It Was Posted...

7:18 am - Tue, Sep 20, 2011

1 note

Re: J.Cole - Cole World: The Sideline Story…

In lieu of a shitty review here are some random thoughts on J.Cole’s debut album:

• It’s good. Very good. I’m buying it.
• I’m a little surprised at this turn of events. The talent was always evident, but I wasn’t sure that he could pull it together on a retail album. Call it the ‘Fabolous Curse’.
• When I heard the shit with Trey Songz, it gave me a bit of hope for the album. I always thought dude was a dope rapper, but his hooks were just so elementary and you don’t get a release date on a major label when you’re incapable of making a decent hook – which was frustrating for a fan because on occasion he’d do something great (like ‘Lights Please’) and surround it with a ton of songs with good verses and shitty hooks.
• And let’s not compare him to the legends from the 90s (Nas, Jay and so on). He’s an artist in their tradition for a different era. There’s something about the criminology, aggressive content and beats of the mid-90s that’ll always set those guys apart from these new jacks. Them cats are the cream of the crop of the best creative era of rap ever. Just enjoy this shit. It’s all about context.
• J.Cole is a worthy successor though. He just has to maintain. His debut album is a VERY solid effort. Especially for a major label release in 2011. And I mean that as a compliment, not some sort of caveat like “he speaks so well.”
• Great decision to use ‘Lights Please’ and ‘In The Morning’ - regardless of how old both songs are. Quality is quality - period.
• This is good news for rap fans. Shout out to the beige nigga (yep, I reserve the right to continue slandering him on occasion. It’s fun.)….