From the beginning, the world was rooting for J. Cole. After a string of impressive mixtapes caught the attention of legends like Jay-Z and Nas, Cole was signed to Jay’s Roc Nation label. His debut studio album for Roc Nation, 2011’s Cole World: The Sideline Story, was greeted with radio play and critical acclaim, proving all the hype around Cole was well deserved. He had done it all in such a short amount of time, plaques were given out and songs from the album continued to climb in popularity time and time again. In a haze of praise, Cole averted his eyes from the flashiness of it all and got back to work. It was only a week removed from the release of his debut when Cole got right to work on its follow-up. His knowledge of the hip-hop industry made him hyper-aware of the long list of artists who never saw a third LP, losing everything he had built seemed to be haunting the artist when he began to work on his second album.
“It’s way darker this time” Cole warns on “Villuminati”, the introduction to his sophomore LP Born Sinner. The album was released on June 18 in 2013, a day that is to be remembered in the history books. The release date for Born Sinner changed multiple times during the recording process and it was ultimately Kanye West who influenced his decision the most. At the time, the album was set to be released on June 25, ironically coinciding with the day Jay-Z released his debut back in ‘96. Just before the late-June date, West announced that his album would be released on June 18, one week before Born Sinner. Cole, not wanting to be lost in the shuffle of a new Kanye album, moved his date up to June 18 in an attempt to challenge West for the attention of the fans. June 18 would see the likes of Mac Miller and Madlib also releasing full LPs, making June 18 one of the most exciting days of releases hip-hop had seen in a while. Cole didn’t want to miss out on history, he was set to compete with one of his heroes who, without anyone noticing, had now become a peer to Cole instead of an unattainable legend.
The deluxe version of the album boasts 21 tracks, the bonus songs being labeled as the third installment of his Truly Yours mixtape series, that prove Cole’s warning at the beginning is not to be taken lightly. The album introduced us to a side of Cole we were unaware existed, an artist with a chip on his shoulder hellbent on being remembered as one of the best rappers to ever touch a microphone. That restlessness culminated on Born Sinner, the songs that comprise the album are delivered with venom as Cole attempts to prove he is capable of creating a dark hip-hop album that will stand the test of time, more so to himself than the people listening. Cole didn’t want to repeat himself and a forced reinvention of himself allowed the album to find its menacing undertones and potent verses.
Cole produced the album almost entirely himself, creating a delectable spread of instrumentals to display his quick wit and thoughtful words. The gentle jazz of “Chaining Day” is met with the uptempo drums and head-pounding piano chords of the album’s title track. This juxtaposition sums up the sonic direction of Cole’s sophomore album, combining his love for lighthearted melodies with his determination to make his genre proud. Cole’s discography is now full of twists and turns, at the time of Born Sinner, it was unknown how expansive Cole’s production can really go. He created beats that stand on their own while still sounding consistent when strung together for a deeper understanding of the artist behind them. If it was ever in question, Cole seemingly proved his production style is equally as impressive as his vocals on Born Sinner, combining the two pursuits at such a high level it’s almost like the veteran status he achieved over the years since was clear to him from the beginning.
Along with a new lease on production, Cole’s words found solace under the shade of the artist’s anger. Throughout the album, he finds a balance between his love for storytelling and his pursuit to pen some of the best verses of his life. Ironically, Cole found a way to achieve both at the same time at moments. “Let Nas Down” is the vulnerable letter to one of his heroes, after Nas had expressed he was disappointed with the pop-tendencies used on the singles from Cole’s debut. The artist recalls the story of hearing this news while still finding time to deploy literary devices to add a new level of impressiveness to his emotional storytelling. “Land Of The Snakes”, which interpolates Outkast’s “Da Art of Storytellin’”, uses this same combo of vivid storytelling through complex rhyme schemes while songs like the aforementioned “Villuminati” and “Ain’t That Some Shit” have Cole leaving the intricacies behind and simply rapping his ass off.
J. Cole has long proven himself as one of the best rappers of his generation. His discography speaks for itself, a collection of well-crafted albums with lanes all to their own. Born Sinner is the middle child of the bunch, a menacing LP that stands as a monument to the artist’s capabilities. Cole found a sonic direction and stretched it to its furthest lengths, finding consistency in his passion instead of attempting to be so blatant with the album’s narrative. Born Sinner was just the beginning for Cole yet 10 years later, it’s hard to argue that his sophomore LP doesn’t stand toe-to-toe with his more celebrated later work. Born Sinner is a hip-hop album that might be overshadowed by what Cole’s career has turned into, but should never be forgotten as a testament to the artist’s relentless creativity and deep love for the genre he calls home.
