I have simulated losing everything in my mind. This is a stoic exercise that helps me conquer fear. Because if I am comfortable losing everything then I am free. Free to self-realize. Free to be what destiny intended. Free to be great. Life is broader than material things. Life is emotions, perceptions and sensations. Life is awareness. Life is presence. Life is precious. Life is a miracle. Life is a beautiful process that keeps on getting better. Life is evolution and progression. Life is freedom. Life is creation. Life is love. I realized a while back that earth was heaven. Heaven is not some utopia that you get to. Heaven is already within. Heaven is what you create and God gave us complete control of our minds to create. Expression is creation and mind is expression. This is it. It doesn’t get better than earth. It doesn’t get any better than this, this moment. It doesn’t get any better than what is within. You have the responsibility to create your own heaven, heaven is a state of mind. My heaven is one where I am a Billionaire. Being a Billionaire for me represents infinite creation. A chance to implement my dreams and to color in the world. It is a chance to help. I’ve got a big heart and at my core I am love and I want to give life to that expression. I’ve never really cared much for materials, I prefer creating experiences, they last longer. Still I’ve always loved money. Money is power. Money buys a priceless commodity, time. But it is also external, which makes it dangerous because it is out of your control. Because it is external, it can make you suffer because of the imprints you attach to it. Money can repossess your soul. The love and worship of money can make your heart leak like bullet holes. That’s if you identify with money. I just see it as a tool and I don’t want life to elude me because of a lack of it. That’s not what God intended for me, I live in complete abundance, everything I want is mine. So money can’t be a hindrance. From a very ripe age, my visions of the future would be of me working towards that ideal of attaining riches. I suspended everything for this vision and narrowed my focus and it created a fear that I’d be alone. It’s a fear that has manifested itself onto the world. I finally got a girl whose perfect in every sense. A girl who loved me before everything. She loves me and I love you. She is someone who can make me better, Lord knows I am flawed, messy and Imperfect. We can be better together. I need her. I don’t want to lose her. She takes care of me. Where else am I going to find this in this cold world where nobody really cares about me? Who has more value than her? I don’t know. Because of my flawed ambitions pertaining to money, I have to look ahead. Meanwhile time waits for no man. Paulo Coelho taught me that a woman can’t keep a man from achieving his personal legends and it makes sense for me. I am just ambitious that’s all there is to everything. Now that I am alone and have lost my best thing, now that the worst has already happened to me, I can labor on like a prisoner serving life in a concentration camp, with hope that everything will be better someday; Lost ones.
My friend Lloyd once said “I have never seen someone as talented as J. Cole”. This was because he single-handedly produced his album, rapped throughout and featured himself twice – his that nice, on KOD. I had to admit that was pretty dope. Featuring himself was a response to his critics who said he never collaborated with anybody. What a response hey? KiLL Edward. I agree with his sentiments, J. Cole is easily one off the greatest to ever grace the mic. His story-telling sets him apart from everybody. He uses awesome metaphors and similes. His relatable and grounded. He is poetic. It’s his flow, he follows the rhythm. It’s his intelligence. Spits knowledge. His hooks are outstanding and he can sing. He is multi-faceted. Considering he does all his albums alone, you would think they are second rate right? Wrong! Focused energy is better. His albums are generally lauded by critics and are among the most best selling not only in hip-hop but music. To due all his albums have gone platinum. They have all peaked number 1 one the billboard 200. But still no Grammy! What’s a nigga got to do? Yea, I know he won one with 21 Savage on “A lot” but it doesn’t count for me. J. Cole is consistently overlooked by the Academy. How can “Power Trip” not win best Rap Sung song? Really? In 2013? Really? Objectively, what was better than “Power Trip”? “Hotline Bling”? Don’t waste my time. I am not throwing shade on Drake but Power Trip is way better! It’s more intelligent, it appeals more to people. Everybody has been infatuated with somebody to a degree that they couldn’t think properly. Maybe my views are clouding my judgment. Maybe I shouldn’t have referenced “Hotline Bling”. I am being unfair, subjective and biased in my analysis. Maybe J. Cole is another Nas, a artist so great, who was loved by everybody except the executives of coprates. And that’s good because that means they are talking about real things. They are autonomous, they don’t follow waves, the suites don’t have a say in their creative processes, they are true philosophers, the true voice of the people. Cole, Nigga I have “The Come Up”. Let’s not forget “The Notorious BIG” never won a Grammy too, instead they gave it to, Oh wait for this, you’ll love it! They gave to Puff Daddy! Yes, that’s right both “Biggy” and “Puffy” were nominated for “Best Rap Album” and the award went to “Puffy”! Hahahaha, in their demented world “Puffy” is better than “Biggy”! Man, fuck the Grammys for real. Award shows are fixed, it’s all about PR. Real artists never get recognized. I remember when Macklemore and Ryan Lewis won over Kendrick Lamar. It was good kid, maad city Kendrick Lamar, one of hip-hops greatest albums! How does that happen? I am sorry I mentioned the Grammys clearly they don’t have a clear criteria, quite clearly they are unreliable, they lack credibility. I was talking about J. Cole. I first heard him on “The Warm Up”. It was a great mix tape. I instantly fell in love. He had this x-factor. He was authentic and genuine. He had a arrogance. He was super hungry. He had punchlines for days! I remember when I first heard “Dead Presidents II” I lost my mind. The play on words was incredible. He was too quick, he was delivering punchline on punchline. The metaphors and similies were great. I remember a line, he said “ahead of my time, like I live my whole life backwards” and I was like what? I remember “Dreams” too, on the song his talking about the girl on “Power Trip”. Man, Cole is incredible. There was also “Lights Please” that was like conscious, “A Dollor and Dream II” that recalled his struggles and my anthem of the mixtape “I Get Up”. Damn! “The Warm Up” was so awesome. It takes me back to my high school days, riding a train to and back school. Then his debut album came out “Cole World: Sidelines Story”. I expected more. J. Cole let me down. Sure, there were magic songs like “Sideline Story”, “Can’t Get Enough” and Lost Ones” but it wasn’t enough to spark the album into life. The album sounded too controlled and commercial. It didn’t have a clear structure. It didn’t sound inspired to me. Sure it had songs like “In The Morning”, “Lights Please” and again”Lost Ones” but I knew those songs from his previous mixtapes. As a J. Cole, the album didn’t have much to offer for me. It was bitterly disappointing. Then 2013 came and he released “Born Sinner” and my whole world changed. It was the J. Cole that I knew, that I wanted. He was so awesome in the album. The album was so powerful. It was so inspired. And on the track “Let Nas Down”, he officially linked himself with Nas and apologized to the whole world for his first album! He assured us that it was just a part of the plan, he needed to appeal to the commercial space and we all forgave him. He kept his word and he has been the same ever since and now his “the greatest right now!” His third album, a concept album named “2014 Forest Hills Drive” was amazing! A real hip-hop classic! It was the first album to go Platinum without features for over 25 years. He did it alone, from the Raps to production. I have a separate post for “Forest Hills Drive”, take a look at it, I can’t talk about it here. His 4th album too, also a concept album titled “4 Your Eyez Only” is a classic. It got nominated for “Rap Album of the Year” at the Grammys and surprise, surprise it got overlooked. Then in 2018, he released one of hip-hops most important and impactful album titled “KOD”. This is an awesome album. It is J. Cole at his absolute best. The album discusses drug addiction, infedelity, taxes, facing demons, the system and money. This is a big “NO!” from the man and we all understand why this album was overlooked by the Academy. However, it solidified J. Coles name as the voice of the people, the voice of reason and a hip-hop immortal. I lead you astray there “Cold World: Sidelines Stories” was incredible! It talked about an underdog who made it despite time times. He managed to endure and made it to the other side. His done it now, his a superstar! Nigga, I am the underdog like Cole and Jigga! How do you feel about that album now? Think for yourself ntate. St. Tropez OH you made it here, Cole in his prime! Amazing song my nigga, well done! To be honest, I can’t pick between Born Sinner and Forest Hills Drive. They are both great. But I think Born Sinner has an edge. It was released a year earlier. YES! That’s my criteria. That’s something.
What an amazing album. It starts off with a beautiful intro with J. Cole serenading us to the album. The intro is metaphorical in the sense that Cole is also introduced to the world by this voice underlying what life on earth is about namely happiness and freedom – things that people in the world strive for in vain. We can say the voice is mothernature preparing J. Cole to the world. The intro is smooth, patience and nurturing. Then just like that J. Cole is dropped into the world on January 28th. The date signals the date of Cole’s birth. It is not the first time a rapper has done this: Jay Z on the Black Album released in 2004 does this on “December 4th” the song is also preceded by a short and reassuring intro too. On January 28th Cole reintroduces himself to the world by showcasing his skills on the mic setting the tone for the album. The beat is cool and easy-going and the hook is iconic. On the hook he talks about “Don’t give them too much you” and he ends up giving all of himself up in the album. From his earliest years to the Cole who has made it and conquered the world. January 28th is personal and ambitious as he warns everyone and lays claim to the crown proclaiming that he is a God.
After he is born he takes us to his first sexual encounter on Wet Dreamz with a girl that he was in school with. He tells the story off a young Jermaine in pursuit of his first piece of ass. The story-telling is impeccable. He tells the story in the first person, second person and third person. A similar technique he used on “Lost Ones” on his debut album “Cole World: Sideline Story” where he gets his girlfriend pregnant and is not ready for all that responsibility. His girlfriend has her say on the second verse and she explodes with emotions and a lot of hurt telling her cowardly boyfriend that she doesn’t need him and that she’ll raise the baby all alone. Similar to “Lost Ones” – there is a lot of vulnerability on Wet Dreamz as Cole admits to the listener that he is indeed a virgin but she can’t really show that. We also learn on the third verse that the girl was also a virgin. The song is a masterpiece! I love how Cole maintains his “Rapper voice” despite the vulnerability and uncertainty in his lyrics, the contrast in those two elements are amazing.
In his philosophical works Carl Jung talks about the Anima and Animus. He says we are all born neutral in terms of sexual orientation. A hypothesis backed back the godfather of psychology Sigmund Freud who famously stated that the “libido” is bisexual. Meaning we are born in the world with both male and female traits and it’s 50/50. Because there are standards and an order in the world certain traits are repressed to conform to the norm. So for example a young boy is taught from a very young age that sensitivity and emotions are not a very seductive element. Or that a lady doesn’t wear pants or go hunting. Stereotypes often repress this Anima or Animus. Anima according to Carl Jung is the female side to the male and Animus is the male side of the female. Carl Jung explains that we must access our Anima and Animus in order to reach our subconscious mind and that Anima or Animus will give us untold creative power! We see examples of this with Coco Chanel, a designer who created female apparel but got her inspiration from male clothing. She would simply alter man’s clothing and present them as women clothing and she attained great power. We also see this from Urban Artists like Drake who are able to reach into their Anima to create music that is appealing for both male and female. Through the Anima, Drake controls popular culture every time he releases a single or album. Drake redefined what it is to be a Rapper by adding vulnerability and emotions to his songs. J. Cole on “Wet Dreamz” reaches through his Anima and the result is devastating. He created a song that will last forever! A song everyone will be able to connect with through infinity. J. Cole himself is not a stranger to connecting to his Anima and that has given him untold power and set him above everyone else as he often does it with impeccable story-telling and mind-boggling metaphors. There is a misconception about tapping into your Anima or Animus – it does not entail that one is a homosexual. There is no such thing as “homosexual” or “gay” or “lesbian” – only homosexual acts! We are all children of mothernature.
After the masterpiece Cole takes us to his years as an adolescent on “03 Adolescence”. He is growing up in the world and beginning to understand how the world operates. He is very observant and sees the struggle of the people all around him. He is young and energetic and beginning to create and identity for himself. He sees the system as a trap and doesn’t regard 9 to 5 as an option – he would rather push with his homies. We gather from the second verse that he is a very likeable guy as he has a conversation with one of his homies. In a conversation with his friend, he salutes him and tells him that his doing pretty well from himself and he would like to join him. That he needs the money too. His friend disapproves and gives Cole a tongue lashing that he will never forget, it is an honest tongue lashing, one with a lot of love and worship. Cole takes the lashing and commits himself to being the best person he can be – not for himself but for everyone who has a dream but can’t reach to it.
On a “Tale of two Citiez” Cole is slapped with the reality that life is hard. He is now in New York City and everything is fast. He has dreams of making it as a Rapper and becoming rich. But the reality is that he is poor. Nonetheless, he is striving and fighting. The city is so harsh and cold not like Fayetteville where he is from. The hook of the song talks about how he was robbed and that he doesn’t blame them because he understands the city and its rules. That the street is like the jungle and only the strong survive. He internalizes this information to make himself a better person – a more informed person as he strives for his dreams in the big city.
“Fire Squad” is a reflection of how far he has come. At this time he has perfected his craft and in his own mind is the best to ever do it. The song sounds like it too. The beat, the lyrics, the bridge, the bold declaration, the speech, and the iconic “who’s the king?” rhetorical. It is a skillful song that is charismatic, unapologetic and assured. It is bold and in your face. It is easily one of Cole’s best songs ever! It is this song that takes him to Hollywood on “St. Tropez”. St. Tropez is the interlude of the album, the transition in Cole’s life. “St. Tropez” is somber, reflective and nostalgic. It feels like destiny. The lyrics are full of adjectives that are abstract that are backed by melodies and reflective horns and the sound is beautifully intertwined. It feels like a dream about a trip you have been waiting for all your life. A moment created by the stars – the moment when the Universe finally smiles at you and gives you a thumbs up. “He’s on his way, he’s bout to get paid, he’s on his way to Hollywood” I love it!
On “GOMD”, Cole makes it in Hollywood and all his dreams come true but at the cost of his soul as he starts to lose it. He gets tangled in a meaningless world and he doesn’t recognize the person he has become. He reflects on “Love” and “Happiness” the focal point of the intro and decides he now wants to pursue that. That he wants the simple life. For the second time in the album Cole changes and returns to his roots. He now sees everything clearer and is knowledgeable. Hollywood is to thank for that. Hollywood was the catalyst. Hollywood saved him. He maintains the same tone until the end of the album.
Now Cole is in pursuit for Love and Happiness. On “No Role Modelz” he meets girls that don’t fit the profile. He meets girls that are shallow, narcissistic and materialistic. Knowing Hollywood so well he cites it and blames “Reality Shows”. He explains that this is the life that these women have chosen and trying to save them is a waste of time. It is the make-up of their fabricated and plastic psychology. Cole explains that they are empty and being with them won’t make you happy. A theory he knows firsthand from his transition to “Hollywood Cole” to J. Cole as exhibited on “GOMD”. Cole doesn’t feel petty for them and moves on with his life.
He decides to rekindle an old relation on “Hello” but finds out that she has already started a new life. Cole tries to reach out but to no avail. The hook is an emphasis, a cry out for attention and it is repetitive and effective in creating a tone full of melancholy. The dark chords of the piano also emphasize and tie the mood together. What now for Jermaine Cole? He decides to redirect his love on “Apparently” and talks about his mother. The chords are striking and up tempo. It is a sweet and grand gesture that is heartfelt and full of love. He is reflective and honest.
On “Love Yourz” Cole comes to the realization that everything in the world is temporarily. That everything fades and no amount of material can make you happy. He recommends being content with what and who you are. He advises the listener to practice love in their loves. To be around people who genuinely love you. He recommends taking charge of your life. He advises the listener to stop comparing and live life the best way you can. He is philosophical in this message and it ties the whole album up. He extends this message on “Note to Self” when he states “Nothing matters, you’ll see in the end”. He uses the existentialist approach in conveying this message. He gave us his whole life in 13 songs. The album is philosophical – it teaches you how to live. It is art. It is tied together. It is forever!
antakalipa 