Mic Navarro's Corner: J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive ALBUM REVIEW

At this point in his career, I've just about ran out of good compliments and acknowledgement for J. Cole. With a classic mixtape, classic debut, and a stellar sophomore album under his belt, J. Cole is working his way up the ladder to being one of hip hop's elite lyrical MC's. His way of poetically telling stories and his style of beat making (which has gotten better and better with each project) has made him one of the game's better multi-talents and puts him in a whole other class away from his peers. So it's easy to see why every release from him is a much anticipated one. Not just from the mainstream fans who like him due to popularity, but from the hip hop heads who listen because of his music talent. This is his third album 2014 Forest Hills Drive. Typically, I sometimes always know what to expect from a J. Cole album but this time it was different. First of all, I didn't even know about this album until a week or so before it's release. No promotion, no singles. It was as if J. Cole pulled a Beyonce and just dropped an album out of nowhere. So I didn't really know what to expect because of it. After multiple listens, I have no idea where I stand with this album. It's not at all bad, it's not even average. But not what I was hoping either. A few things are evident before even listening. Looking at the track titles and the album titles, he's most likely about to reflect on his childhood and how he grew up. Which is exactly what he does. 2014 Forest Hills Drive is the address of the house where he grew up in Fayetteville, NC. So the album is majority stories from J. Cole about the memorable events that happened during his time living there. His production is getting better and lyrically nothing has changed. But with only thirteen tracks, no guest features and no singles, the album feels more like a mixtape or a free EP. I don't get the same feeling here that I did listening to Cole World: The Sideline Story and Born Sinner. Well now, on to the breakdown:

1. Intro

Okay...I gotta be honest here. The moment I heard this intro I panicked. It's nothing but 100% R&B vocals from Cole about freedom, happiness and love. While him singing isn't nothing new (he's done it quite a bit), it was surprising to hear this album start off immediately with emotions. I already knew what this album was gonna be about before listening and I heard this and said to myself "damn he's getting over emotional already". I mean don't get me wrong it's perfectly normal expressing emotion when reflecting on your past. I just thought he'd be a little stronger about it. Oh well, I'll get over it eventually.

2. January 28th

Now here is where Cole takes you back to the beginning. January 28th is his birthday and this song takes you back to his early years. This is kinda the same thing Jay-Z did on The Black Album with the song "December 4th", which was track two on that album as well. Anyway this song was okay. A settled soulful production (which majority of the album has). It sounds like on the hook he's telling pieces of advice that he was given as a child. Which of course, ties right in with the direction this song goes in. Pretty good overall.

3. Wet Dreamz

This album is full of so much relatable content. But for me, no song was more relatable than this. Here Cole tells the story of his "first time" and how it all went down. How he was crushing hard on her, how bad he wanted to sex her and how she was down for it. But yet he didn't want her to know it was his first time so he played it like it wasn't. Listening to this made me reminisce a lot because my own "first time" story was eerily similar to his (I'm not gonna go into it don't worry). Which is why I relate to this song a lot. Anyway I like the production. It's one of few that's not soulful and has more of a mainstream sound with the "Impeach The President" sample. Good song for anyone that likes to flashback to their first time.

4. '03 Adolescence

Here, Cole is reflecting on a specific year of his youth. 2003. He was just graduating high school and moved to New York to further his rap career. The lyrics is his thoughts as an aspiring MC. From girl problems, to low self-esteem. The third verse is very interesting as he talks about how he looked up to a friend of his who wad getting girls, getting into trouble and such. But the friend turns around and tells him how he looks up to him because he's doing something with his life and how he has family issues and wishes he didn't. Making Cole feel a little sorry and a bit more grateful for what he has. Another good song with relatable topic for anyone who also went through this.

5. A Tale Of 2 Citiez

As stated on the previous song, Cole moved to New York. This song is pretty much him talking about the major differences between New York and Fayetteville. One of the major being conflict with dudes on the street (he depicts on the hook his friend being robbed at gun point at the light). Hard for me to relate to this one because I've lived in one city my whole life. But those of you who have moved around between cities knows how hard it must be to adapt to your new location. Especially if it's a rough place like New York. I do like how even with this kind of topic, he was able to make a catchy hook that goes perfectly with what's being talked about. Nice song.

6. Fire Squad

Now begins the controversy. This song was released a bit early before the release of the album and it made everyone turn heads. Here he's attempting to restore hip hop and put out the flames (hence the song title). Specifically breaking down white privilage in hip hop. He goes as far back as mentioning Elvis and how white folks took Rock-N-Roll from black folks. He compares that to today how white people are seemingly taking hip hop from black people. Noting the biggest example: Macklemore's Grammy win over Kendrick Lamar. Also noting Iggy Azalea's instant rise to fame in such a short time. A lot of people saw this as Cole taking a jab at white artists (he also mentions Eminem and Justin Timberlake). I don't see that at all. Although he says in the song that he's "just playing", a lot of what he said was facts. Facts that I guess others are afraid to tell. Anyway I do like the song and production especially. It's bass is more hard hitting and is a total change of pace from how this project started. Great song that really gets you to thinking.

7. St. Tropez

Changing the mood drastically from the previous track, this is where Cole's career begins to take off. St. Tropez is a city in France that has been referenced by many rappers time and time again. They used it as a way of showing their fame and fortune by taking trips there. Here it's hard to tell if Cole is doing the same thing or talking about a chick he's with. I guess it depends on how you listen to it. Anyway this one has some growing on me to do. I don't think it sucks or nothing but like I just said, it's hard to make out what's going on here. Plus he's doing a lot of singing on this neo-soul sounding production which threw me off as well.

8. G.O.M.D.

Now here's a song with content completely different from everything else. The acronym in the title stands for Get Off My Dick. Sounds like this is the point in the story Cole has gotten arrogant and cocky about his talent. Now he feels like he can make below average songs for the radio like this. I laughed loudly when I heard this hook. Sounds like some vintage Luke/2 Live Crew type stuff. For that reason I can see a lot of people liking this song but ehh. I don't know where I really stand with this one yet.

9. No Role Modelz

Cole now reflects back on his life now and the past few years (this coming after the realization he had towards the end of the previous song). During this new realization, his sees that there were no real role models in his life. He only looked up to rappers or athletes as he states in the song ("cause ain't no hope for the youth well ain't that the truth/when all your role models either rappin or the hoop"). I do like the song but not so much the hook. He borrows the hook from the Three 6 Mafia hit "Don't Save Her" and it kinda sounds bad and out of place. Considering the songs topic. Still a good listen though.

10. Hello

Throughout this who album, Cole talks a lot about relationship and girl issues. Just his overall lacking of a love life. Well here he's wanting to re-kindle with an old flame from his past...only to find out she's moved on with someone else. He repeats "hello" on the hook and through most of the song because he's on the phone telling her how his and her life could have been much better if they had stayed together. Listening to these lyrics makes me think back to a verse Cole had on The Game's song "Pray". The words and details from both that verse and this song kinda match. Regardless of the repetitive hook (which y'all know I hate) I do kinda like this.

11. Apparently

It's now at this point Cole is realizing how much the fans are listening to his music and are looking up to him now. So he reflects back on all the wrong he has done in the past and states how he is trying to correct it all. The second verse was the highlight. The song starts with him "sing-rapping" but then he unleashes a fiery second verse filled with tons of crazy word play and metaphors. There's no verse like this on the album at all which makes it a huge highlight. Definitely like this one.

12. Love Yourz

The hook of this song sums it up perfectly: "there's no such thing as a life that's better than yours". In other words, appreciate what you do have and appreciate the more important things in life. Such as family, friends, love and happiness (which goes right back to what was said on the intro). The last verse is kinda like a letter to the friend he was talking with on "03 Adolescence". Telling him there's always gonna be someone with a better car, better clothes, better looking girl. But you'll never be happy until you learn to love yours. Great words of wisdom. Awesome song.

13. Note To Self

He closes this album the same way it began. Singing. By his words it sounds like Cole's expressing his current outlook on life. The majority of this song however is nothing but him taking the time out to thank everyone involved with this album and those who are close to him and played a part in his life and career. From his youth to today. This is the same thing Jay-Z did on "Blueprint" and "My 1st Song". Kanye West also did it on "Last Call". Great way to end this project.

In closing, I still believe this project as a whole sounds like a mixtape/EP in comparison to his previous two projects. Just a well done mixtape/EP. For an album than didn't have much promotion or any singles, this was certainly a very above average listen. I give it a final grade of a B. Like I stated in the beginning, J. Cole continues to grow and get better and better with each project. His lyrics, his words, content and production especially have stepped up big time between his mixtape days to now. So much of his music and the stories he tells are so relatable for many including myself. All teaching valuable life lessons that he learned as well. J. Cole has quietly become a positive motivator for these young people that look up to him. He realizes that and has taken full responsibility of that role. He doesn't see us as fans, he doesn't even see us as friends. He sees us all as family. Family that he can teach. We're all ears. End.