J. Cole - Cole World: The Sideline Story

i really hopes J. Cole reads this review. Such a good review with plenty of encouragement

Seriously only 3.5 Spins?! ....damn. With exception to MBDTF (Kanye) ...this is the best album out in a WHILE...and will be one of the best debut albums ever.

Registered just to say you, sir, are delusional.

Album of the year! One of the best produced albums I've ever heard. This is a classic. 3 years from now your gonna look back and be like 'man how I only give it 3.5 spins?'

Gotta say even though Cole's been thru tough times and all, I can seriously relate to all his struggles his music tells us about. Been a fan ever since I first heard him on Jay's 'A Star is Born' [check Blueprint 3] but anyways I can truly say I will be listening to this album for years to come.

Salute DJ Booth for the great review!!!!

he doesnt have to have popular hits on his first album for it to be a "good" album. he just has to have good songs(which he has great songs). jayz nas or tupac did not have "hits" on there first album just classic rap songs which i think j cole has with multiple songs on his debut(my rating is for the album not the review fyi)

I haven't heard any other songs from this album apart from the ones that have been released and the ones that were in previous Mixtapes.... I'm a Cole fan for sure, but Work Out & Mr. Nice Watch had no thought put in at all, yes the beats are great, yes he needs to write something that might crossover making/giving him sales, but damn!. EXCELLENT music will always exceed and prosper... Don't sell out to the mainstream Cole, #StayTrue

I haven't logged on here for a year, i just wanted to say, how is thank me later gonna get 4 spins and this 3.5, LOL! this is much better than TML. Solid album, not a classic tho.

I don't doubt J Cole's skills. This is just not a great album that we were hoping for. 3.5/5

You can't think of a single mixtape song included on an album? Within 3 seconds, I recall that Day N' Nite was on Cudi's mixtape and his album.

Aside from Workout and the production on Cole World(the song), Cole World:The Sideline Story is a great album. I had my doubts prior to listening but I think Cole met some lofty expectations. I give it 4.5 spins.

Djbooth! WTF J Cole is fire! Lost Ones is on some tupac shit! I can Guarantee youre gonna regret giving this a bad review. i think this album is on par with section 80. you cant penalize an album because songs have already been released or because theyve been leaked so theyre old! just take the album for what it is which is CLASSIC!

Damn the album doesn't even come out till next week and a review is already up. Why so early? I've never seen Nathan post a review this early before, kind of odd. I haven't heard the album yet but I still have high hopes that i'm going to enjoy it.

and btw if you wanna listen to radio ready songs go listen to bob or wiz khalifa or some sell out. J Cole stuck to who he is and also Kendrick Lamar has zero radio hits on his album besides Hiiipower yet a classic album this review is WACK!

Nice review DJBooth, on point. I guess you knew the Cole "stan" club would jump all over it (^^^).
Hopefully Cole will get away from whatever has influenced this album and put out an tape for those that appreciate his skills (which is not production or commercial pop/hop).
My Cole playlist has 12 tracks where he is absolute fire and none of them are on this album - Just put your heart into it and Rap son.

I stopped @*#$! with djbooth bout a year ago because would have given reasonable doubt 2 spins if they could have. Somehow I ended up back here, and I won't be back now. This album was one of the most solid debuts in recent memory.

Amazing album

I have to disagree, this is a 2011 Illmatic right here, yes, it is different, but give it room to breathe and grow on you, it's that good. My 5 stars may seem somewhat oblique for those who believe this is an above average album for most, but when you consider some of the songs he's dropped on mixtapes, he set the bar too high, yet, at the same time, he focused in on what he needed to do, there are some.....

I need say no more, take away the hype, approach J. Cole as an underground emcee. Do not address him as the RocNation superstar, imagine him as like every other underground artist, if you look at it like this, you will be able to look through the darkness, and recognize one of the best Hip Hop albums since MBDTF by Kanye West.

This has been the best album I've heard In a while, but that said, its not as good an album as he is an artist.

Damn I would post a rating but haven't even copped the album yet as it hasn't officially dropped '9/27'.. Definately lookin forward to scoopin this off the shelf, but gotta agree with HoamBoy, whats goin on DJBooth?!??

The beats on this album are boring. Some of the song are really just not good songs. and the rest are above average. all of you need to hop off of j. coles dick. this is nowhere near the quality of illmatic. if it were, songs like work out would have been nowhere near it, and idgaf that it's a bonus track. this is not one of the best albums out in awhile. There's Kendrick Lamar's, Tiron and Ayomari's, Jay Rock's, Kanye and Jay's, Saigon's... this is just not that great of a cd and y'all are some dick riders. you can say that in three years people will call this a classic, but in reality, in five years people wont even remember this album dropped.

it's alright his flow is good but the beats need work

I never understood how you could review an album that has only been out for hours. Sometimes something has to sink in. Maybe thats just me. The internet is a microwave.

@bigboi1221 how you going to talk down on this album and talk about dick riders? You don't know shit bout hip hop you going to say this album is weak. Half those artist you mentioned are trash. Your name is "bigboi1221", you dick riding the weaker member of outkast? smfh @ you. Don't even buy the album buy a stool and some rope and hang yourself cause you an idiot.

@bigboi1221 how you going to talk down on this album and talk about dick riders? You don't know shit bout hip hop you going to say this album is weak. Half those artist you mentioned are trash. Your name is "bigboi1221", you dick riding the weaker member of outkast? smfh @ you. Don't even buy the album buy a stool and some rope and hang yourself cause you an idiot.

I'm surprised Mr. Slavik did not include an analysis or even touch upon 'God's Gift' by J. Cole. I thought this was one of the better songs off the album. I also agree with the reviewer that it was poor decision making to include his mixtape tracks, "lights please" and "in the morning." I don't think these songs should be factored in when considering the quality of the album holistically. However, I would have to disagree with his assessment of 'Mr. Nice Watch.' I think the beat is great and Cole does a nice job of lyrically expressing his transition from rags to riches, for lack of a better phrase. Overall I would have to give the album 4 spins out of 5. Did he meet expectations? I think he fell slightly below them but of course, it is too early to make definite judgments as the album has only leaked for one day so there is the definite possibility that opinions will change once the tracks grow on some people after further listening. Cole Worldddddddd.

I'm surprised Mr. Slavik did not include an analysis or even touch upon 'God's Gift' by J. Cole. I thought this was one of the better songs off the album. I also agree with the reviewer that it was poor decision making to include his mixtape tracks, "lights please" and "in the morning." I don't think these songs should be factored in when considering the quality of the album holistically. However, I would have to disagree with his assessment of 'Mr. Nice Watch.' I think the beat is great and Cole does a nice job of lyrically expressing his transition from rags to riches, for lack of a better phrase. Overall I would have to give the album 4 spins out of 5. Did he meet expectations? I think he fell slightly below them but of course, it is too early to make definite judgments as the album has only leaked for one day so there is the definite possibility that opinions will change once the tracks grow on some people after further listening. Cole Worldddddddd.

Solid 4 star album, didn't disappoint me.

I wanted to pass up on the leak, but I couldn't resist. Now I am more than positive that I will be purchasing this album.

@joshduarte6 i've had this account as long as i can remember, for whatever reason i thought that was a good name in high school. i'm sorry it doesn't meet your criteria for names on a hip hop blog.

that being said, I know more about hip hop than you. I just think this is a bad cd. just like all the dick riders on here, i have an opinion too. mine just isn't tainted by looking at a Jay-Z cosign. Cole's first two mixtapes were fire. There's a potential great album in here, but not with J. Cole producing the entire thing. His beats are just boring. I'd rather hear him rapping over tracks by pete rock, 9th wonder and dj premier than his own tracks. And the best beat he ever made he gave to kendrick lamar for hiiipower. i appreciate your concerns about my hip hop knowledge and choice of names, but don't talk shit on me if you don't know me.

and the name has nothing to do with big boi, although he is a dope ass rapper as well.

*shrugs and turns on The Warm Up*

So I've heard a couple of tracks here and there from J. Cole, but this is the first time I've really listened to an entire body of work from him. I never got around to hearing his mixtapes, but apparently I need to. I'm very impressed with this album and I now understand all the hype that's been building up about him. Overall, I agree with Nathan on the review tho. I don't think any of the songs are flat out bad, but there are definitely some that feel out of place, like "Mr Nice Watch" and even "Can't Get Enough." However, songs like "Never Told" and "Lost Ones" totally make me understand why J. Cole gets the Nas comparisons. Pretty much the entire last half of the album is nearly flawless. Nobody in mainstream rap today is making songs like this. It feels like there was pressure for Cole to come out with a track that would get more radio play. I'd personally rather him just do his thing. Overall a really good cd tho. Even though the album as a whole doesnt live up to the hype, there are quite a few songs that prove why the hype is there.

The fact is that he is on world tour selling out shows and his album hasn't even dropped yet. I think the album is great and considering he produced most of the album pretty amazing. Really shows how he is more of a artist and not your average rapper. Love how he switches up his beats and production throughout a song. His songs are not just a hot beat... a hot hot beat and a catchy hook. Cole world!!!!

I disregard this review when you say Coles not yet a great artist. Come on, seriously?

Strong, Solid album, nicely done Cole.

lol the carter 4 got three spins. So according to you this is only a little bit better than Tha Carter IV.

And Thank Me Later (an album whose material was 100% club & radio songs i.e. no content) got 4 spins. You need to go back and listen to this album again bro.

Sorry Nathan, but your rating system is messed up. Carter IV was complete garbage and it got a 3. Thank Me Later was good, but didn't have much substance and it got a 4. While this album doesn't seem to be a classic after listening to it a couple of time, it's still a GREAT album and it only gets 3.5? Explain that to me.

Chalk up another disappointment for 2011, something that i will attribute to him being signed to a major label.

It seems to me like you purposely put out a controversial review a week ahead of the albums release just to get some traffic. oldest and dirtiest trick in the book.

and it worked. so congrats to you sir.

no need to punch holes into your review, even you know its flawed. this album deserves a 4 star atleast.

Nas released Halftime 2 Years before it made it on Illmatic. now j cole does it with Lights Please and he gets shit. i dont get it. The song is very deep and a great song for hip hop and deserves to make it on his debut.

This is a retarded review, the reason he is so good is becuase he isn't making throw away "hits" nothing out there to touch this till Drizzy dops

classic

J Cole puts together an Amazing album.

I thought this was a pretty good review til the end. No, I'm not referring to the fact that you just gave him a C-, a grade representing below average in the world of high school. Although that's asinine, this was easily at least a four.

No, I'm referring to this line
"but from Lebron to Kanye to Obama, that’s what the greats do – exceed impossible expectations."

I hate that line for a number of reasons. For a start, you're saying that the expectations are high, and that he might not be able to reach them. The expectation is for him to be great. Now you're saying greats exceed expectations. So in order for him to be great, he has to exceed the expectation that he will be great? What?

The bigger issue I have is your choice of examples. Lebron? Fine. Dude's a good basketball player. But Kanye and Obama? Kanye's an overrated pop star @*#$!. He over-produces his stuff, he's arrogant, he spends too much time dicking around and not enough rapping. It infuriates me when people refer to Kanye like he's some kind of God. Especially since he thinks he is one, and your inability to perceive his flaws is just encouraging that. I'm not saying he's a bad rapper, he's not. But he's pop, and he's a jackass, and he's overrated.

By far my biggest complaint is Obama. He's a great who exceeded expectations? Republicans might say he exceeded expectations, he @*#$! up even harder than they anticipated. I'm not sure how someone supporting him could say that. The only thing Obama did was get elected and proceed to make bad decisions. The only reason you think he's great and exceeded expectations is because he's half black. Go check out any objective analysis of what Obama has done in office. Not a black democrat who bumped "My President is Black" for six months before the election. Not a white seventy five year old republican who's never seen a black person. Someone truly qualified and truly objective. And they'll be more than happy to tell you that Obama's sole accomplishment was getting elected. Need another black guy who was great? Try Martin Luther King Jr. He accomplished something.

What I'm saying here is that I would consider your input a lot more valid if you discussed your feelings about the music without bringing in politics and without giving a rating.

With all that said, I do agree with most of what you wrote. Regardless of how good he is, he needs a hit. And he can't write hits. That's not him at all. He's gonna have to overcome that, or be content to be semi-underground for the rest of his career. And of course, if he does overcome that, he's gonna have to make sure he doesn't get carried away, because no one wants him to stop being himself.

Also God's Gift was one of the top three songs on the album, easily.

... I've always at least respected your reviews until now even if i didn't agree with you. Totally agree with the guy that said your just attracting people with this review. It's a mediocre review on an album that's been LEAKED that everyone expects to be amazing. What the @*#$!??? What if it's old versions of his songs??? Terrible decision to review a leaked album even though I realize it's most likely the final version.

And totally agree with the comment above.

Obama meeting expectations??? I'm just gonna pretend you nothing of politics and forgive you so I don't get started on a rampage... There are 3 MILLION less people with jobs then when he started his presidency. He has accomplished ABSOLUTELY nothing besides being the first half-black president.

Your two main points why this album isn't good are so flawed. It has no hits and he didn't live up to expectations. And you also commented that it was to the negative he reused a few mixtape songs.

It has no hits. Seriously look at Reasonable Doubt and Illmatic. Did they have #1 hits??? no. Are they classics??? yes. Recently did Section 80 have hits??? no. Did you like it??? yes. And its pretty early to say the album doesn't have any hits since two singles have been released, with one being about 2 weeks on Itunes. And why should it matter anyway. You either like a song or you don't. Popularity shouldn't factor in that decision.

And what were your expectations??? I guess you wanted him to become in instant household name like Kanye, Jay, and eminem with his first album and save hip-hop at the same time... Pleeeaasseee Nas isn't a household name and is considered a great.

And finally you trash his decision to include previously released songs. In your Man On The Moon review you mentioned no sort of negativity for including Day N Nite yet it was released on his mixtape. He said he wanted to give In the Morning another chance on his album to be a hit. Expose it better just like Kid Cudi. And Lights Please is simply one of the best songs I've ever heard Just like another comment said, Halftime on Illmatic was released two years before it came out.

I'm sorry but the negative comments in your review are just flawed. They are NOT about the quality of music on the album which is what it should be about. And what you do say about the quality is your love of his emotionally driven music...

This is a review for attention. Nothing more.

The problem with J Cole using his mixtape hits on his new album is that it takes AWAY from the fact that Sideline Story ought to be a NEW body of work from J Cole. It's his FIRST album release and should be comprised of all new songs; not old songs that were meant to be on mixtapes. I'm not arguing Lights Please and In the Morning are great songs, but make a choice -- if you think they are album worthy then save them for the album - don't include them in your mixtape.

The problem with J Cole using his mixtape hits on his new album is that it takes AWAY from the fact that Sideline Story ought to be a NEW body of work from J Cole. It's his FIRST album release and should be comprised of all new songs; not old songs that were meant to be on mixtapes. I'm not arguing Lights Please and In the Morning are great songs, but make a choice -- if you think they are album worthy then save them for the album - don't include them in your mixtape.

The problem with J Cole using his mixtape hits on his new album is that it takes AWAY from the fact that Sideline Story ought to be a NEW body of work from J Cole. It's his FIRST album release and should be comprised of all new songs; not old songs that were meant to be on mixtapes. I'm not arguing Lights Please and In the Morning are great songs, but make a choice -- if you think they are album worthy then save them for the album - don't include them in your mixtape.

The problem with J Cole using his mixtape hits on his new album is that it takes AWAY from the fact that Sideline Story ought to be a completely NEW body of work from J Cole. It's his FIRST album release and should be comprised of all new songs; not old songs that were meant to be on mixtapes. I'm not arguing Lights Please and In the Morning are great songs, but make a choice -- if you think they are album worthy then save them for the album - don't include them on your mixtape.

Wow, I have no idea why it got posted so many times. My B

too many classic ratings on here. it's not a five star album and it's almost impossible to dispute that. another problem with keeping the tracks is it seems like he's stretching. he knows that all of his major singles for the album (Who Dat, Work Out, Disgusting, etc) failed miserably. so of course he's trying to recapture the buzz he created with the warm up and in the morning off of friday night lights. but it would have been better if he had dropped the album around the time that he had built that buzz rather than well over a year later. that hurts the songs and worsens the quality of the album.

how could u say the production was subpar? are you kidding me? I have the come up, warm up and friday night lights and let me tell you, i wasn't expecting cole world to be at the warm ups level. It was; the production is flawless. u can tell j. cole puts everything into every song and the lyricism is incredible. I can listen to every song except mr nice watch. breakdown gives me the butterflies and almost brings me to tears. everyone can have their own opinion or wutever but in a few years this will be looked back on as a classic. just like illmatic and I'm not saying this is on illmatics level because there will never be another illmatic. but illmatic didn't get its recognition until a bunch of years later and this will definitely be the same scenario.

No way this is only .5 better than the Carter IV

The stretch from Mr. Nice Watch thru Rise and Shine was nice. None of the other tracks really did it for me. I counted it out, and found that I enjoyed 7/18 tracks...which isn't good.

Also, for those throwing C4 & TML in here...C4 is blatantly bad, but TML actually has a LOT of substance if you're in a position to relate to it. I find myself listening to TML straight through or skipping Light Up and/or Up All Night depending on my mood.

Nathan i've always read your reviews before i listened to an album for the past year and a half, and I did the same here. But this has to be the dumbest 849 words ever written. You criticize cole on not having a hit single yet all hip hop heads ( you included) blame radio for hip hops current status. So why do you criticize a man who is incapable of making something of that quality. You are the reason songs like Work Out and Mr. Nice Watch were even made everything other than those are better than half the albums you've gave good reviews to. Also you criticize him putting mixtape tracks on here. What about wiz khalifa's rolling papers it had cameras and fly solo both came off of previous mixtapes. that is time we are in now, THE AGE OF MIXTAPES so of course he gonna put in some mixtape songs. A for Atmosphere was right you wrote this to start controversy to get people to visit this site. And isn't that worse than putting mixtape tracks on your FIRST cd.

In the Morning and Lights Please we two of his best songs from his career thus far. I think it is great that they are added to the track list. As this hits main stream, everyone will be exposed to it and see how great they are.

This is a perfect example of what happens when a very talented emcee like J Cole signs to a major label. His first two mixtapes "The Come Up" &"The Warm Up" were both absolute FIRE! And than his debut album with the major label is just ehhh. His new songs are lacking lyrically and above average as far as production. If I could get Lights Please level of lyrics throughout an album, than we'd have a CLASSIC on our hands. This album is too commercial/pop for my taste.

J Cole's one of my favorite new(er) hip-hop artists, but I'm just not feelin this album.

I'm not listening this again.


But there were some good tracks though like, Dollar & a Dream III, Lights Please, Sideline Story, and Lost Ones.


This is not even in the same universe as Illmatic.

i was disappointed with mr. nice watch, cole world, work out and in the morning. Cole can do MUCH BETTER. for todays rap album is above average. nothing insanely good though
RED > Cole World

I agree with the review pretty well. I love the album, but it does seem that for whatever reason J. Cole hasn't fully grasped what it takes to produce a cross-genre radio hit. But in a way, I'm not sure he wanted to make one. I think his focus was putting out his album, what he has wanted to make, and in that respect I think he delivered flawlessly. Had it had that one Bruno Mars-ish hit I think it would have been hailed as a classic, but there is the supposed Chris Brown collab coming soon so maybe that'll sort of post-emptively help.

I respect y'alls opinions on some things, but on this review...this is probably the most mediocre review that I've seen from this site. First, you have to let the album soak in with your mind. Then, stop judging him on not making "mainstream" tracks for all of the album. By that logic, Soulja Boi's last album was genius.

Again, I respect most of you guys opinions, but this is just wack. And the fact that Tha Carter 4 got a 3/5 here? And this is, for some reason, a 3.5/5...wow...

Cole was one of my favourite artists after FNL - Lights please was one of my fav hip hop tracks of the past while... This album is garbage though. No lyricism. No heart. No ultrasonically beautiful music. Huge disappointment.

I generally agree with the review. In my opinion, it was a great, great album. But I do realize it lacked the commercial appeal aspect of it somewhat. But honestly I'm not sure J. Cole was going for that with this one. I think he wanted to produce the album that he has wanted to produce his whole life, and I really think roc nation allowed him to do that. I think in the future we might see him allocate more songs to the commercial side, for example, the rumored collab he's got with Chris Brown. I think, had in the morning been new and Cheer up not leaked, this would be hailed as a classic.

i an see where some people are are coming from but j.cole isnt a all hype rapper like a big Sean or Tyga. he is more of lyrical/storytelling rapper so to appreciate his music you have to really listen to what he's saying than just say he isnt all that good. i dont think he has the ability to dum down his lyrics and put on a hot beat the closest i ever seen to that was - Blow up

Just listened to this and i must say it is a seriously dope album, the lead singles dissapointed me in a way but tha rest of tha album defenitely made up for it! Good Review from Nathan S. Too!

WOW

The guy does acknowledge that wack tracks. I LOVE THIS ALUMB, but holds it back to the lieks of kendrick lamar's section 80 is there are so many skippable tracks, lights please,mr nice watch, in the morning, gods gift, workout, daddy's little girl. but the bangers are BANGERS. DD3,Sideline story, cole world, lost ones, NOBODYS PERFECT, never told, rise and shine, breakdown, who dat, cant get enough. the missy track is a classic, ALREADY!

The review is correct, he is not near a kingpin level of flow that J has projected on him. hip hop is BACK, but it wont be lead by 1 or 2 individuals. electoronica, cole, wale, yealwolf, cyhi, kendrick, and a few others will do it colletively.

I was expecting an album of the year, but instead I got this. Very disappointing from a guy who was has the required potential to be the best in the game.

Comparing this to the efforts of other debut albums it's up there, this is a classic, if not almost classic. Cole has had so much hype, his mixtapes are something special and it was near impossible to better them and see "Cole World" receive the near universal acclaim that they did but it's not disappointed me, far from it. After hearing "Work Out", "Can't Get Enough", "Mr Nice Watch", I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anxious, don't get me wrong they're good songs just not what I expected but I think Cole delivered and lived up to the hype, and there was a lot of it. As someone said before, the second half of the album is near flawless. It's up there with his mixtape s***. I do agree with you on the Jay collab point, compare "Mr Nice Watch" to "A Star Is Born" and it's insignificant but it's still a good song, just that "A Star is Born" was the s***, hopefully when they team up again it'll be a throwback to it. As soon as I listened to it I thought "classic in the making", whether Cole can continue and develop himself into the hip-hop powerhouse all true hip-hop fans want, only time will tell but I think this album indicates he's on the right path and he don't look like slowing down any time soon!

First off, Nathan is entitled to his opinion, so for those who didn't like it, don't act like a @*#$! moron. I agree and disagree with alot that he said but I'm not here to argue, I'm hear to rate.

'Dolla & a Dream lll' intro was perfect for the album, was really feeling it, and the story behind when he got put in jail hah! 'Lights Please' was perfect for the album because it was one of the main songs that got him to where he is now, so I think Cole felt like it had to be on the album, and I couldn't agree more. When Cole switches up his sound to 'Mr. Nice Watch' & 'Coleworld' I loved it. Alot of you are saying 'rabble rabble'. I LOVE seeing artists go out of their zone and explore different sounds and rhyming and that's exactly what Cole did there. So massive respect for Cole pulling it off with a great result. The rest of the album from here is just flawless. My favourite tracks would be 'Nobody's Perfect', 'Rise & Shine' & 'Lost Ones'. You know what I realised about the album? Their isn't one song, not ONE that I don't like. And for that I'm giving this 5 stars as I thorougly enjoyed it. I think this is as good as a debut as ever and I hope Cole gets all the more attention he deserves. Loving every moment.

Nice review Nath!

dude, considering hip hop today this is a classic, no dick ridin either. just sayin really think about. stop considering j. cole as just him and look at rap itself and then rate

Great Album

To jump in quickly....

In all seriousness, I have no problem with people ripping my review - you're entitled to your opinion just like I'm entitled to mine. My goal is ultimately to start a discussion about the album, even if that discussion is about what an idiot I am.

So have at me, but I'm sticking by every word I wrote.

Peace,
Nathan

the expectations were just too high. i mean when a track like lost ones leaks then thats when everyone starts calling him the savior of hip hop and stuff and i would feel sorry for him but hes partly to blame cos he was hyping it quite a lot "9/27 the day our lives change" "classic" and well it isnt a classic but it is a very solid debut album if you forget all the hype. theres nothing wrong with him putting mixtape hits on there. lights please is a great song and in the morning is his most successful song so far. j cole is not yet "the savior of hip-hop" but after hearing his truly lyrical songs even an idiot can tell that the talent and potential are definately there and he could in time grow to be what we expect of him.

and about the beats. the beats to the intro, mr nice watch, and workout are very good and the others are solid.

solid album

If an album gets too much hype prior to release, it can often lead to a backlash when it is discovered that the record is not the best thing since sliced bread, as had been expected. It’s much better, in my opinion, if there is little to no fanfare surrounding an album (for instance, Shane Eli's The Push) before it’s released: that way, if it’s good, it will always be appreciated all the more.

We all know this right here falls straight into the former category, rolling in upon a sea of anticipation and sky-high expectations. Who could be blamed for getting excited? The artist's 2010 mix-album "Friday Night Lights" was lauded upon release in online communities and amongst the artist’s fans.

It (FNL) found J. Cole expanding his horizons and pushing into more accessible territory, and it seemed that he was finally combining his lyricism with more direct elements. A step in the direction of immediacy, away from the conscious brand of hip-hop he had mined on his first two projects was a cause for concern? Yes!

But today it gives me a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction to say that as many compromises as there are, "Cole World: The Sideline Story" is still a very artistic offering that is MORE concerned with quality than having a hit, despite having a very accessible, relatively polished sound. It’s not perfect, but for the most part the artist definitely has his head and heart in the right places. It shouldn't be confused with a classic, but it's another impressive addition to an already great catalog.

Making a major label album is a commitment to the art of compromise, and Jermaine Lamarr Cole provides a prime example of this exercise. Courting the radio crowd while satisfying the artist within is a tough task, but Cole runs the emotional gamut from amusing to astute, and once listeners delve past the radio-friendly ditties, they’ll hear some of his most inspired work transpire. Although not a leading light in the genre, J.Cole demonstrates a surpassing ability to connect to the core concepts of hip-hop music. It’s an album that supplies more substance and less compromise. The second half of the album is a proof of this!

Admittedly, the first few times I heard the album, before I had a chance to look closely into the lyrics or when I was unfavorably comparing some of the songs to the more intricate J. Cole songs from the past, the album didn't produced a tremendous impact on me. And although I still find a few flaws here and there, I think after learning this record – after studying it – it’s clear to me that it falls in an elite category of music, one that is defined by one simple rule: in order to find its true beauty it’s absolutely necessary to listen. It's an album that grows on you with each listen, and what was boring at first seems less so each go round as the lyrics sinks in. If there is a mainstream hip-hop album since "Attention Deficit" that needed time, it’s this one.

If your first two records is to cultivate an original fanbase and the third is to extend the brand, the fourth should be about reconciling the three and J. Cole does that proficiently by adding new techniques and textures to what was already a fine, if infamously known for a lack of variation, style of music.

J. Cole's skills hasn't grown by leaps and bounds. But more notably, to me anyway, is the vast improvement in arrangements. There's a breadth and diversity of style that had been previously lacking. His instrumentals proves to be more dynamic, moving around (though not changing directions drastically) but away from basic loop format. Both "Breakdown" & "Dollar And A Dream III" in particular comes to mind because production hints at a slickness, but still the real power for both joints lies in the breadth of emotional nakedness and the depth of thought.

Piano has such an amazing presence on "Nothing Lasts Forever", with a mix of programmed beats & percussion playing on top, that somehow brings to mind MJ's "They Dont Care About Us", especially the arrangement after 3:58. Guess it comes down to the layering style. On mic, Cole displays a rather unsettling sense of despondency but evades being negatively dragged down by it, and the female vocals in the hook only adds to the feel of the song.

“Dollar And A Dream III” has a lot of gravity to it. It’s hard enough to knock in the whip with enough elements to sound really interesting in your headphones. Flute and strings gently slides into the mix, and a pliable bass line that seems to merge with the drums pattern, recall to mind the best moments of Justice League's instrumentals. After you rock to this beat you go back and digest what he has to say.

"Breakdown" sounds like No ID taking a stab at a Coldplay number. At least dats how I would describe. And anybody who can pull off something like that is definitely someone to be reckoned with. "Nobody's Perfect" features strong electronic drums teamed up with smooth guitar licks and bass notes popping strategically throughout the song that gives it a persuasive power all its own. Its very hard to not head-nod to it with guitar strums and vocals keeping it potent and catchy.

“Sideline Story” tells a candid tale of the hardships that arise when trying to make it in the music industry. "Breakdown" is such a deeply poignant number, and the gripping "Lost Ones" - both sound like the work of a top shelf hip-hop veteran.

J. Cole is a smart rapper who is concerned with the advancement of himself and his people, managing to describe the backward circular logic of the street without being too judgmental. Cole has a lot of strengths as a writer (witty punchlines, an ability to write an issue driven song that doesn't come across as condescending. Album also shows an artist with the ability to write songs equally interested in women's assets (Work Out), brain (Lights Please), and heart (Never Told). I admire his wordplay abilities, as he can loosen up and drag out the lyrics, then slip in a tight package of words a couple of lines later while walking such a lyrical tightrope.

"Never Told" has a constant mesmerizing flow to the track that really does captivate. And it only helps that in J. Cole, you find an MC with a keen sense of self-awareness that knows how to make conscious rap accessible, with a strong feminist focus. Well, as accessible as it can be.

While the piano still plays a major role in the music, it's not usually not the only focus. "Rise And Shine" is Cole's most dramatic efforts to date. The way he bring in the horns after Jay-Z's vocal sample is flat-out ill. Then he remove the drums at differing intervals, moving the spotlight to the expert sample work, giving every part of the arrangement attention. On the same end of the spectrum, "God's Gift" is a fuller, more all-encompassing sound than J. Cole ever really achieved.

J. Cole has managed to accomplish a difficult task. He has come together with a long line of fans who have expectations based on previous work. With this record he kept his songs familiar sounding enough to placate those fans, while infusing just enough new elements to refrain from sounding derivative and tired. It was a hard balance to strike, but Jermaine has done it very well.

With that out of the way, let's look at the bad. Well it's not bad really, more like this would be a standout on a weaker LP. But on here, it’s a bit of a disappointment.

That's right, "Work Out" did not stand out as one of the great musical triumphs of the year, but it is not without charm, thanks to its up-front "sincerity" and ear-pleasing production. "Cant Get Enough" is that accessible, but much more varied & soulful than what you hear on the radio.

"Mr. Nice Watch" features barely acceptable level of verses from Cole, but, considering his previous work and the courage to venture into some new sonic territory, the radio-ready sensibility shown here ultimately demonstrates that he is stylistically agile, not selling-out. Even though the song, as a whole, don't completely click, it does bode well for future efforts.

Both title track and "Daddy's Little Girl", which depicts the complexities of promiscuous females thoughts and mannerisms, blends J. Cole's deep lyricism with production that have little to separate them from hundreds of generic 'street-ready' tunes in the current scene. And for this reason it leaves both songs feeling more ordinary than dramatic for which the artist seemed to be aiming.

Lastly, both “In the Morning” and "Lights Please" are a little too old to be on this fresh project. But one of them is a great track, and the moody piano & vocal combination on "Lights Please", is incredibly difficult to be labelled dated. It feels timeless in the best way with a hook that dont just rhyme but give meaning to the lyrics.

These are missteps, but nothing that could be used as a criticism to demean the album as a whole. However, Cole's journey to mainstream prominence is going to be longer and harder than we expected.

He has not, indeed, successfully finished his trip from planet underground to planet mainstream. But what's most important, he hasn't surrendered to his new surroundings. Well, at least, not yet (hopefully never). The production is great (like on most big-record-company releases). But this time, what all the mainstream albums lack, is present on this record, in abundance. The larger portion of the LP is always pointed toward delivering a message and conveying dope music with feeling.

More often than not singles are representative of the album as a whole and the singles released indicated J.Cole was going for more style than substance, but thankfully, they aren’t representative of the album as a whole. The bait and switch. It’s a classic ploy where you advertise one product but deliver another. Jermaine has employed a (positive) version of this for his debut long player, baiting us with three singles that are deceiving of how the rest of the album will sound because I think the album as a whole is ultimately more substance than style.

Whether it gets J.Cole the wider attention that he surely deserves is something that will have to be seen, but you can be confident in knowing that... there will not be an album less commercially-inclined released on a major label this year - and it’s doubtful there will be many better, either.

"Cole World: The Sideline Story" is not only one of the strongest debuts in a while, in my opinion, it's the third best album of 2011 coming only behind "WTT" and still the best hip-hop album of the year "Return Of 4eva". Rollin' just one step ahead of "Section.80", and the fifth-placed "The Red Album". It’s an album worthy of purchase on its own merit.

Rating: 4.25/5

My Top Picks:

1. Breakdown 2. Lost Ones
3. Nothing Lasts Forever 4. Nobody's Perfect
5. Cant Get Enough 6. Lights Please
7. Rise And Shine 8. Never Told

*finally adds J. Cole to favorite artists*

This album is amazing and its way better than the Tha Carter IV(Which didn't live up to its high exceptions).His lyrical word play is at a high level and the beats are freaking crazy.So what if it didn't have a lot of commercial tracks,That's whats wrong with rapper now anyway.Too many rappers try to sound alike and now there is one who breaks the mold(Just like Wale debut).This album is an amazing and the best since debut since NaS's "Illmatic".Enjoy it and buy the Album the 27th.

im listening to rap since 15 years, and this is one of the most complete lp´s ive ever heard. you can rotate it front to back without switching. it also combines music for heads and also some funky ish for the other people without being billboard poisened like the people on top. 3,5 is faw away from realitiy. seems like someone needs attention. just imagine you would crap that cd without ever listened to mr cole. free your mind from exspectations and all that. this lp is great. way more better than anything released the last years except section. 80.

Finally got the album, cuz I buy my CDs from artists I like. I give this a 4.5/5. There was no way he could reach expectations but that doesn't take away from the fact that this is a great CD. Its definitely more than just .5 spins better than Lil Wayne's piece of shit CD.

Honestly, have to disagree with the review. There is a lot of hate for the use of mix tape songs on this album, but the placement and arrangement of each track works to nullify the "Ugh I'm tired of this song" effect. At least the first two listens, definitely won't skip over "Lights Please" and "In The Morning".

With the final mastering of the album, completely done and finished, I have to say that I am extremely satisfied. Cole put out an album that evolved from his three mix tapes; it took the themes and many of the details into account. It told his story and for the most part it was RAW. The gritty truth placed over solid production. Even "Mr. Nice Watch" doesn't seem as disappointing in context.

You can hate on Cole and all that. But this album did not fail to deliver. It has a print so completely Cole and is a definite AotY contender IMO. Not even on J. Cole's jock, but this review didn't do it the justice it deserves.

LYRICAL BEAST, YOUNG MONEY TYPE 17 YEAR OLD RAPPER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLSj3QqBSis

I think you gave this 3.5 just because you had loftier expectations but this album is for sure at least a 4 star, could rise to a 5 after ingesting it some more. Cole's rapping used to be about the journey to where he is now and of course that meant he had to be hungry in his rhymes and he always delivered. This album is about finally getting to that gate and opening it. The mix of feelings he felt, the things he can remember from the journey and how he can look back on them now. Ever wanted something so bad and finally got it? The inability to express yourself, that speechless moment where you think about everything you did to get to that moment..that's what this album is and Cole does his best to let listeners experience that with him. It's that moment when only you can understand how good it feels and you can only relate bits of it, that moment when you savor your accomplishment. Some songs on the album like work out may have been for promotional purposes but they feel like the bit of the experience where you're just satisfied and take a timeout to enjoy everything around you. Then immediately after those tracks he goes back to the story, the memories of the journey. What Cole is not saying with words, he says with the beats and in the end he creates an album not just about lyrics but about songs. Beats carrying the emotions of songs. Some might like his mixtapes better just because he was hungrier then, but what needs to be realized is that he had to be, on this album the beats do half of his usual work for him and the lyrics do the rest. The feel of the songs, that's what needs to be focused on to truly appreciate what a work of art this album is. This is not Cole's best work but it is still damn good. The sideline story is not just an album, it's an experience.

It's aiiiite. Nothin' to really keep in rotation. Son can rap, but he isn't really bringin' a WOW factor to hiphop. I respect that he's contributing to hiphop, but the hype that the masses are providin' isn't makin' me say, " Did you here how he flipped that line ??" Word, STOP OVER HYPING AN ARTIST JUST BECAUSE OF WHO SIGNED 'EM. The reps of the "GOLDEN ERA" have spoken.

Nathan S, I think you can tell by the good ratings this album is getting u shuold probably change ur mind?.
I realii think J.cole is the closest to tupac reborn.
This album has struck the right balance in terms of radio tracks, and good meaningful music....which is hard to get these days.
I cant choose my favourite tracks yet, cos only just listen ed to the album. One thing is certain this aint your average hip hop album. 4.2 stars!!..
COLE WORLD>>>>>Make way for the choosen one.

I know he can do so much better, But @*#$! it... Still got my headphones booming!! 4.5/5.0

the 3.5spins is played out. Have this on constant rotation right now and it's the dopest album to come out for a long while....have to agree with 'doworkson' comment and maybe go one further - u sir, are simply lyin to your good self

definitley a good review. After hearing him go against heavyweights like Talib, Mos Def and JayZ and hold his own I was anticipating something classic. His production on this album is mediocre at best. Now I don't doubt his lyricism one bit becasue I love when artist get at it lyrically but to be a classic for me it has to be a great blend of both. Lyrics and Prodouction. Simply put he should've picked better beats. Hope Jay Electronica does'nt disappoint like J Cole Has. Best albums to date are Phonte's "Charity Starts at Home" and Lupe Fiasco's "Lasers

Really Dope Album!! Take off "Mr. Nice Watch" and "Workout" and i can listen to it all the way thru.

I was expecting a lot from J. Cole, and he delivered better than I can remember anyone doing it on their debut album. If you are looking for a nearly flawless album that displays one major contributor to the very bright future of hip-hop, then look no further. Cole World, no blanket.

Well this album was a lot better than I anticipated. This is a solid debut from J. Cole. I felt that J. Cole is like a Drake with better lyrics. One of the things that impressed me the most is that most of the album was produced by Cole. This is a great album and anybody who likes hip-hop should buy this album.

Some of my favorite songs are:
Dollar and a Dream III

Sideline Story

In The Morning (ft. Drake)

Lost Ones - An AMAZING song. It's about a guy getting his girl pregnant and what the guy thinks about it. The next verse is J. Cole rapping in the girl's perspective.

Nobody's Perfect (ft. Missy Elliot)

The only song i felt wasn't needed in the album was Mr. Nice Watch. I don't think J. Cole should be rapping about sh!t like that. I feel that 3.5 spins doesn't do the album justice. 4/5.

other than mr nice watch and work out, the album was gr8. it feels so good to hear GOOD songs nowadays. this guy is a star to real rap fans, but not in the mainstream. work out seems a single that will bob heads for a while but will be forgotten by the the radio fans. i really hope he continues to make music as gr8 as he is now because hes the only mainstream artist making real music besides lupe. btw lost ones was siiick, lights please is a classic, cant get enough is really enjoyable, and the rest like cheer up r beautifully done. cole is now the best mainstream artist alive.

great album..sideline story one of standaout tracks to me

This review was actually pretty on point. Album is not comparable to Section 80. Section 80 was 10x better. I don't think it is really about having radio hits because "In The Morning", "Workout", and "Nobody's Perfect" are great for radio. Problem seems like the effort didn't match the anticipation and long wait. A long wait to end up using songs on previous mixtapes to fill space. I think J. Cole should embrace other producers more too. He is an average producer, compared to current heavyweights (i.e. 9th Wonder, Mike Dean, Bink, Nottz, etc.) at best.

Best and realest album that has come out in years. J. Cole, Thank you.

hes cool