1. Intro: Cole gives us a couple of bars over some piano keys and boldly declares "I'm coming for what I'm owed." Nice segue way to the album.
2. Dollar and A Dream III: The album really kicks off with this track. Cole discusses his struggle of rising from his humble roots in Fayetteville.
"Tell me, what do you do just when you're on your last dollar/Do you fold, grow bitter and grow cold?/No longer fightin' now the only thing you grow is old/Or do you flip that fuckin' dollar to a dream?/Whether a scholar or a fiend, watch a pawn become a king"We see a side of of him that shows his growing distrust of people as he is moving further in this hip hop industry, talking about "...its hard to see enemies who've infiltrated my team". The instrumental is relatively simple but it works, with a few piano chords playing in the background, littered with claps and random yells from time to time. The melody is reflective and pensive, fitting with the theme of his lyrics. We see how Cole tries to shed his underground label, as it is clear that he has realized his talent level.
"I run the town they tried to call me underground/ I spun around like, you wish/ Homie my backpack Louis/ Now watch just how I do this"Great intro track, setting the tone for the entire album. Definitely a standout.
9/10
3. Can't Get Enough: Official single for the album. Producer Brian Kidd made a gem with this one, with the instrumental placing us in a nighttime Caribbean beach party. The instruments sound very organic, from the guitars to the old man and the children singing in the background. Trey Songz nails the chorus perfectly, not overdoing it either. Great single for the ladies.
9/10
4. Lights Please: Another J. Cole produced track. This track reveals Cole's inner struggle between wanting to uplift his Black females from their status in society versus his sexual desires that often get in the way. Great track but Cole loses points for bringing back an old track without adding any extra verses.
7.5/10
5. Interlude: J. Cole reflects on the day he found out he was going to get signed by Jay-Z. Nice little interlude into next track.
6. Sideline Story: One of my favorites off the album. Cole once again addresses his desire to leave the bottom and make his impact on the hip hop game, promising that his reign is going to last 3 or 4 eras. Its is clear that his newfound fame is definitely something that he is struggling to deal with, seen by his emphasis on this theme. In the last verse he even makes a Lebron VS Jordan reference, perhaps a parallel to him and Jay? Cole also laced the track once again, giving it a very familiar feel with what we've heard so far.
9/10
7. Mr. Nice Watch: This song definitely grew on me from the first time that I heard it. Cole shows his versatility here, from his flow to the production. The real star here is Jay-Z, of course. There is no one better at flossing than this man, period.
"Meanwhile I'm just chopping off doors/Put the front on the back, cause I'm back and forth/ Put the front on the back of the 'bach like a boss/ So I'm fronting on niggas when I'm backing off"Great track. However, it's placement definitely disrupts the flow of the album so far.
8/10
8. Cole World: Cole's arrogance level is at an all time high in the self-produced track. The track begins with Cole accusing his peers of stealing from his style. Here, Cole is less reminiscient on his old life. Instead he focuses on his reign on the rap game right now. "Rappers show me love, I wonder what it could be/ I think they scared of me, and they should be" Bold claims. Can he back it up? We'll see. Cool track.
7/10
9. In the Morning: We've all heard this one before. It was great when it dropped on Friday Night Lights and it is great now, although this is the 2nd time so far that J. Cole has put an old track on the album. Drake does not disappoint with his feature verse, following Cole's rhyming pattern. Loses points because it is an old track, though.
7/10
10. Lost Ones: This right here is probably the best song on the album. From the beat to the content, Cole delivers on both ends. He assumes the personality of both male and female who have become pregnant off of a casual sexual relationship. He manages to expose the feelings of both counterparts with success, even changing his tone of voice in the 2nd verse to depict the woman. He even addresses his hypocrisy in complaining about never having a father growing up yet he contemplates abandoning his potential child. Great track.
10/10
11. Nobody's Perfect: Cole slows his flow down on this track in order to better ride the beat. He has a few clever lines in his verses including "I step over pirhannas, death over dishonor/ They killin niggas for J's, that's death over designer." The real standout on this track, surprisingly, is Missy Elliot! Her melody perfectly compliments the track and kudos to Cole for giving this ex-star a chance to shine again. The instrumental is wonderful also, boasting a heavy and jamming bass, and then changing into a softer side when Missy gets on the hook.
8.5/10
12. Never Told: I'm not going to lie, this track put me to sleep. Cole discusses the nature of why men seem to always feel the need to cheat on their women, and its natural consequences. He explains it as a cycle that men learn from their fathers. Nice message, but it is starting to sound a little redundant at this point coming from Cole. Not to mention, No I.D. could've made a much more interesting track as we have heard from him before.
6/10
13. Rise and Shine: This is what we have been waiting for! A vulnerable-sounding Jay-Z kicks off the track, talking about his fear of the next hungry artist who is plotting on knocking him off the throne. Immediately after, the beat takes on a life of its own a nice break from the otherwise slow moving pace of the album up until this point. Produced by J.Cole the beat evokes memories of "You Don't Know" off of Blueprint, but still sounds completely different at the same time. Cole delivers with wordplay about his bravado and his place in the rap game. Standout track.
9/10
14. God's Gift: At this point, Cole's production is starting to sound a little too familiar. This track lacks a personality and just sort of blends in with what we've heard so far. Cole flexes his lyrical prowess again on the song, but there is no real message or central theme to this song. Forgettable track.
6/10
15. Breakdown: Here, Cole laments on growing up without a father, and how it affected him and his mother. He struggles between his anger towards the man versus his emotional side in still wanting to have that father-son connection. Once again, we have become accustomed to the sound of J.Cole with another self-produced track.
7.5/10
16. Nothing Lasts Forever: I like this one right here. Definitely one for the ladies, however, it is something that anyone that has ever been in a rocky relationship can relate to. Cole explores the highs and lows of his love to a particular women, to the point of physical altercations to the makeup sex. From the hook to the beat, this song definitely works.
8/10
17. Daddy's Little Girl: Cole tells the story of a trouble young woman who has grown up father-less. Naturally, she rebelled growing up, and resorted to promiscuity in lieu of a father figure, calling her men "Daddy." Cole's ability to tell a story is one of his strong suits here, and it is a nice way to end the album.
8/10
All in all, J. Cole delivered on his debut album, giving us one of the top hip hop albums of the year. There is still much room for improvement, however. Cole suffers from a lack of subject matter, mostly talking about his struggle or the plight of the Black female. Also, Cole should diversify his production for his next project. He definitely has talent at the production level, but his sound often stays a little too safe and fails to take risks. This has made the album sound VERY cohesive but can get boring to the average ear at times. There is no doubting Cole's lyrical ability and he is very well aware of this. With the right guidance, he should be able to correct his mistakes and deliver an ever better album his second time around. There is great potential in this young man's future, and he has started off on the right foot.
Total Score: 8/10
