Since his entrance into the rap game in 2007, J. Cole has gone from up-and-comer to success story. He's released three mixtapes, amassed a dedicated fan base, and caught the attention of Jay-Z, who signed him to Roc-Nation in 2009.
J. Cole has evolved into an underground sensation, gaining widespread praise for his talents, but falling just short of the limelight. Fans have been patiently awaiting his debut album, but J. Cole kept them in suspense.
Finally, on September 27, J. Cole found that special moment, and he released "Cole World: The Sideline Story" under the Roc-Nation label. The first part of the title is unsurprising, given that "Cole World" has become his brand name. The second part of the title is a little more obscure. In interviews, J. Cole has likened his rap persona to that of a basketball player: people know he has talent, but he just needs a chance to get off the sidelines to shine.
With this opportunity to finally make it off the bench, J. Cole has produced an instant classic that proves he is ready for the spotlight. Much of the album is self-produced, and the features are limited to single appearances by Jay-Z, Drake, Missy Elliott, and Trey Songz—a relatively small list that allows J. Cole to truly shine.
I typically find any album that goes beyond the 15-track mark lacking; one cannot deny the general rule that too many tracks result in a rapper's efforts being stretched too thin. Albums like these have a tendency to make listeners weed through the album to eliminate the worst songs and locate their favorites.
J.Cole's debut, however, is an exception to the rule. Although the album runs 19 tracks deep (bonus tracks included), it does not sacrifice quality for quantity. The album is a story—J. Cole's "Sideline Story"—and every song, including the "Interlude," demands attention. The tracks cohere and paint the picture of J. Cole's struggle to succeed in the rap game.
The angle is hardly new, but J. Cole's approach is innovative and demonstrates his overwhelming talent as a lyricist and producer. Although he has taken a more boastful and confident approach in songs like "Who Dat" and mixtapes like "Friday Night Lights," his exploration in "Cole World: The Sideline Story" is much more thoughtful and introspective.
J. Cole examines his struggle to turn his dream into reality in "Dollar and a Dream III" without making that "struggle" sound clichéd. He raps over a piano-laden beat, "Do you fold, grow bitter and grow cold? / No longer fightin' now the only thing you grow is old / Or do you flip that f-----' dollar to a dream? / Whether a scholar or a fiend, watch a pawn become a king."
The track "Lost Ones" is particularly pensive and creative; J. Cole raps the first verse from the perspective of a fearful and unprepared young man who finds out that his girl is pregnant and then raps the second verse from the perspective of the pregnant girl. The track is a chilling and revealing exposition of what both sides are feeling in such an unexpected situation.
The album also boasts some killer singles that succeed even when removed from the album's narrative context. "In the Morning," featuring Drake, is one example: both Drake and J. Cole's witty sex-infused lyrics actively keep the downtempo piano instrumental from feeling too slow. In a way similar to Drake's "Best I Ever Had," the song is so quotable, it's exciting.
"Work Out" also has radio-play potential with its smooth melodic feel and the catchy sample it borrows from Kanye West's "The New Workout Plan." It ends with an awesome male rendition of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" that ties the unmistakable hit together.
"Sideline Story" and "Lights Please" are two tracks that separate themselves from the rest of the album as particularly memorable because of their heavy beats and more aggressively-rapped verses. Despite the fact that "Lights Please" was released two years prior to the album on one of J. Cole's mixtapes, it remains one of my favorite tracks on this debut.
"Who Dat," released as the first official single a couple years ago, is J. Cole's powerful answer to those asking who he is. Although it probably shouldn't have been featured as the album's first single, J. Cole included it because it shows just how far he has come. And his journey speaks for itself: J. Cole has gone from having to explain himself to scoring a No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200.
J. Cole has conclusively proven that he is a talented, introspective rapper, but it is too early in his career to predict where he will channel his energies next. Personally, I hope he experiments more with dynamically-rapped and confident verses as in the song "Sideline Story" or with energetic beats as in "Mr. Nice Watch" and "God's Gift."
But I don't mean to downplay the strength of "Cole World: The Sideline Story," a debut that succeeds as an instant classic and is one of my favorite albums of the year. In fact, I have not been this excited about a debut album since Lupe Fiasco's "Foot & Liquor." Give this album a full listen to hear what all the buzz is about and get a glimpse of hip-hop's future. Cole world!