"Through direct and indirect references, lessons unfold throughout. The Fall-Off Is Inevitable is inspired by Nas's 2001 Stillmatic track Rewind. I Love Her Again is an obvious nod to Common's I Used to Love HER. Bunce Road Blues borrows lyrics from Usher's Nice & Slow but connects to R&B's present with guest vocals from Nigerian singer Tems. The Let Out is reminiscent of SpottieOttieDopaliscious from OutKast's Aquemini, and so forth: all ample material for audiences to think through hip-hop's past and future."
"But not every fan wants to study, and those who do are left with questions. The Fall Off seems like an attempt to convey Cole's growth and development but it's lacking in the emotional depth that comes from real human interactions: he is the only fully realised person on this album, and the people he engages with, both metaphorical and real, seem to function more as props."
J Cole released his debut mixtape in 2007 and, after six consecutive US No 1 albums, presents The Fall Off as a graceful bowing out. The double album spans 24 tracks and 101 minutes, showcasing technical proficiency, raw lyrical skill, citation, interpolation and sampling while attempting to embody half a century of hip-hop. Numerous tracks reference or nod to past works, including Nas, Common, Usher, Tems, and OutKast. The album seeks to convey personal growth, but often lacks emotional depth from real interactions; Cole stands as the only fully realised person while others function more as props, with marriage noted as taming earlier impulses.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]