At times Cole turns his great flow and style towards flexing but also shows us a level of introspection which is a sign of his future direction.

The mammoth 21 track record is a mix of fast beats and smooth lines. Cole World: The Sideline Story is an example of an artist with tremendous ability still experimenting and trying to find his place within the music world.Ĭole’s second studio album: Born Sinner, is as enjoyable to listen to today as it was upon its release in 2013.

Cole provides refreshing honestly on tracks like ‘Lost Ones’ and ‘Breakdown’ while rounding out the record with the lighter favourite ‘Work Out’. However, on Cole World, it isn’t utilised to great effect and can often feel that he is just killing time in between his main verses. At times he falls into the trap of writing lyrics that are centred around the same topics: mostly girls and fame, reworking or rephrasing the same point over and over – this can lead to multiple tracks taking on a similar feel.Ĭole sings frequently on this album, something that he has continued to do throughout his career. It is evident on the album that Cole is eager to impress, demonstrating his quality flow and clever wit.

He is at his best when utilising a solid beat and harnessing his ability to cast lyrics that shed light on current issues and sensitive topics. While the album is inconsistent, there are still plenty of moments that give the listener a glimpse into the musician that Cole would later become. Here at Savage Thrills, we love the smooth spitting philosophical Cole so much that we’ve decided to rank his albums in celebration of the journey taken by a modern hip-hop king.Ĭole World: The Side Story is by no means a bad album, but in comparison to his later work it is a reflection of the progression that J.Cole has made as an artist. As with most successful artists, it hasn’t come overnight Cole has worked hard to carve a path for himself, producing five studio albums as well as a number of mixtapes over the last eleven years. His recent album KOD broke streaming records and his label Dreamville Records continues to sign artists and gain traction with every year. North Carolina rapper J.Cole is running at an all-time high right now.

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