There is that running joke around J. Cole about going platinum with no features. But, it is incredibly impressive what he was able to pull off. To put it in some context, he is the first rapper since 1990 to accomplish this. He achieved that on March 31, 2015. The record we are referring to is his 2014 record, Forest Hills Drive. A wide range of critics, listeners, and Cole fans will tell you that this is his greatest body of work.
Honestly, when you take a look at the tracklist, it is kind of easy to see why. Of course, everyone knows "No Role Modelz." But, you have deeper cuts like "G.O.M.D.," "Love Yourz," and "Apparently." The tape is now nine years old, but it is aging beautifully. Speaking of which, another one of those tracks that is still perfect is "January 28."
Relisten To "January 28" By J. Cole
While one-liners certainly do not make or break how good a song is, there are so many great ones on here. Some of them are below, but you can find a bevy of them. One example is, "Flow bananas, here, peel this back." But, it is not just those, the overall writing is terrific. What's the price for a black man life? I check the toe tag, not one zero in sight." On top of that, the beat is mellow, but also hard-hitting, and Cole's flows slip and slide through it.
What were your initial thoughts on J. Cole's, "January 28," from 2014 Forest Hills Drive? Is this the best song on this project, why or why not? Where does this song rank all-time in Cole's discography? Overall, is this album his best body work? We would like to hear what you have you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around J. Cole.
Quotable Lyrics:
Like show me New York's ladder
I climb it and set the bar so high that you gotta get Obama to force the air force to find it
Never mind it, you'll never reach that
Cole is the hypnotist, control the game whenever he snap
That's every track, n****