J. Cole is one of the biggest names in Hip Hop music today. With his most recent album 2014 "Forest Hills Drive," he has blown up in to one of the most easily recognizable rappers today. This review will take a look at the album that in my opinion set up his success for "Forest Hills Drive" and his success in all of hip hop music. While not as popular as "Forest Hills Drive," it was still number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Cole's sophomore album was major part of his success. He went from the poppy, radio hit rapper that people who hadn't listened to any of his prior mix tapes thought he was, to a real artist that who put some meaning behind his words and had the potential to be one of the all-time greats. The title of this album pays homage to one of the greatest of all time, The Notorious BIG.
"Born Sinner" was released on June 8, 2013 by Dreamville, Roc Nation, and Columbia Records. "Born Sinner" starts off with the song "Villuminati," which is a reference to the "Ville" or Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole's hometown, and the Illuminati, which had become very big in pop culture at the time. This upbeat song gives a sense of the times referencing President Obama and apologies to the Japanese for World War II. The hook of the song is a declaration from Cole saying, "Allow me to re-introduce myself, my name is Cole." The title of the whole album comes from the sample he uses from The Notorious BIG's song "Juicy" where he says, "Born sinner, the opposite of a winner." The next track uses the same beat as Outkast's song "Da Art of Storytellin (pt.1)" and is called "Land of the Snakes." This song tells pays homage to Outkast and is a tale of growing up as Cole moves off to college. J Cole went to St. Johns Univeristy in New York on an academic scholarship. "Power Trip" was one of the album's most popular songs when it first came out as it told a story of something everyone has felt with a feeling of unrequited love. The song "She Knows" has one of the most catchy beats on the album with Amber Coffman helping out in the chorus and in the music video. This song with the music video is one of the most poignant videos I have watched. It appeals most to the adolescent audience, but most everyone who has ever had family issues can relate.
"Forbidden Fruit" featuring Kendrick Lamar is rife with biblical references with Adam and Eve and walking through the valley of the shadow death. It also references the album's release date which was dropped on the same day as Kanye West's "Yeezus" album. The next track, "Chaining Day," is a reference to slavery in America and chains from a jeweler. He speaks of how he would value his image and wearing chains and diamonds over actually having more practical thing like a house or a car. He raps, "My guilt heavy as this piece I wear," in the chorus, followed by, "I need you to love me, love me." In the bridge he says, "Don't take my chains from me, because I love this slavery." This is a powerful image of J Cole being in chains not because he is forced to but because he wants to. The song "Crooked Smile" featuring TLC speaks on the positive body image of women and self-love while referencing his own "Crooked Smile." Cole tells women to "Love yourself or nobody will." "Let Nas Down" is a message to one of the greatest rappers ever, Nas. Cole is referencing the song "Work Out" off of his freshman album, "The Sideline Story." This song was very popular on the radio and made J. Cole famous. This is not to say "Work Out" was a bad song by any means, but it just didn't show J. Cole's raw talent as an artist and a lyricist, and it seemed all the predictions about him being one of the greatest ever would fall short. He tells all this in the song "Let Nas Down," and the title is self-explanatory.
These are a most but not all of the songs on the 21-track album. If you are a hip-hop fan or a J. Cole fan and have not listened to this album, I highly recommend it as it tells a powerful story with the lyrical genius that is J. Cole. Everyone is a Born Sinner and that's why this album is so important to the formation of J. Cole's career and how it relates to his listeners.
