And you know how I really know this is true? It’s because when he shows up on other people’s projects, he goes clean off, making me wonder why folks don’t delete his verses. But if I’m being honest, I’ve been largely bored, nearing entirety disinterested with his released catalog of albums. I listened to his mixtapes (I love The Warm Up like everybody else does), and I could hear the flashes of brilliance that put folks in his camp. I have listened to all six of his studio releases- Cole World: The Sideline Story, Born Sinner, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, 4 Your Eyez Only, KOD and The Off-Season-with intentionality and interest, waiting to hear the music (not just lyrics) that made him hip-hop’s savior. And I didn’t love a lot of what I was getting from his albums. But he wasn’t on stage at Def Poetry Jam he was releasing albums full of songs he rapped over beats he (mostly) made. The Fayetteville, N.C., kid could spit, that much was clear. Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Nas and more featured on new DMX album ‘Exodus’ Cole, he was already being touted as a GOAT-level MC, which is nice and all, except I didn’t quite love much of any of the actual music he was releasing. Cole is the 2nd Coming of Nas time-share meeting a week late. I’ve always been one of those people who showed up to the J. The extent of his greatness as an artist is where I think the fun begins. That’s what art, especially great art, does-it gets the people going. But again, I like to at the very least acknowledge when art or an artist is great and then have fun debating the finer points of that greatness-which can include failures. Now, what constitutes great art is subject to debate two people can see or hear the same thing and walk away with two entirely different feelings about it since, I’d wager, we all look for different things to satisfy whatever artistic need we have. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)Īs a general rule, I try not to be too critical about great art and artists in my midst. Cole performs onstage during day 2 of Rolling Loud Los Angeles at NOS Events Center on Decemin San Bernardino, California.
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