Look you got to take into account that labels market artists with a certain 'persona'
Jay-Z is marketed as a consummate business man - regardless of if he is REALLY a great business man or not thats his marketing
Kendrick is marketed as bringing lyrics back - regardless of whether he is that lyrically ahead of competition or not thats his marketing
Drake is marketed as a sensitive singing player - regardless of whether he can really sing, is really a player, or whether he complains about the drake that type of nikka jokes, thats his marketing
JCole right now has a problem in that he doesn't have a unique marketing angle, he is kinda marketed as Drake and he is marketed as Kendrick... and he is doing well for himself, but he is secondary to both dudes in that persona quality wise, and not as popular as either of them... musically he is obvously trying to go for the new positive tupac angle (many have gone for the thug pac angle), not sure if he really wants his marketing persona to be that clearly marketing as a imitator though