Many rap fans, including myself, consider Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole to be two of the best rappers in the game. As far back as 2013 rumors were spreading of a collaboration album from the two emcees. Since 2013, both artists have released incredible solo albums, but neither featured the other. Despite the lack of material, the rumors continued. Last November everything changed. The rappers released a song entitled "Black Friday" where they rap over each others beats. Lamar spits bars over Cole's "A Tale of 2 Citiez" beats and Cole follows up with a new take on Lamar's "Alright" beat. The song shocked the rap world. Does this mean that the long-rumored album will finally drop? My answer is yes.
The very last line of the song is "But this February, bet s*** get scary when I f*** around and drop *censor tone*." This clearly implies that they will drop something this February. But what? Another song? An EP or mixtape? Or the album? Well to prove that it will be the album, with the title "Parental Advisory," you have to look at more of the lyrics. For future references here is the "possible" album cover.
Cole quotes fans with a line "'When you and K. Dot s*** dropping?' B**** Never. You couldn't handle two black n****s this clever." Cole starts by bringing up the rumored collaboration. His next line says that people couldn't handle two this clever. Well in the album cover they are conveniently molded into one. Maybe we can't handle two that clever but we could probably handle one. (Prediction: We won't, but it'll still be insane.) Also, he uses the word clever. Both Lamar and Cole are known for excellent wordplay. But in the album art, the "one" is dressed in cap and gown. Clearly the "one" was clever enough to graduate.
The final line of the track is "But this February, bet s*** get scary when I f*** around and drop *censor tone*." Let's break this down piece by piece. Clearly we are getting this in February. When he says what he will drop there is a censor tone. Upon first listen it seems that they simply bleeped out whatever he said, possibly because a name hadn't been thought up yet. But I think otherwise. A censor tone is very similar to the idea of "Parental Advisory." Any explicit album receives a label saying "Parental Advisory Explicit Content." Well they are titling their album "Parental Advisory" so they chose to bleep it out. Advisory is also very similar to the word February. It isn't hard to see how Cole would rhyme the two words. My theory is when he recorded the track he chose the word selection and construction to suggest the album title might rhyme with February and "Parental Advisory" definitely satisfies that claim.
I want to thank Colby Brannock and Tyler Griffith for their collaboration with me on the ideas that led to this article. TDC for life.
