m i lвЂќ provides a joyous track of lighthearted boasting. Cole.ДЄnother grandiose production choice with a smoothly incorporated soul sample (why is there a whistle sample though?), вЂњ1 0 0. Regardless, this one is peak vivid storytelling from J. I feel that a second and maybe even third verse could have made this easily one of ColeвЂ™s best songs ever. The writing is elite and the wordplay and delivery throughout are phenomenal. At under two minutes total, and only about one minute of actual Cole rapping, this track still packs a vivid and intricate narrative about his experiences with gun violence and the anxiety that it caused for him. With that being said, the song was still solid overall.Дefinitely ColeвЂ™s best verse at this point in the album, the fifth track is an incredible addition that I wish was way longer. A second verse could have contributed greatly, but instead we get an overextended outro. Old-school-influenced boom-bap production with heavy percussion and a modern twist gives this one a great bounce and gives ColeвЂ™s lone verse the center stage. Who would have thought that this duo would be this exceptional together? The growth of 21 into arguably the top trap artist right now is spectacular and one that I have loved to watch. вЂњJa Morant, IвЂ™m on my Grizzly / You n***** just cubs but no, not the ones in the big leagues /After The Fall Off, I promise IвЂ™m cominвЂ™ to sellinвЂ™ out WrigleyвЂ™s.вЂќ Morray comes in with a deeply soulful chorus, and then 21 comes in with a terrific feature that fits the track perfectly. The mixing on ColeвЂ™s vocals gives a really raw and authentic feel, and the tremendous energy from the verse makes the beginning massively captivating. With a fantastic soul sample and a 21 Savage feature, this track is sensational. The fluctuations in intonation are somewhat refreshing, and some of the lines are pretty solid, but other than that, this one is not the quality I hoped for. The chorus is fairly catchy but far from captivating, and the lone verse is satisfactory but nothing special. Unfortunately, this one will probably draw more streams than any other song on the tracklist, but it is certainly one of the worst songs on the album, if not the worst. The second track takes a pretty generic trap beat and an unoriginal melodic flow. The energy steadily escalates throughout the track, and by the end, the lively atmosphere built up for the rest of the album is immense. s o u t hвЂќ really establishes a 2000s-era-mixtape feel with the CamвЂ™ron feature, the Lil Jon outro and the heavy triumphant synth production. вЂњI be stayinвЂ™ out the way, but if the beef do come around / Could put a M right on your head, you Luigi brother now.вЂќ A handful of clever one-liners and an impassioned delivery help the intro properly fit its purpose. The triumphant production lays the foundation for Cole to take a lyrical victory lap, reflecting on past successes and obstacles overcome. Cole: вЂњ The Off-SeasonвЂќ (May 14, 2021)Д¬amвЂ™ron on the intro? ThatвЂ™s a great start to the album. Here are my track-by-track reactions and overall initial impressions of вЂњThe Off-Season.вЂќ Despite some small structural flaws, вЂњThe Off-SeasonвЂќ is a more than satisfactory effort, and it provides some of the greatest music of his career. Thankfully, Cole is continuing to rap at the high level he has consistently held over the last three years. вЂњThe Off-SeasonвЂќ gives Cole a chance to reform his studio album reputation, and to cement his legacy as an all time great in rap music. Even as a big Cole fan myself, I feel that his studio albums typically donвЂ™t live up to the standards he sets on mixtapes and features, where most of his best work has come by way of loose tracks, mixtapes, EPs and collaborations. His 20 feature run will go down as one of the high points of his career, and heвЂ™s made remarkable contributions to various artistsвЂ™ songs, including on 21 SavageвЂ™s вЂњ A LotвЂќВ and on his Dreamville labelвЂ™s album вЂњ Revenge Of The Dreamers III.вЂќ Cole released two of the best features of his entire career on вЂњ Under the SunвЂќ and вЂњ Sacrifices.вЂќД«ut many people - myself included - feel like he doesnвЂ™t quite yet have an incredible solo album in his discography, and itвЂ™s holding him back from being considered one of the greats in hip-hop. ColeвЂ™s rapping has been at its all-time peak. Since 2018вЂ™s underwhelming вЂњ KODвЂќ release, J. Cole is at a pivotal point in his legacy.

J cole album cover