Here is the album review for the debut album of Roc Nation signee J. Cole. It’s been a long journey for him releasing his album, but it’s finally here, and I’m going to break down each track of the album, with a full rating at the end. Remember, I try not to rate songs that are really personal (how can you rate somebody’s life?) and I also left off the intro and any bonus tracks from iTunes. All that said, enjoy the review and leave any comments you have about the album below in the comment section! Let’s get started:

Dollar and a Dream III: If you’ve been following J. Cole at all the past few years, the title of the song alone will probably excite you. Have him explain it, the “Dollar and a Dream” series is one of the things that really defines his career thus far. Staying true to that theme, Cole raps like the underdog on the track, mentioning hardships as well as boasting his skills – trying to prove he deserves to be amongst the elite. The production on the track, handled by The University, is nice (especially the beat change about half to two-thirds of the way through the song) and really taps into the emotion of what “Dollar and a Dream” represents So far, so good. Song gets a 4.5.

Can’t Get Enough feat. Trey Songz: It’s pretty obvious why this is the first official single for the album. With the content surrounding a “bad chick” and Trey Songz on the hook, it was meant to get radio spins. J. Cole still displays some of his wit on the track that, had it been delivered differently, may have really impressed hip hop heads. But, this song will appeal more to the casual listener, possibly expanding Jermaine’s fan base, but not showing off his full arsenal, by any means. Brian Kidd’s production is crazy, though, with sounds that put your right in the heart of the Caribbean and makes for a nice little groove. I’d give it a 3.5.

Lights Please: Most J. Cole fans are probably familiar with this song. Re-recorded vocals and instrumental enhancement give this an updated sound, but other than that, it’s the same song that really led to the Carolina MC getting signed. Although the song is a little dated, it’s still understandable why he would include it on the album and no matter how old, the song itself is still amazing. Give it a 5.

Sideline Story: This is a classic J. Cole song. He relates to the everyday young black male when talking about an encounter with an older white man on the plane, rapping “slang we be speakin’ probably soundin’ like Spanish/then I f*ck they heads up when a n*gga show manners.” He also touches on his experience in New York being from the South, comparing his relationship and new lifestyle to that of Dr. King and Coretta’s marriage, and his trials breaking into the rap game. It is the J. Cole we’ve come to know and love and for that, it gets a 5.

Mr. Nice Watch feat. Jay-Z:  On this song, the most impressive thing may have been J. Cole’s production. The beat knocks hard and could probably satisfy hip hop heads and strictly club goers alike. While the subject matter isn’t very deep in the song, J. Cole does get a little further than the shallow end on the hook when he says “They say time is money, but really it’s not/if we ever go broke girl, then time is all we got.” And, of course, everybody went crazy when they heard Jay-Z did bless Cole with a guest appearance. Jay’s verse is nice, with almost every line playing off the subject of time (sort of the same approach he took with “Lyrical Exercise”), perhaps slightly making up for J. Cole not really going in on the beat like he could have. This may be the closest compromise hip hop purest and casual listener will have from this album. I’d give it a 4.

Cole World: This is probably the most boastful J. Cole is on the album. And why not? He’s entitled to it. It’s been a pretty long journey. Being the first signee to Jay-Z’s new label is a lot of pressure alone. Not to mention two critically acclaimed mixtapes, touring non-stop, rumors swirling, and uncertain release dates/push backs. He’s earned the right to stunt a little bit. There are clever lines sprinkled throughout the track, but he didn’t give us all he’s got on this one, either. This is a 4.25.

In The Morning feat. Drake: This is a pretty predictable selection. With one of rap’s most recognizable names and being featured on highly successful Friday Night Lights, it was bound to be placed on the album. Both J. Cole and Drake have lines that you can pick out (and Cole’s last verse is actually pretty good), but neither of them gives their best showing. I once saw somebody on Twitter say that they chose to do a song for the ladies in order to avoid discussions of who killed who on the track. True or not, the rationale makes sense and this may not have been the outcome many would have hoped for or expected with these two pairing up. This gets a 3.75.

Lost Ones: This track was recorded a while ago, supposedly around the time of The Warm Up, but it is still one of the best songs on the album. We find J. Cole telling the story of young couple with a baby on the way, from three different perspectives – the father-to-be, mother-to-be, and an outside narrator. J. Cole searches the different takes from a very realistic view, with the young man wanting an abortion and the young woman claiming she will keep the baby, even if he doesn’t stick around. It is a dilemma that many young people face, but the narrator at the end forces the young man to think about “his seed”, without providing an answer to the outcome. Great story and song, deserving of a 5.

Nobody’s Perfect feat. Missy Elliott: This is another record where Cole flexes his production muscle and sets up a track that you can just ride to. It’s a pretty laid back track, but heavy bass may get you moving a little bit on your drive home. It’s also great to hear Missy on a track again. She only holds down the hook, but it’s still exciting to hear her voice over instrumentals again and a great way for J. Cole to pay homage to Missy – of whom he says he greatly admires. The first verse from Cole is actually pretty good, although maybe not completely focused, while the second one isn’t quite as memorable. This song gets a 4.5.

Never Told: This track finds J. Cole exploring the complicated dynamics of a relationship. Asking why men cheat and describing sexual encounters of so-called players, he tries to find the deeper meaning behind cheating, commitment, and love. Although a little out of the ordinary in terms of style and delivery, it’s actually a pretty good song and hopefully gets people to think a little more about their relationships and dealings with the opposite sex. I’d give this a 4.

Rise and Shine: This honestly could have served as the intro. Granted, they may have had to adjust the rest of the song placements, but the emotion and passion on the song really stick to the “sideline” theme. With the exception of the last couple bars, Cole spits pretty hard throughout and, perhaps more important that anything else, you can hear the hunger in his voice. All that said, I would give this a 4.5.

God’s Gift: Only two verses, but J. Cole puts on display a flow and delivery that he has mastered. “God’s Gift” right behind “Rise and Shine” makes for two great tracks back-to-back and is only unfortunate that it comes so close to the close of the album. This is a song that could have been featured on a mixtape like Friday Night Lights, but is definitely album quality. I’ll give this one a 4.75.

Breakdown: This is the most personal Cole gets on the album, so I won’t rate it. While maybe briefly mentioning certain things on other songs throughout the project, on here, he really opens up about his relationship with his father and his mother. In the first verse, he talks about the pain he felt growing up without his father – only talking to him every few months – and even being big enough to admit that he cried after seeing his dad for the first time in years. As men, we are often afraid to ever admit shedding tears, but Cole mentions it a couple of times in the opening verse, showing his authenticity as an MC. He also talks about his mother’s drug addiction on the second verse, as well as his hopes for better days for all his friends and loved ones. He reserves the last verse for an unnamed woman whose baby's father is in prison. Although she has tried to remain strong while he does his bid, after “seven seasons”, it is clear that she is beginning to grow weak and is missing the presence of another man. J. Cole urges her to remain strong and not “breakdown”, although he admits that it is a difficult task.
 

Work Out (Bonus Track): I believe this was the unofficial single, and once again it’s pretty obvious why. Flipping the Kanye instrumental for “The New Workout Plan”, this is a very upbeat song that is sure to catch the ear of many, but perhaps only keep the attention of the casual listener. There isn’t much to hold on to for hip hop purist, but this is another example J. Cole trying to prove himself as a producer by taking sounds already created and turning them into new pieces of work. I’m going to say this is a 3.75.

Overall, this is a solid first effort for Fayetteville’s hometown hero. Although there is a blatant attempt to grow his fan base and become more recognizable on a mainstream level, there is still plenty on the album to keep hip hop heads satisfied. We have to remember, he went on tour with Rihanna, so some songs were catered to that audience. I’m willing to bet that Rihanna’s fan base is more drawn to “In the Morning” than they are “Who Dat”. By trying to tap into that market, J. Cole had to take a page out of Jay-Z’s book and slow the flow down in order to make the successful crossover. Due to this, there are certain things that you can nitpick in regards to what is or isn’t on there (as I may have done with this album), but overall, it’s a fairly balanced project. Although he didn’t hit us with something like “Return Of Simba” (a song that showed him going all the way in lyrically), there is still enough to prove that he is a true MC with his eyes set on success. Overall, I’ll give the album a 4.