you are from that environment, you are not of that environment. That's especially evident on songs like '2Face' and 'See World'. It's eerie to see such a dichotomy in hip-hop, especially considering the juncture that a great like Jay-Z is at, commenting on the state of black America, all while embracing that he is a part of that reality. Not to liken you to Jay-Z (we don't need to add fire to that Jay/Nas - Cole/Drake argument), but you seem comfortable dealing with a range of topics and being able to expound on them without it getting corny.

Finally, the best part of FNL is how well-delivered your verses are. Delivery is something that few rappers can master, and you're well on your way to that. The 'Back to the Topic Freestyle' was a perfect example of that, with how easily those multi-syllabic lines seemed to roll off your tongue. In terms of breath control, enunciation and syncopation, there was little lacking on that song or on the mixtape. It's a testament to the perfectionist in you, and those skeptical fans who thought you could come harder... I remember on 'The Warm Up' when you re-did your freestyle to 'Dead Presidents' for that same reason. 'Friday Night Lights' is the equivalent of dunking on that fan with 2 seconds left and the game on the line. You practiced your craft, and are now in a position to display your talents on a wider scale. There's nothing more organic than that, in basketball, hip-hop or life, for that matter. That we're seeing your maturation on wax is a beautiful thing, and something very warm and fuzzy as we prepare to enter your 'Cole World'...

J. Cole - Before I'm Gone

J. Cole - Before I'm Gone

Okay, so every one knows that Jermaine is releasing a new mixtape entitled 'Friday Night Lights' in preparation for his debut album, 'Cole World'. He's been a bit cautious with the leaks and premature tracks hitting the net, but dropped a snippet of this track earlier last week. Now he let the full song loose, and upon my first listen, I fell in love with it. Cole has a penchant for story-telling that you don't see in most of his peers. Also, he's very good at harmonizing with his beats, in the least Drake-esque way possible. J. Cole has a lot riding on this release, so I would not be surprised to see another classic mixtape coming from the Fayetteville product, especially since he's still rolling with the high school athlete motif for his titles. Check out the loosie and get ready for 'Friday Night Lights', which drops this Friday...

J. Cole - The Plan

J. Cole - The Plan

NBA Elite will never be played in my XBox 360, but that doesn't mean the soundtrack can't be somewhat good. Of the tracks destined to litter EA Sports' latest foray into NBA basketball, this is the first to hit the interwebs. That it is by one of my favorite artists, J. Cole, is why it made it ont the blog of an NBA 2K player. Regardless of my affiliations, Cole does his thing on this track, which he apparently produced. I think the appeal of J. Cole on so many of his songs is how much he says while saying so little. I wouldn't call it simplicity, but more austerity that drives how good an MC this man is. His words do so much work, that when he adds what the masses would call 'swagger' he's one of the best in the game. Check out the track and start sending out smoke signals for Cole World. Lord knows I am...

J. Cole - Villematic

J. Cole - Villematic

Cole has never been one to mince words on a track. Rather than going for inane wordplay and punchlines on his tracks, the Fayetteville MC has a penchant for telling stories, making points and having a reason and idea for every song he makes. J. Cole's 'Cole World' still is slated to drop on October 26th, with this track, "Villematic" as one of the next up. He responds to the comparisons between himself and Nas, while chucking verbal salt at those who question his 'realness', for lack of a better term. Claiming that he knows his "debut gon ship, but is it gon' sell?", it's refreshing to see an artist be vulnerable on wax while still keeping his confidence at an all-time high. It just seems like everything that J. Cole puts his voice on is gold. Like I said, he doesn't mince words, and his work comes off as both genuine and exceptional because of that. Enjoy the track, people...

EDIT: Forgot about this. Apparently Cole is also prepping a new mixtape, as he tweeted here. Should be a great fall for hip-hop...

J. Cole - Problems (Unfinished)

J. Cole - Problems (Unfinished)

I hate (to the upteenth power) posting unfinished songs and leaks. Not only does it lessen the value of the track when it does come out, the track usually has a lot of rough stuff on there. In this case, J. Cole's latest track to hit the interwebs doesn't even have a chorus (there's supposed to be a singer on it), and there's a random screeching sound where the chorus should be. That doesn't erase the fact that the song is incredible even unfinished. 'Problems' talks about just that, problems. From bill collectors, to drugs to the police, to Tiger Woods'plight, Cole hits all the bases in a (hopeful) ballad about everyday struggle. The track sounds very endearing. Supposedly, 'Problems' isn't even the name, though that's what most people are calling it. I guess that's the price you pay when a track is unfinished. I'm not complaining, though. Good music is good music. Check out Cole's first leak, and quickly, because it's not guaranteed this'll see the light of day again...

J. Cole - Premeditated Murder

J. Cole - Premeditated Murder

Is it too early to say that I'm otherworldly hyped for J. Cole's album? I don't think so.. So I'll say it now: I AM RIDICULOUSLY, OTHERWORLDLY, OUTLANDISHLY HYPED FOR COLE WORLD!!!! (breathes) Now that we've got that out of the way, I must say that it's crazy how good J. Cole is. Cole goes by the quality over quantity standpoint when it comes to his music, and it works perfectly. His music never sounds rushed, it never sounds like he's half-assing it, nor is it ever under the standard that we're used to. Cole is so methodical. It's never 'I'm going to flood the market so people think I'm the best'. It's ALWAYS 'I'm going to deliver the best and most consistent product so people know I'm the best'. That mindset is clear on this new track 'Premeditated Murder,' where Cole states he knew he was going to kill the game, hence the title. Lyrically and musically, the track is pifftastic, in case you didn't gather that. Did I mention I'm hyped for Cole World? Check the loosie out and maybe you will be too..

J. Cole - Who Dat (Music Video)

Is it just me, or does J. Cole have a knack for being subtle, yet dope in everything he does. Cole talks about women, but not in a bragging way. He curses, but it's all for a purpose. The kid from Fayettenam makes precise moves, which can explain the lack of leaks. Who Dat is the antithesis of most tracks out right now because it's not as glitzy as the rest, but still manages to throw heat rocks, with J. Cole ripping his bars. The video is no different. It actually reminds me of something from the late 90's, just rapping.. with cool stuff happening behind you. The explosions at the end tell exactly the story that J. Cole wants to tell: he got that flame (sounds weird writing that). Grammar aside, the video is tough...

J. Cole - Higher x The Last Stretch (Freestyle)

J. Cole - Higher

J. Cole has a masterful flow at times, something that I can't say that every rapper nowadays has. He can can do the slowed-down mellow beats, but also has a penchant for rocking out with up-tempo, slightly erratic instrumentals that a lot of rappers would stumble over. On this track for a Tapemasters Inc. mixtape, Cole talks about his exploits with the females, but does it in a barrage of clever wordplay and metaphors. I'd go so far as to say this could have been and album cut. I suppose he's just saving all of his heat rocks for 'Cole World,' but releasing tracks like this makes it hard to wait. I guess I'd rather have rough mixtape cuts than have an entire album leak like Drake. Keep your eyes peeled for more from the beast out of Fayette-nam...

EDIT: Cole just released this freestyle to Dirty Money's 'Angels' via his blog as a thank you to all of the fans that have been supporting him for the past year. I hate being a thirsty-ass blogger, but I couldn't resist the temptation to post. Cole is too good of a lyricist to just ignore. Check the new freestyle, because it is PIFF!!!!!!!!!


J. Cole - The Last Stretch (Freestyle)

J. Cole - Who Dat

I already like where J. Cole's mainstream debut is heading... This artwork is FIRE


J. Cole - Who Dat

Ummmmmm.... If you didn't know by now, J. Cole is on Jay-Z's Roc Nation imprint, and is set to release his debut album 'Cole World' later this year. Everyone's sitting behind their computers comparing him to Drake, but if you've listened to both, there really is no comparison. Whereas Drake has gotten watered down and Weezy-fied, J. Cole has gotten a lot better and has been spitting fire over the last few leaks. I'm going to spare you the talk about those, though. Please, please, please give 'Who Dat' a listen, and tell me that J. Cole isn't the #1 draft pick in hip-hop right now. The beat is crazy, and Cole doles out pure heat rocks. Seriously, download this NOW...