Is J. Cole’s Cold World: The Sideline Story a Classic Hip-Hop Album
Step into J.Cole’s World, on Cold World: The Sideline Story, a bundle of songs that are packed with powerhouse production and lyrics that reveal an emcee determined to take the Hip-Hop scene by storm. Opening with the poignant, yet real “Dollar & a Dream III,” Cole spits some vicious bars and weaves a telling story. It is a pivotal opener to the industry’s most anticipated album of the year.
Trey Songz joins J. Cole on “Can’t Get Enough,” an upbeat radio friendly banger where if he was shooting for the stars – should give him a homerun on the charts. “Lights Please,” featured on his mixtape, The Warm Up, is a pleasing addition to his debut foray. It sounds as good here as it does on the mixtape.
The piano tapping beat of “Sideline Story,” is a listening tonic that is definitively J.Cole at his rapping best. Its production is strictly Cole and it shows as he keeps your attention throughout. “Mr.Nice Watch,” pairs Jay-Z with J.Cole and is high powered electronica spun into dubstep drum patterns that reverberate after the song finishes. The title track moves the listener further into his world. The chorus “cole world, cold life, cold blooded/I be on my shit look it all the ho’s love it, got a 150 bitches in the club starin’ at me/how that feel, very happy,” makes the song as Cole speaks on how he raps so good, he can do it in his sleep.
The mushy “In The Morning,” which features Drake, was released awhile back and is one of those cuts that stands alone by itself as a masterpiece in its own right, yet adds depth to Cole World. “Lost Ones,” is a litany on getting a girl pregnant and the aftermath surrounding said event.
Moving further into Cole World with “Nobody’s Perfect,” a cut that is enjoyable for its dope beat that smartly has Missy singing the chorus. The No I.D. rocked “Never Told,” imparts itself as furnishing on a never-ending cycle and that indeed nothing is new under the sun when all is said and done. “Rise & Shine,” speaks to how J.Cole sees himself in the rap world and the poetic vitality that he has brought to the genre.
“God’s Gift,” presents itself as a metaphoric relationship up-tempo track as Cole takes ego tripping to another level. “Breakdown,” has J looking into the proverbial introspective mirror about an absent father who he has minimum contact with. His tone is axiomatic, unrefined and spirited more so than on any of the other songs exhibited here.
“Work Out,” “Nothing Last Forever,” and “Daddy’s Little Girl,” are all bonus tracks on Cole World. “Work Out” is a tale of the one night stand and the rough, yet satisfying pleasures of it. “Nothing Last Forever,” finds J. Cole pondering on a relationship that is on the rails, while “Daddy’s Little Girl,” acquaints the listener with a good turned bad.
J.Cole has a hit on his hands. The cohesiveness of Cole World is everything Hip-Hop diehards were looking for and one could argue was worth the long wait. With the majority of the production crafted by Cole himself, Cole World‘s value is crystallized into an incomparable rap vintage.
Cole World: The Sideline Story receives a PARLÉ
Prime Cuts: “Lights Please,” “Sideline Story,” “Mr. Nice Watch,” “Lost Ones,” “Nobody’s Perfect” & “God’s Gift”
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