Where did J Cole go wrong ?

[Francesco]

He didn't have the right motivation or he tried to experiment & went way outta his comfort zone I guess...

That doesn't even make sense....explain how you think he experimented.

Welcome back Robbin' G's...

That verse we showcased earlier made me think he was experimenting or whatever 'cuz it totally doesn't mirror his potential or the way he writes in general.
I've been wondering if I didn't like the album that much 'cuz I expected something great or 'cuz some verses/ songs are kinda different to what I've heard from J. Cole prior to this.

[PAINKILLƎR]

@OP you serious? you put KRIT up there due to his mixtapes, well Cole's mixtape game was as good as KRITs mixtape game... and that's saying a lot because I'm a bigger KRIT stan than a Cole stan.

Also peep my nonprofessional Born SInner review fam...

Expectations - I thought this album was gonna be album of the year(along with Em's album), I was hyping it up for a while. Honestly expected a 9-10/10 score, so a classic

Production - 9/10 Some really nice production here, everything from the strings to the samples. Very consistent, I liked it a lot.

Lyrical performance - 5.5/10 Was really disappointed in most of the songs in terms of writing, it was lazy & inconsistent. Some flashes of Cole's true ability but nothing to save the album on this category.

Vocal performance (Flow, Delivery, Mic Presence) - 8/10 Cole's voice complimented the beats very well, saving this album from being bad. Although his flow was nothing special most were pretty basic but smooth. Nice nonetheless.

Best guest feature - Kendrick Lamar, I really liked his hook, the song was pretty dope. This was my choice because none of the other features were really nothing special. I was thinking... was Cole being smart by not giving Kendrick a verse knowing Kenny would have had the best verse in the whole album renegading him? Or was Cole not thinking straight not getting a 16 from the hottest rapper in the game right now? iunno

Favourite track - Hmm idk, I really liked the album other than the negatives I've pointed out and it grows on me each listen. I really like Villuminati, Runaway(I liked Cole's hook and smooth delivery) Let Nas Down & Born SInner

Final grade - I'm honestly feeling too lazy to make an overall calculation given with the grades above and halfass this score and give it a 7/10

[Robbie G]

He didn't have the right motivation or he tried to experiment & went way outta his comfort zone I guess...

That doesn't even make sense....explain how you think he experimented.

Welcome back Robbin' G's...

That verse we showcased earlier made me think he was experimenting or whatever 'cuz it totally doesn't mirror his potential or the way he writes in general.
I've been wondering if I didn't like the album that much 'cuz I expected something great or 'cuz some verses/ songs are kinda different to what I've heard from J. Cole prior to this.

Thanks

It definitely was a little less upbeat than his previous tapes. I don't think experimenting is the right word though, but I understand what you mean.

[Francesco]

Welcome back Robbin' G's...
That verse we showcased earlier made me think he was experimenting or whatever 'cuz it totally doesn't mirror his potential or the way he writes in general.
I've been wondering if I didn't like the album that much 'cuz I expected something great or 'cuz some verses/ songs are kinda different to what I've heard from J. Cole prior to this.

Thanks
It definitely was a little less upbeat than his previous tapes. I don't think experimenting is the right word though, but I understand what you mean.

Well that was my point... I like Cole in general & it's not like I didn't like the album too but I wasn't really happy about it overall... most likely 'cuz of my expectations based on his potential & previous work.

[CrashBand]

Only two listens in, but the album is impressive.

Forbidden Fruit was awesome. Power Trip is an awesome single. As D-Gaf said, you can't give it a review until you've listened to it a few times though.

[EminemBase]

So this album isn't good?

That's surprising.

I know artwork isn't something to entirely go off but I just got a sense from this title, his artwork and even the fact he had a track about 'letting Nas down' - that he had dug deep artistically, it all seemed cohesive and consistent with the fact that he had perhaps produced a classic.

Weird if the album is as disappointing as everybody is saying as, honestly... there isn't too many example of great artists putting their all in and not producing what they set out to. When Jay, Nas or Em put their all in and are in their zone... they come up right. And when people don't come up right, like B.o.B, it's because their interests are conflicted or they're doing things for the wrong reasons etc.

[Francesco]

So this album isn't good?
That's surprising.
I know artwork isn't something to entirely go off but I just got a sense from this title, his artwork and even the fact he had a track about 'letting Nas down' - that he had dug deep artistically, it all seemed cohesive and consistent with the fact that he had perhaps produced a classic.
Weird if the album is as disappointing as everybody is saying as, honestly... there isn't too many example of great artists putting their all in and not producing what they set out to. When Jay, Nas or Em put their all in and are in their zone... they come up right. And when people don't come up right, like B.o.B, it's because their interests are conflicted or they're doing things for the wrong reasons etc.

I think it's good overall actually... most likely everyone felt the same way I did & just expected more though.

[TheGentlePlayer]

it's like an instrumentals album with meh lyrics

congratulations you just described a Kanye West album

[Francesco]

it's like an instrumentals album with meh lyrics

congratulations you just described a Kanye West album

Pretty much... I mean 'cuz the lyrics aren't wack or anything but just kinda bellow.

[EminemBase]

it's like an instrumentals album with meh lyrics

congratulations you just described a Kanye West album

Yeah but Kanye is entertaining.

His rhymes and flow can be meh, in comparison to guys like Em...

(which by the way... I don't even see how Ye's lyrics are even that 'meh', I think his badness as a rapper is majorly exaggerated, I find him to be a very good lyricist)

(take for example: "Penitentiary chances, the devil dances
and eventually answers, to the call of Autumn
all of them fallin' for the love of ballin'"

How is that meh rhyming? it's multis and very natural and free flowing)

But he's an entertaining MC. His cockiness and self-observations are often genuinely funny, his lines pack a punch and he's a fairly good storyteller...

He's fun to listen to; take "Homecoming" for example. Passionate delivery, decent lyrics.

[viJilance]

Where did J Cole go wrong? When he made this:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x279zl ... bS8oPmkoTU

[Devil'sAdvocate]

The rapping.