J. Cole's senior and highly anticipated album is out, and to no surprise, it has zero features. The album's release date, December 9th, marked the two-year anniversary of his hit album 2014 Forest Hills Drive.
Another fun fact: J.Cole's 4 Your Eyez Only resembles Tupac's All Eyez On Me album, which was also Pac's fourth album produced.
The album is describing a man's life who begins hustling and selling crack and eventually falls in love and starts his own family. The album's last track, "4 Your Eyez Only", reveals that this man is dead and this album is dedicated to his young daughter to describe her father's life now that he is gone.
The album's first track, "For Whom The Bells Tolls", has feelings of despair and that sort of nowhere to go feeling, which is a common thread throughout the album. In the next track, J. Cole explains, "They tellin' n*ggas sell dope, rap or go to NBA, in that order. It's that sort of thinkin' that been keepin' n*ggas chained," which furthers the helplessness and "these are my only options" thought process. "Ville Mentality" debuts the voice of a young girl, which we find out later to be Nina. This track really hits on the negative outcomes that come with the "ville mentality" as we find it leaves the young girl fatherless. "She's Mine Pt.1" is dedicated to J. Cole's wife. In "Changes," J. Cole ties his story line to James' (Nina's deceased father) by telling the story of J. Cole finding out his friend James was killed in a shooting. In "Foldin Clothes," J. Cole expresses his love for his wife by making things easier for her while she is nine months pregnant with his child which introduces the next track, "She's Mine Pt. 2," dedicated to his daughter. The final track ties in the story for all and serves as a message to his own daughter and a recollection track for Nina who has lost her father.
Like most of J. Cole's work, this album is a story he felt necessary for his fans to hear and one that lingers with you after you listen to the album from beginning to end.
Basically, we should all strive to be more like J. Cole.
