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J. Cole – Born Sinner album review

For most rappers, it would be audacious to sample Biggie, compare themselves to Jay-Z, or to dedicate a track to Nas and yet on his sophomore album J. Cole does all three to great success. Born Sinner, out June 18th on Dreamville Records, is an opus filled completely with familiar J.Cole themes of inner conflict coupled with religious imagery and it is also head and shoulders above any hip hop release so far this year. Unlike his first album, Born Sinner carries a thematic darkness throughout and it results in some of the rapper’s best lines so far. On the opening track “Villuminati”, a hectic beat propelled by clattering drums, baleful strings and a Notorious B.I.G. sample, we hear Cole address homophobia, Trinidad James’ “All Gold Everything”, and even drop a “Boy Meets World” reference. In the first verse alone.

The whole album carries a darker tone than any of his previous releases from the cover art to the numerous gospel samples and church themed skits, going so far as to ask “Where’s Jermaine?”, a questioning skit about Cole’s alienation from his upbringing in Fayetteville, North Carolina. This is not to say that the album is inaccessible or anything short of an artistic triumph. Each song on the album would be a strong track on almost anyone else’s sophomore album so the stand outs on Born Sinner are especially potent with “Crooked Smile”, guest featuring TLC, being a pop ready hymn to imperfection and “Chaining Day” acting as an indictment of the materialism in the rap game today. Both of these however are secondary to what is indisputably the heaviest song on the album “Let Nas Down”. Biting the hook from Yeezy’s “Big Brother”, Cole vents about his freshman album and the experience of trying to make a radio friendly single. As he raps the intro, a play on “Nas Is Like” from Nas’ album “I Am…”, Cole lays out the story of his single “Work Out” and realizing after a phone call that he had let down one of his idols by selling out on his art just for a hit.

The only thing that remains to be seen is whether the album sees as much commercial success as it deserves. J. Cole has made one of the best hip hop albums in recent memories and despite guest appearances from names like TLC, James Fauntleroy and Kendrick Lamar, it is still very much a show about J. Cole. As much as he recalls his past in songs like “Land of the Snakes” or “Rich Niggaz”, it is clear that J. Cole has grown leaps and bounds as an artist since The Sideline Story. Be sure to cop Born Sinner; you won’t be disappointed.

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J. Cole – Cole World: The Sideline Story album review

J. Cole has grown from Roc Nation underdog to Hip hop prince. Having made a stir this year, J. Cole proves his Hip hop status in debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story.

Cole’s strength lies in his storytelling: “Lights Please,” although a story of sexual passion at its highest, highlights issues of parenthood. “How you gon’ look in yo’ son’s face and turn yo’ back,” J. Cole says, providing a reflective perception on a common problem in today’s society.

“Sideline Story” sneers at the faces of the faithless: Cole attacks with a confident swagger, delivering rhymes that tell of his journey from sideline assistant, to MVP youngblood.

Cole has propelled himself into the spotlight in ways that are comparable to mentor Jay-Z and Hip hop’s egotistic Kanye West. Cole delivers somewhere in the middle, providing hard rhymes laced with reflection on his beginnings and his growth as an artist. His do-it-yourself ethic towards the album is noteworthy: His production is lush, filled with varied samples, intricate chord progressions and electronic percussion that takes from the nostalgic sounds of the ’80s and its present-day contemporaries.

Cole World: The Sideline Story is an impressive debut from J. Cole: He shows an understanding of the conventional side of mainstream Hip hop, while incorporating a new approach that may take a few listens to fully understand and appreciate.

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J. Cole in Montreal: A Night in Photos

Plenty of mixtapes and tracks. No album out. Sold out shows.
J. Cole
That about sums up the buzz around J. Cole. As I’ve said before, rap shows are particularly sparse in Montreal, but when they come around, they tend to gather a solid audience. A 1000-person sold out crowd greeted the North Carolina rapper with cheers galore. I haven’t heard Club Soda get that loud in a long time.

J. Cole
Opening with his verse off of “Looking For Trouble,” Cole did not let up from the getgo. “Higher” had the crowd (literally) lighting up, “In the Morning” had the ladies screaming, and his verse off “A Star is Born” solidified his rise to this point in time.

J. Cole
Along with two keyboardists and DJ, J. Cole had the Montreal crowd moving for nearly two hours of pure rap and hip-hop. No backing vocal track. No auto-tune. No stage gimmicks. Just a man, his mic, and his music.

J. Cole
Full set of photos: jakemullan’s flickr
Partial setlist: J. Cole in Montreal

 

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J. Cole – The Album Before The Album review

Yo! Who Dat Who Dat!

I was incredibly excited to get this review under my belt. He has been releasing tracks day in and day out for the past couple months. I have caught some snippets here and there, but finally I had the chance to listen to the “The Album Before The Album” Boy oh boy! I was not disappointed in any which way.

He has Kanye West flow and Lil Wayne lyrics. After this album I wouldn’t be surprised if see him every where. Of course signing with one of the biggest and most respected artists in the world didn’t hurt him in any way. Obviously signing with Jay-Z would be the best things for anybody’s career. Yet, it takes a real man with real talent to make the most of it. If you listen to “Premeditated Murder” you will realize why Jay-Z acted so fast. In a small biography that I read about him he mentions that a lot of music tells stories. I repeat this in a lot of my reviews, but, one of the only ways for me to connect with the music, or even enjoy it Is for me to relate in one way or another. J. Cole does this incredibly well. “Show Me Something” is definitely the album’s outstanding track for it’s passion and depth.

“Premeditated murder” is just a taste of what he’s capable of. It tells a story of the journey he or any musician has had to go through to get where they are now. I have so much respect for people that have had to work incredibly hard to get to the point of success. One of the struggles that he talk about is if people will recognize him when he’s famous. For any individual, success is the hardest thing to handle. People change and become different people. He asks a question mid way through the song “Do you prefer the broke me, or rich me”? I could only imagine what the changes would be like for a spouse, girlfriend, and family. One day your wearing your bunny slippers, the next your walking the red carpet to the Grammys.

Overall J. Cole showcases his talent, passion and drive. Nothing has compared to this in a while.