I’m just gonna cut to the chase: J. Cole deciding to release a new album is the best news I've heard in the last few months. As all my friends are aware, as well as anyone who’s ever walked into my dorm room can see, I love J. Cole. His last album may have come out two years ago, but I still listen to it like it came out two days ago. Every song on that album is on constant repeat in my head. It’s hard to forget an album that went double platinum with no features.
With all this information I’m sure you can imagine my excitement when I read that J. Cole is releasing a new album on December 9th, 2016, which will be titled 4 Your Eyez Only. Each of J. Cole’s past three studio albums have been masterpieces in their own rights, having a distinct flavor to them, as well having both radio friendly and profound songs on all of them.
The timing for a new J. Cole album could not be any better. America has been having a rough time for the last few months and I could not be more excited to hear Jermaine’s take on it. This is the man who has addressed abortion, the fraud of the music industry, losing his virginity, meeting his heroes, having a poor self image, and many other serious and deep topics in his music. Despite changing his style in all of his songs, the one common thread is that these heavy topics are all handled in a masterful and artistic manner, and the best part of it is how he does it. Cole is a master linguist, bending and rhyming words in a expert manner.
We can only imagine what kind of music will come from Cole’s view of our recent election.
In an industry filled with Lil Yachty’s and Young Thug’s, J. Cole chooses to reject conventional topics in favor of ones that make his listener think. Cole does not brag about how wealthy he is, or how beautiful the girl he is seeing is. Instead Jermaine tackles his own flaws, his shortcomings, his memories through music. He gives you all of him in his music. He is raw and uncut in a business of curated personalities. He is intimate with his listener.
Thank you Cole, for gracing the music industry with your presence again.