If you ever tell me that you listen to music and that J. Cole isn’t the best to ever do it, then you are a liar. If you don’t think J. Cole is that guy, then you don’t listen to music. There are no ifs, ands, or buts. J. Cole is the greatest musician to ever grace our planet, and I would even go as far as to put him on my list of the all-time top five human beings in the world.
As many fans undoubtedly know, Jermaine Lamarr Cole was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina on January 28, 1985. And I mean that when I say many fans know of his origin. As Cole explained on the track 1 0 0 . m i l, “[he] come[s] from a city most [people] ain’t heard of until they popped in [his] first CD.” Fayetteville has been an integral part of his identity, so much so that five of the twenty-four tracks on his latest album, The Fall Off, have paid direct homage to his hometown in the title. On his upcoming tour, the last that he will ever do, his final stop is in Fayetteville — you can’t even buy tickets for it as it is only available for Fayetteville residents. Cole has stayed true to his roots, and the passion and love he shows for his community comes through in his music.
However, Cole hasn’t always been this way. Through various interviews, Cole reveals that his journey with the music industry has been impeded by its desire for him to be successful. It was never his desire, however. Record labels wouldn’t publish his first album because they felt it wouldn’t have immediate Radio success. He was forced to make an additional song that was “catchy,” so that the album wouldn’t flop. As a result, Cole created the song “Work Out” which sampled and built upon the beat created by Kanye West for his song “The New Work Out Plan.” Although he betrayed the idea that he needed to stay true to himself, this album was by no means a failure. The Sideline Story debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 218,000 copies in the first week of sales. I believe that this experience is a testament to the greatness of Cole. In the face of all this adversity, he persevered, and made one of my all time favorite albums. If you ever are in need of songs that provide lyrical depth and are audibly appealing, I recommend that you try that first album.
Despite its immediate box-office success, many “experienced” individuals in the field of hip-hop criticized the album. Most notably, the New York rapper and Cole’s idol, Nas, had a few words to say about “Work Out.” As Cole reveals on his song “Let Nas Down,” Nas hated the song, remarking how Cole was “the one … why [did he] make that s***.” Throughout “Let Nas Down,” Cole remarks on the resentment he felt upon first hearing that comment. He argued that he had his back up against the wall, with everything to lose — he had to make that song. And this, I think, is what makes J. Cole truly brilliant; that his journey has been plagued by those that judged him; that his music was so successful in the end; that we get to experience his suffering with him — all of that is what makes J. Cole truly brilliant.
Throughout writing this article, I used few outside sources — only to find exact figures or the specific words he used. J. Cole’s journey has been more influential on my own life than any other person I do not know personally. I feel that, had I not been constrained by the word count given to me by this newspaper, I could have easily written another four to five paragraphs straight from my heart. If I have somehow not convinced you of his greatness, I ask only for you to give his music a try because it more than speaks for itself. After all, it’s Cole World forever.