J Cole J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Started by Mike Tyson, Nov 23, 2014, in Music Add to Reading List

  1. Enigma
    Posts: 14,984
    Likes: 17,365
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014

    Enigma Civil liberties > Police safety

    May 21, 2015
    This album has really aged horribly..... Tried to give it a spin yesterday and it just bored the crap out of me.
     
    2
    Narsh and Cruz like this.
    2
    Narsh and Cruz like this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  2. alie1
    Posts: 11
    Likes: 24
    Joined: Apr 27, 2015

    May 27, 2015
    You tripping ^^
     
    2
    Minaya and BrotherMan like this.
    2
    Minaya and BrotherMan like this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  3. Enigma
    Posts: 14,984
    Likes: 17,365
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014

    Enigma Civil liberties > Police safety

    Jun 2, 2015
    I'm really not.... Cole hasn't grown what so ever as an artist since his mixtape days. Actually think about that..... h---, Wet Dreamz was from the Friday Night Lights era wasn't it? Yet here he is, putting it on his 3rd studio album.

    Cole needs to venture out a bit musically. As great as he is as a producer, he needs to stop rapping on his own production. It just gets tiresome really quickly. Hope he starts to work with new people to be honest.
     
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  4. Minaya
    Posts: 75
    Likes: 47
    Joined: May 18, 2015

    Minaya It's way darker this time.

    Jun 2, 2015
    If anything I think that's what he did what this album.
     
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  5. Narsh
    Posts: 40,221
    Likes: 46,520
    Joined: Jun 11, 2011

    Jun 2, 2015
    but he started singing! and so did rocky!

    #artsy #deep
     
    1
    Enigma likes this.
    1
    Enigma likes this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  6. Enigma
    Posts: 14,984
    Likes: 17,365
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014

    Enigma Civil liberties > Police safety

    Jun 2, 2015
    Not really.... The sound/atmosphere of this album isn't much different from any other Cole project. We got a little diversity with tracks like A Tale of 2 Citiez & Fire Squad but that's about it lol. Cole needs to just change up his formula. Go into a project with a fresh/open mindset. New producers, different concepts (how many times has he rapped about "that girl in college" or "that girl in highschool" Jesus Christ...). Etc.
     
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  7. Minaya
    Posts: 75
    Likes: 47
    Joined: May 18, 2015

    Minaya It's way darker this time.

    Jun 2, 2015
    Hard to do with a fanbase already built on that. With that same mentality, well see Eminem and Smokin Penises on a song some time soon. Btw hat college girl ad hs girl is a huge stereotype on him. You know thats a piece of his material.
     
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  8. Enigma
    Posts: 14,984
    Likes: 17,365
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014

    Enigma Civil liberties > Police safety

    Jun 2, 2015
    I'm not saying for him to get rid of his identity or change who he is as an artist. I just want him to be more diverse. We've heard him rapping over his own production for the better half of 3 studio albums now not to mention his mixtapes. He has to change something otherwise it just sounds like he's rehashing his older music.
     
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  9. Jasmine
    Posts: 278
    Likes: 717
    Joined: May 28, 2015
    Location: Florida

    Jun 3, 2015
    That college girl s--- is part of the reason why I'm a fan. Cole is comfortable for me. So easy for me to listen to and feel right while still provoking thought. I never had a problem with him not being super experimental. In fact. FHD is exactly what I wanted and conceptually lovely. I'm still in love with that album.

    I wouldn't mind seeing him branch out of course. It'd be interesting. But I also won't get bored with him being comfortable as long as it's good.

    A lot of artists branch out or get new producers and end up with s--- a--- music. And I'm not about that "I appreciate the creative effort" s--- if it's still s--- lol.
    So if he does, it better be great. But I have faith.

    Where is this album with Kendrick though? That's what I need.
     
    3
    Kold, GKBS and Esco like this.
    3
    Kold, GKBS and Esco like this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  10. Enigma
    Posts: 14,984
    Likes: 17,365
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014

    Enigma Civil liberties > Police safety

    Jun 4, 2015
    If he made an album or EP with Kendrick, I almost guarantee it'd be better than any of his studio albums this far. Temptations has one of if not the best Cole verse ever. Like I said in my previous post though, I'm not saying he has to abandon who he is as an artist just bring some thing new to the table. Because at this point, it just sounds like he's rehashing older music for the most part.
     
    1
    Chigzzer likes this.
    1
    Chigzzer likes this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  11. Chigzzer
    Posts: 2,398
    Likes: 3,795
    Joined: Mar 15, 2015
    Location: London

    Chigzzer Man's on that grind

    Jun 4, 2015
     
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  12. Head Bussa
    Posts: 8,027
    Likes: 16,325
    Joined: Dec 23, 2014

    Jun 4, 2015
    Cole's experimentation on FHD is subtle @Enigma. 2 Citiez outro is Cole doing Kendrick better than Kendrick, G.O.M.D song structure and production is different than anything he's ever done. Same with the production of Note To Self and Hello. (And Be Free...)

    Not ever rapper has to be super experimental like Kendrick on TPAB. As long as your message is clear and relatable, and you move people with music then that's all that matters. Nas, Jay Z, Rakim, BIG, Pac never really experimented musically or "pushed boundaries" with their production. They all spit the truth and related to listeners...that's what Cole does.

    I can see Cole "experimenting" a bit more on album four.

    p.s. Cole's two verses on Knock the Hustle Remix are better than his verse on Temptations.
     
    Mar 28, 2024
  13. Enigma
    Posts: 14,984
    Likes: 17,365
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014

    Enigma Civil liberties > Police safety

    Jun 4, 2015
    Would like an explaination for the bolded statement. Yes, G.O.M.D. is Cole coming out of his shell a bit, the production on that track is excellent and is actually something I would expect to hear from Kanye. Note to Self is a chore to sit through, Cole has a problem with maintaining a listeners attention as it is, let alone for 14 minutes. Hello isn't much different at all, I could hear a track like that being on either Sideline Story or Born Sinner as well. Not to mention the content is the same.

    I'm not saying Cole needs to be like Kendrick, I've said this over and over again. He just needs to change it up, he's been using the same formula for making music for a long time now. As wholes, I don't think Sideline Story, Born Sinner & Forst Hills Drive sound all to different. Very similar content with similar production, all the albums give off the same atmosphere etc. It's not going to k--- him to work with different people. Nas, Jay, Rakim, Pac, BIG etc. may have not experimented much musically but their writing, rapping, charisma etc. easily made up for that. You're comparing Cole among some of the best writers/rappers that the genre has ever seen, com'on now...
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2015
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  14. Head Bussa
    Posts: 8,027
    Likes: 16,325
    Joined: Dec 23, 2014

    Jun 4, 2015
    @Enigma I don't know what you've been listening to. FHD sounds different than all other Cole projects to me. 12 other producers besides Cole are credited on FHD. His first two albums have just 6 other producers credited. There's more variety on FHD than you think.

    The music, singing/melodies on Note To Self = beautiful. The credits/shout outs may be a chore for you and others to listen to. And I really don't see Hello fitting on his debut or on Born Sinner. It's a perfect transition track on FHD.

    Every rapper has certain topics they'll always rap about. I think Cole has a wide variety of topics that he covers. Social injustices, his relationships with women, his mom, relecting on the past, self esteem. BIG rapped about street life and dealing drugs quite a bit, Hov has rapped about hustling and has a lot of braggadocio raps throughout the years...

    Oh and the way Cole distorts his voice on the outro of 2 Citiez is more effective than when Kendrick distorts his voice. Kendrick sounds too animated and uses it as a crutch. Cole's use of it enhances the mood and tone of the song. It comes off effortless when Cole does it...I feel it sounds forced and cartoonish when Kendrick does it.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2015
    2
    Criza Malone Hamilton and Esco like this.
    2
    Criza Malone Hamilton and Esco like this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  15. Enigma
    Posts: 14,984
    Likes: 17,365
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014

    Enigma Civil liberties > Police safety

    Jun 4, 2015

    I never said there wasn't a difference at all, I said all 3 of his studio albums really don't differ much in terms of sound/atmosphere and that's mainly because he's predominately produced all 3 records and Coles production, as good as it is, tends to sound kind of similar. And while yes, Cole used more producers on this album he still had a big hand in the production of it. Out of the 13 tracks he assisted with the production or produced himself 10 song. He was the main producer in 8 out of the 13 tracks and the sole producer in 4 out of the 13 tracks. I mean, that's no mystery though, just by listening to the album you can tell Cole had a big hand in the production.

    I addressed this in my last post, rappers like BIG, Jay-Z & Nas etc. made up for their "lack of content" so to speak with their writing and actual rapping/charisma. Cole isn't on that level, he doesn't have the charisma Biggie or Jay have or the writing ability Nas has. These artists may have rapped about the same general topic a lot but a lot of the times they approached the subject differently or told a different story. Cole has been rapping about women from the same perspective for years now & he lacks any of the other attributes (writing, charisma, etc.) to really make up for the repetitiveness.

    I mentioned this in another thread but Kendrick distorts his voice for different reasons depending on what song you're listening too. On Maad City/Hood Politics he does it to make himself sound young, on U he does it to make himself sound drunk and depressed etc. I don't think it sounds forced at all, in fact, I don't see much of a difference between how Kendrick distorts his voice and how Cole distorted his. That's kind of a minimalistic attribute anyway, even if Cole did the voice better, I don't see how that's Cole "doing Kendrick better than Kendrick".

    Maad City > A Tale of 2 Citiez
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2015
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  16. Head Bussa
    Posts: 8,027
    Likes: 16,325
    Joined: Dec 23, 2014

    Jun 4, 2015
    @Enigma I think you're underestimating Cole's writing. His honesty, ability to showcase emotion and write songs that resonate with listeners makes him stand out as an artist. He's certainly one of the most relatable rappers of all time. His writing is a reflection of this. He's very in tune with social issues and being self aware...people care what he has to say.
     
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  17. Enigma
    Posts: 14,984
    Likes: 17,365
    Joined: Nov 27, 2014

    Enigma Civil liberties > Police safety

    Jun 4, 2015
    Well it's not like he's rapping about anything out of the ordinary. Difficulties with women, problems with self-esteem etc. These are topics that your ordinary teenager in highschool or young adult in college could relate too. I'm not trying to say Cole is a bad writer or rapper, he's a solid writer for the most part and has shown that he can rap, I just think he lacks creativity. I loved Cole when he first came out, thought he had a lot of potential but it'd be hard for me to sit down and say "J. Cole has shown a lot of artistic growth since being signed". I know his story already, I'm waiting for him to give me something different.
     
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  18. Nitz
    Posts: 903
    Likes: 1,034
    Joined: Feb 15, 2011

    Jun 26, 2015
    Haven't listened to this fake-deep album since it came out and I'm glad. I'm pretty disappointed with his discography thus far ... His mixtapes were good but his solo albums are so overrated. flow bananas here, peel this back :50: no thanks
     
    1
    Cruz likes this.
    1
    Cruz likes this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  19. Criza Malone Hamilton
    Posts: 1,775
    Likes: 2,457
    Joined: Dec 23, 2014

    Criza Malone Hamilton Check the birthdate. n*gga you ain't Ric Flair

    Jul 22, 2015
    Never saw this discussion. I get what your trying to say but born sinner sounds nothing like ss or fhd so I stopped reading after that statement
     
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  20. Criza Malone Hamilton
    Posts: 1,775
    Likes: 2,457
    Joined: Dec 23, 2014

    Criza Malone Hamilton Check the birthdate. n*gga you ain't Ric Flair

    Jul 22, 2015
    That's the goat 3-4 lines and how he spits it :sean: to each his own I guess.
     
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024