I realized why I don't enjoy J. Cole as much as I used to. He doesn't say anything that I haven't already discussed with someone else. So it becomes a matter of do I enjoy the music? And his production isn't strong enough to make me do that. No. ID your mentor and you need to go back for more lessons.
What do you think about Nas albums? Has he ever discussed things you haven't discussed are his post-millennium instrumentals John Blaze?
You can't listen to love songs unless the production is The Chronic, because you've discussed love? Excluding like 95% of RnB and soul.
I'm not known for being a Cole-fan on here and I'm not like CrimsonTider who floods every thread with his signature "i'm a huge stan but let me shyt on everything harder than the haters". I say that to say this, I though the production was solid but with a few peaks and a few lows. As far as emceeing goes, lyricism is about how you say something not what you say. That's why these soul singers can have a whole discography about the same topic. I also think most of these topics are wide and complex enough for you to be able to hit details that are unique to you. Just him talking about white people is fundamentally different from me doing it cause he was raised by one. Or Pac talking about the love of his mother, is unique to how Pac talks about his mother, and how he does it even more so.
I really don't have this problem, particularly, I have surely not discussed his mother alcoholism, how his relationship with money has evolved, his take on the dynamics of substance abuse (which everyone has a different opinion on) or how anyone deals with poisonous relationships or his evolving experience with fame and much more.
But IMO he should still try to do like Kanye and Dr. Dre has done, both legendary producers that can do it on their own. But they work with cats to make the best possible music, inspiration and still head the direction, make parts of the beats and on. But then again he goes gold first week of his fanbase, no singles or social media needed. It must be hard to convince someone like that to do anything.
