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4 your eyes only j cole list12/24/2022 Cole’s “Simba” series comes across as either trite or prophetic there is no in-between. “Grown Simba”ĭepending on how cynical you are, J. As usual, he does, all while addressing the violence in his hometown and the struggles- his struggles-of the people there. Cole took listeners to church on “Before I’m Gone.” As soon as you hear the wailing choir accompanied by snare drums, you know he’s about to rap his face off. In the final verse, he touches on black lives lost and references JAY-Z’s “Can I Live,” pondering his own demise while asking God the very question his idol repeated on his iconic debut.Īfter leading off the biggest project of his career with the laid-back “Too Deep for the Intro,” J. This time, though, the beat is original and finds Cole detailing his come-up while oscillating between hope and fear. “Can I Live”Īs if it wasn’t bold enough to rap over “Dead Presidents II,” Cole doubled-down and jacked the title of one of JAY-Z’s greatest hits for the standout track from his star-making second mixtape The Warm Up. Assisted by synth flourishes, the rapper’s delivery is mesmerizing in a way that it distracts you from listening to the lyrics only upon playing it back do you notice each and every punch Cole packs inside his bars. Aside from Diplo’s dazzling production, the highlight of the song is Cole’s second verse. Arriving at a time when electronic music had recently bled over into hip-hop, Cole struck gold with a gorgeous beat courtesy of Major Lazer. Cole dropped this gem in September 2012, to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story. If it had, “Farewell” might be remembered differently: a fitting curtain-call to the first chapter in J. Cole delivers two stream-of-consciousness verses while reflecting on how he’ll be remembered when he’s gone, rapping, “ Will they say I was a sinner or pretend I was a saint?” Cole’s deep-thinking questions force the listener to get lost in a fascinating alternate reality, one where Friday Nights Lights-as initially intended-serves as his official debut album. Having spent nearly all of 2015 operating in the shadows while peers Drake and Kendrick released career-altering projects, the song felt like Cole’s return address, a public service announcement of sorts for fools still sleeping on him.īacked by a haunting instrumental that spells impending doom, J. One year removed from going Platinum with no features, Cole reminded doubters that success hadn’t diminished hunger with “Folgers Crystals,” the opener from Dreamville’s second compilation mixtape Revenge of the Dreamers II. Project: Revenge of the Dreamers II (2015) In hindsight, the track is a prelude of sorts for “1985” and “Middle Child,” both of which find Cole playing big brother to the SoundCloud rappers he allegedly attacked on “Everybody Dies.” 18. Cole shared a pair of promo singles with the masses: “False Prophets” and “Everybody Dies.” While the former grabbed headlines for its not-so-subliminal shots at Kanye, the latter was a warning shot to the entire rap game. In the week leading up to the release of his fourth studio album 4 Your Eyez Only, J. Centered around a topic that every twentysomething is familiar with-returning home after an extended period of time-listeners can’t help but sing along as Cole effortlessly delivers his verses with a catchy cadence. Cole’s skill as a storyteller, we have a habit of focusing strictly on heart-wrenching tracks such as “Lost Ones,” “Breakdown,” and “4 Your Eyez Only.” However, coming-of-age songs like “Wet Dreamz” and “‘03 Adolescence” are equally as good from a storytelling perspective, though neither is as catchy as “Home for the Holidays,” the most underrated song on Friday Night Lights. In hindsight, “Kenny Lofton” is essentially a prelude to “No Role Modelz,” as Cole raps about how people only care about black people if they’re successful athletes or rappers. Backed by a flip of The Manhattans’ ‘70s R&B hit “Hurt,” Cole gets contemplative and delivers social commentary, while still flexing lyrically, of course. If his guest spot on 21 Savage’s “alot” reminded you that no one sounds better rapping over soulful beats than Cole, do yourself a favor and revisit “Kenny Lofton,” a cut from his 2013 EP Truly Yours 2.
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