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| All ready on its way to multi platinum status with hit songs, "Apparently" and many more (2014) |
I cannot believe I
have not taken the time to write about this hip hop / rap artist who has made
his mark the last 6 years in hip hop and rap categories. He has fought his way
breaking down doors finding a route to get into Roc A Fella Records “ROC
NATION”. I applaud him for his efforts reading about how he broke into this
business and found creative ways to get in the field. Applying for jobs for
internships to try to get into the business. It’s pretty funny, genius and
brilliant I even tried that once myself to get in with MTV. Very clever “J
Cole”. J Cole has the whole entire package when it comes to the music industry.
One creative, simple name, boyish good looks, height, he can be a spokes person
or model with his deep voice and also do advertisements for Nike, Adidas, or
Puma if he wanted to as well. You don’t find many like him and oh he can really
rap, write songs, and has this incredible gift.
I
can’t compare him to anyone else cause he has his own style but I will say he
has the story telling aspect to his lyrics like some of the greatest rappers of
all time like Notorious “BIG”, Jay-Z, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, and more. There is something about the way that he
raps in his lyrics that captivates you and also makes you learn more about his
upbringing and background. He is creative, visual with his story telling almost
like you are there with him in his stories. He really taps into where he came
from and where he wants to go with music. One thing I admire about him is the
fact that he not only is a multitalented rapper but he went to college and
definitely emphasizes that in his music.
J Cole attended St. John’s University in Queens, New York to where he
relocated from Fayetteville, North Carolina. He majored in Communications with
a minor in business. That is something people today especially the young people
who always believe success comes overnight, or it comes from knowing someone,
it also can come from your education too. If you use it wisely. All of your experiences I believe help
you become a better writer. When you use your education and skills as well people say “write
what you know”. It means everything you experienced, from your childhood to
adulthood. You experience so much and that is reflected in his music he draws
from his personal experience. He attended St. John’s University in Queens, New
York. Staying in his dorm room just writing lyrics, working on music, traveling
back and forth to the studio to record with people. He eventually was discovered and came out with his first
album and mixtape, “The Come Up” (2007), then he released “The Warm Up” in
2009, “Cole World: The Sideline Story” (2011), he was awarded the 50 Great
Breakthrough Artist award for Beyond Race Magazine. He released “Work Out” featuring a sample of Paula
Abdul’s 1989 hit “Straight Up”. Then J Cole was featured on R&B hit songs,
“Can’t Get Enough” feat. Trey Songz, “Nobody’s Perfect” feat. Missy Elliot,
and it was a hit certified
platinum for this album and sold over 500,000 albums. In the winter of 2013
right around Valentine’s Day, J Cole released one love song singing love songs
about a girl who had stolen his attention with the song titled, “Power Trip”.
He released his fourth release, “Born Sinner”. It also included the song,
“Crooked Smile” featuring the multi platinum, one of the best selling female groups, TLC. He
speaks from truth and personal experience a lot on this single. He talks to
women about embracing all of their flaws. Something men should convey to women
more often in his lyrics. You see that reflected when he writes what he knows
on his latest album, “Forest Hills 2014”. It’s more personal for him especially
since he even went back home to shoot the photograph of his cover album for
2014 Forest Hills Drive. His first single, speaking and talking to God on
“Apparently”, he discusses the blessings he has received. Then on his most
recent single, “Wet Dreams” he takes you back to his days of being a teenager
on this one with a crush on a girl in his class. Some may think it’s innocent
or even hilarious. It’s a real look into the experience of a little boy who
becomes a man reflecting on his first sexual encounter with a girl. Something
some men don’t always discuss so you see a reflective and personal side to him.
The
photo for me makes him look more like a teenager than a 30 year old handsome
young man (yes he’s handsome and he’s tall standing at 6 foot 3 inches and very
fine) anyway but the photo was shot that way which is kind of the point it shows
a young side of him, he’s very reflective on this album discussing a lot of
where he grew up at in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He not only has had a
major impact now as an up and coming artist but he gives back creating Dreamville
program to help inspire the young people of his hometown to give back and to
pursue their own dreams as well. One thing I love about him as an artist he genuinely cares
and knows where he came from. Incredibly humble and he’s the same in his
lyrics. I think he wants to teach young teens and young people that today to
accept and embrace who they are. Especially when it comes to women as well.
Sometimes I find his lyrics insightful, he shows what an intelligent man wants
to see in society. With J Cole he definitely is showing that he can go toe to
toe with anyone in the hip-hop/rap ring and hold his own. On March 31, 2015 J Cole’s album was
certified platinum for Forest Hills Drive his album is the first to do since
1989 25 years after many other legendary hip hop albums made its way and were
platinum. It says a lot about where hip hop is going to now.
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| One of his best selling albums to date with the hit songs "Work Out" and "Power Trip" (2013) |
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| On top of his childhood home in Fayetteville, North Carolina |
Visit http://www.jcolemusic.com for more information, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and visit http://www.livenation.com.
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