The kid from the 'Ville comes back home. After two successful albums (2011's Cole World: The Sideline Story, and 2013's Born Sinner), and a three peat of acclaimed mixtapes preceding his signing to Jay-Z's Roc Nation, J Cole returns to his hometown of Fayetteville, NC for this third offering. This album is as much about returning to your roots as it is about gaining a perspective of who you are. Rather than boast about what he has or promoting the dance floor, J Cole uses a message to invoke an emotion or two throughout the album. It creates for his most cohesive record to date.
In a singles driven era, 2014 Forest Hills Drive has no obvious single cuts on the album. Perhaps that is why Cole decided to release it without radio assistance with an online announcement three weeks before it arrived. This is not a bad thing, as it is rare to listen to a whole album all the way through these days, and the albums that can make this are few and far between (you have to count Kendrick Lamar's Good kid, m.A.A.d. city though). That being said, much like Kendrick, J Cole has created a timeless piece that might be in the conversation of album lists in the next few decades.
2014 Forest Hills Drive is about a kid, who left his hometown of Fayetteville, to move to New York City for St. John University. In the process, his childhood home was foreclosed by the bank. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, making a mixtape, chasing Jay-Z for a record deal, to releasing two gold selling albums and a record label of his own, Cole has bought that same home again, depicted on the album cover. Take into consideration his recent support of Ferguson protests, and post fame after that 'Control' verse, J Cole is now that guy.
The album tracklist itself reads like an autobiography from start to finish. Beginning with the piano driven "Intro" Cole asks "Do You Wanna Be Happy/ Do You Wanna Be Free?" His summer protest song "Be Free" is in fact more urgent than this, but it is considered the precursor to his album intro. The song wants you to strip away everything but happiness and freedom. Without these two elements what is the purpose of living. Next up is "January 28th" Cole's born date, bringing you back sonically to his The Warm Up days. Drum heavy, Cole takes his time on the first verse to tell an eye lens view of his perspective of the surroundings of his teen years, before taking a notebook to write his rhymes, while the second verse plays on the wittiness of wordplay describing his surroundings in current times. On the third verse, Cole makes mention of Drake and Kendrick Lamar, two of his greatest peers, to point out that the only rap gods were born on January 28th. (J. Cole and Rakim!).
"Wet Dreamz" has a nostalgic boom-gap sound that many hip-hop head will reminisce on. Also sounding similar to the sounds on his first two mixtapes. Telling a story about his first time with a girl, and giving clever melodic rhymes to reminisce on his crush. Listening to it can take you back production-wise to Kanye West's College Dropout era. "'03 Adolescence" takes place where "Wet Dreamz" leaves off. No longer innocent, Cole is now a high school graduate heading to college heading to New York. The most telling part of the song is Cole's honesty. It is here that he admits to being insecure and shy during this period of time in his life, also not sure of what will happen to his future "in a city where too many niggaz die". The vulnerability in the track is something that is missing in today's music. Peep the story told in the third verse about his willing to sell drugs with his older friend, only to be brought back to reality by the friend telling him that he's a fool to live a life he is not built for.
"A Tale of Two Citiez" is based on the differences of living in Fayetteville and New York. Being a small town kid moving to the big apple is nothing short of a culture shock. The song is produced by Vinylz instead of Cole, much like the next song following "Fire Squad". Sounding a hungry as ever, Cole pulls no punches lyrically, pronouncing himself as the greatest, and the "new Spike Lee", as well as "'02 Lil' Wayne". It's the third verse though that sets in, addressing black appropriation by white artists. Think what you want the track isn't so much a diss, than it is a call to arms to stop trying to be a "bitch" and even "the king" when in essence we are all kings.
Melodic wise Cole showcases his skills here more so than any other album he has had. "St. Tropez" reflects the riches Cole has gained since his quest for hip-hop fame. Much different in sound than "Fire Squad", the song references and samples "That's All Right By Me" by Esther Phillips. The most fun track on the album has to be "G OMD", and eve this song has a message. Almost a parody of past Lil' Jon hits, "Hollywood Cole" talks about his hometown, before heading back to his new found rap fame, and getting lost in its materialistic glory. Contemplating going back home, Cole switches up the flow a few times to makes you hit the club to say 'fuck it'.
"No Role Modelz" is a reflection of his past once more, but this time realizing that he has no one to look up to to guide him growing up. Produced by Phonix Beats, who uses a George W. Bush audio sample midway, still carries out the album's cohesive sound. "Hello" also takes on a narrative of seeing an old girlfriend, who now has kids and has moved on with her life. Here, Cole depresses himself by looking back on what would've been.) "Apparently" provides Cole with his own canvas for expression towards his mother's pain after their home was foreclosed. The song is an ode to his mom, while expressing the flaws within himself while she watched him grow up.
"Love Yourz" is kind of the counter part to Kendrick Lamar's "i". The song tells that "there's no such thing a life that's better than yours". Addressing the fact that there will always be people to compare yourself to, as well as the materialistic dreams that comes with it. But there is only one life. As a fitting send off is "Note To Self" is more a 14 minute shout out than a song, but the soulful sound bed throughout keeps you listening.
Calling an album a masterpiece is premature by any standard (it's only been out 14 hours as of now), but we can say that it its cohesive and above all else good. That's what music is supposed to be right? The album's message carries on for 64 minutes: You can't run from home.
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