J. Cole hits a high note with approval, quality

Hip-hop artist J. Cole continues to prove himself as one of the most influential rappers of today with the release of his third, and latest album “2014 Forest Hills Drive,” which was released Dec. 9, 2014 (the year is not to be confused with any correlation to the title of the album, which was simply his home address in Fayetteville, North Carolina).

The rapper formally known as Jermaine Cole was set to release his final album under Columbia Records before 2014 was over, and he finished up right on time. With this album, though, Cole attempted to prove that good music still holds a significant place in the rap world, as opposed to the commercial music we’ve grown accustomed to in recent years. To prove his point, Cole released his album without one single being released or played on the radio beforehand.

Listeners were not disappointed. “2014 Forest Hills Drive” debuted at No. 1 on the charts and was dubbed by many ‘one of the best rap albums of the year’, proving his point.

Personally, J. Cole is my favorite rapper, and that is because of works like this one in which he takes his fans into his life and shares his story – a story that is relatable to so many, especially myself.

With songs such as “Wet Dreamz,” “03’ Adolescence,” “Love Yourz,” and more, Cole does a good job connecting his music to the title of the album. The music of this album allows listeners to connect in such a manner that they feel like they are from the same place or upbringing as the artist.

For example, “Wet Dreamz” is a song dedicated solely to a high school experience in which he wrote notes back and forth to girl he liked in class. The girl proposed that they have sex unaware of the fact that he was a virgin because of the “cool guy” persona he tried to display. He takes her up on her offer, and right before they began he learned that she, too, was a virgin (much to his surprise).

Whether it is a true story or not, the song speaks of a situation that many teenage boys and girls experience.

I can’t think of a song on the album that I dislike, but my favorite one is undoubtedly “Love Yourz.” This song is the epitome of why I love J. Cole as an artist as much as I do. Though he’s versatile enough to make music in this manner, he isn’t talking about killing people and getting women in all of his work. In this particular song, he reminds us to be thankful for what we do have instead of being bitter about the things we don’t, and that describes him as a rapper more than anything else.

Overall, I give “2014 Forest Hills Drive” a 9.5 out of 10. The only reason I held out on the last .5 is because I wish it was a little longer. As far as the quality goes, it’s a 10 out of 10 for sure. Give it a listen!