J Cole has given the world three singles this year of COVID 2020, all in which are completely different from each other, continuing the trend of the emcee to showcase his ability to reach a multitude of crowds and perform in a multitude of styles. The first single he released "Snow on the Bluff" was a direct response to the critiques from Chicago femcee Noname as she pointed out that the hip hop artists revered for being leaders and activists were silent during the heights of on-going protests by black lives matter and other organizations alike. Cole's response was on brand being that of humility and honest questioning as to why he and fellow rappers alike were at the end of her criticism. Urging her to instead educate and inform him on how he could help more. Noting that he never implied that he was this leader that she made him out to be, just a man of opinion and concern about how things are and have been.
After receiving criticism from Noname fans, Cole doubled down on his stance but made it known that his intentions were never meant to be offensive to her. And Cole kept it pushing from there. Following this release he participated in a sit down interview with the Player's Tribune to talk about his hunger and passion for making music still. He gave away (which I suspected) that after his release of Forest Hills Drive that he lost his competitive edge. Cole got to the pinnacle of success and felt he had nothing to prove. He made a dope album. He gave you great lyricism. He tapped into new flows and cadences, all the while still giving you great stories and messages. He gave you hip-hop to it's core. What more was left for me him to do. Cole admitted to being uninspired, and realizing that he had to find that edge back.
Cole admits that this competitiveness is the driving force now behind his soon to be released 2020 effort The Fall Off which leads us right into the aggressiveness of the "Lewis Street" release containing two proposed singles from The Fall Off, "The Comeback" and "Lion King on Ice". Both tracks come with heavy hitting production; the comeback with a modern day twist to boom-bap, and lion king on ice being trap influenced. Both tracks have Cole diving into talking about how he feels at this point in his career no one can touch him. That he finds it absurd for anyone to think that they could go bar to bar with him and with his efforts on these songs he makes a strong case as he murdered each track with his verses.
From his delivery and tone you can tell that Cole is very present and full of confidence with himself as an emcee, with now fully realizing that since he has relieved himself of nothing to prove, now it is all about notification. It's like Michael winning three and when people finally think you lost it, you come back and go 72-10 with the championship to kill the critics. This is the bag Cole currently finds himself in. It's the Jay-Z "reminder" moment (reference to the Blueprint 3 track).
Laced in Lion King on Ice is the subtle hint that Cole is still considering his retirement from the game, but before he does he is going to get everything off his chest and out to the world. He wants you to have more clarity on himself and his story as he proposes that only then can he "fall". From that vantage point it is assumed that his fall doesn't imply one without grace, it seems as if he is alluding to a last act similar to the likes of the late and great Kobe Bryant who dropped 60 points in his last game. That is where I am left with my impression of Cole now. Looking forward to the fall.
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