1985 is dope
J. Cole - KOD (Discussion Thread)
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BK The Great
Veteran
the album's message is real as can be, that's what makes this album listenable. like Pac said, forget the beat, listen to the words of the song.
Ricky43
Whats up
I liked “ATM” the best now I’m liking the outro even more.
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Creative freedom doesn't mean micromanaging their music. The TEE artist are fortunate to make the music they feel. But all of them when still have to go through what is accepted and rejected, when to release and how through Punch and Top Dawg. Speaking of Ab-Soul, him and Schoolboy Q both voiced tgei frustrations of a release date. SZA even had to do artist development to where her music when she was sign is vastly different and less commercial than her mainstream release. I say all of that to say this. TDE is ran and overseen by Top and Punch. Dreamville is ran and overseen by J. Cole and his partner Ibrahim Hamad. They're their own bosses whereas Kendrick isn't his own boss until early this year when he got promoted to be an executive. Hence him overseeing the Black Panther soundtrack. Before that he was nothing more than an artist who still had to get approval for anything he want to submit and even now he still have to run it by Punch and Top. That's what I mean a limit. Not just making the music but also having the FINAL SAY and when and how to release it.
In a nutshell, Kendrick is no different from Lil Wayne. Yes, Wayne at one point was the biggest rapper in the game, yes it would of appear he had his own musical creative freedom and the mirage of running the defunct Young Money Records, but when we learned his last Carter album was SHELVED, it was exposed how little freedom he really have. Not saying it will happen to Kendrick just saying it CAN, because he doesn't run that label whereas J. Cole can make, creative, and release his music anytime he feels. He has nobody to answer to.
_XamsoN (@NosmaX_) Tweeted:
J. Cole didn't give them something they could nod their heads and twerk to.... Now these nikkas are saying he's over hyped and overrated. Album wasn't what they expected... Did you listen to the lyrics? Do y'all even listen to yourselves?
J. Cole didn't give them something they could nod their heads and twerk to.... Now these nikkas are saying he's over hyped and overrated. Album wasn't what they expected... Did you listen to the lyrics? Do y'all even listen to yourselves?
El Flaco (@bomani_jones) Tweeted:
what makes j. cole stans annoying is their belief that somehow, their guy is the only person who talks about "important stuff," while also refusing to scrutinize just how he talks about these things. so please, just listen to his stuff and leave me alone til i send for you. https://t.co/xxLFTmGN4s
what makes j. cole stans annoying is their belief that somehow, their guy is the only person who talks about "important stuff," while also refusing to scrutinize just how he talks about these things. so please, just listen to his stuff and leave me alone til i send for you. https://t.co/xxLFTmGN4s
Playaz Eyez
Veteran
yea this flopped. nobody is talking about it at all wow. aint see it trending anywhere or people talking about any of the songs
I’m not a huge fan of this album, but you couldn’t be more wrong
Think I'm starting to like ATM
He spazzed on the last verse. The last verse on KOD and Brackets were standouts too. 1985 is more of Cole putting these young rappers on game not really a diss.
Only real skipable track is Motiv8 even his flow on that was dope. Seems like he really on his rhyming a whole bar shyt on a few verses. Plus his double time flow is seamless. A track like Boblo Boat would've fit perfectly on here , same with High For Hours but the shortness of the album makes for high replay value. Replay value higher than any Cole album to be honest. His flow might be at all time high for his career.
He is approaching tracks differently this go round even his song writing isn't the usual 16 bars hooks 16 bars hook (Brackets,1985, Window Pain). Cole doesn't get the credit he deserves for his song writing ability.
Cole's best 2 albums commercially are definitely IMO: Born Sinner and Forest Hills Drive. Both of these albums had a great balance of singles and introspective reflective tracks to keep Cole's cult fanbase happy.
But his last two albums: 4 Your Eyez Only and KOD will be considered his most critically acclaimed albums as an artist. Both of these albums were beautifully crafted around concepts and themes that Cole masterfully examines in each album. KOD is still too young to speak about in detail and up for interpretation and analysis but I can definitely speak on the other album. I know many people didn't like 4YEO (Neither Did I honestly after the 1st listen) but truthfully I don't think many people, especially the average casual listener of hip-hop really understood the concept of that album. It explores the parallel of the lives of Cole and his friend that came up together and how they ultimately separate unfortunately to his friend's untimely demise and how he eerily knew it was coming. This all wrapped up on beautifully on the title track (4 Your Eyez Only) which in my opinion is the best song Cole has ever written. This is all while Cole also deals with becoming a father and he speaks of the conditions that this country subjects us to as black people such as police brutality and the prison industrial complex. I do understand the criticisms that the album was weak musically and should have contained more rap like "False Prophets, "High For Hours" and "Everybody Dies". To be honest IDK why he didn't put them on the album but I still think it was a very dope concept that is underappreciated IMO and gets written off as trash far too often. The problem is that he doesn't execute it as greatly or impactful as a Kendrick does which is why he's overshadowed by him in the scheme of things.
But his last two albums: 4 Your Eyez Only and KOD will be considered his most critically acclaimed albums as an artist. Both of these albums were beautifully crafted around concepts and themes that Cole masterfully examines in each album. KOD is still too young to speak about in detail and up for interpretation and analysis but I can definitely speak on the other album. I know many people didn't like 4YEO (Neither Did I honestly after the 1st listen) but truthfully I don't think many people, especially the average casual listener of hip-hop really understood the concept of that album. It explores the parallel of the lives of Cole and his friend that came up together and how they ultimately separate unfortunately to his friend's untimely demise and how he eerily knew it was coming. This all wrapped up on beautifully on the title track (4 Your Eyez Only) which in my opinion is the best song Cole has ever written. This is all while Cole also deals with becoming a father and he speaks of the conditions that this country subjects us to as black people such as police brutality and the prison industrial complex. I do understand the criticisms that the album was weak musically and should have contained more rap like "False Prophets, "High For Hours" and "Everybody Dies". To be honest IDK why he didn't put them on the album but I still think it was a very dope concept that is underappreciated IMO and gets written off as trash far too often. The problem is that he doesn't execute it as greatly or impactful as a Kendrick does which is why he's overshadowed by him in the scheme of things.
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lolyea this flopped. nobody is talking about it at all wow. aint see it trending anywhere or people talking about any of the songs
It is better than damnThis is Cole's best work brehs.
I can't get multiple songs out my head. Never happens with Cole songs for me.
Y'all bout to go in on me but I think I like this more than DAMN overall
cartierhoe
Veteran
I like it better than 4YEO only and I consider myself a Cole fan, but he lost me a little with the last album
My boy who LOVES Cole says he doesn’t like it
My boy who LOVES Cole says he doesn’t like it