96

96. 2014 Forest Hills Drive - J. Cole (2014)

Hip Hop

2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014) is about trying to find a balance. It finds J. Cole zeroing in on what would eventually become his singular voice. A straight-As student in high school and Magna Cum Laude graduate from St. John’s University in New York, Cole’s intellect and potential were never a secret. But, as he raps on “‘03 Adolescence”, the album finds him “dreamin’ quiet, trying to dodge a suit and tie”, choosing to forgo the security of a typical career and opting to use his gifts to resuscitate the consciousness of a genre that had, in the 2000s and early 2010s let that aspect of the art form fade a bit.

The central theme of the album is the inherent dichotomy of being a hyper-intelligent black man in a country where that isn’t a commodity in high demand. “A Tale of 2 Citiez” blatantly draws the line between making a choice to avoid a life of crime and violence and succumbing to it out of desperation. The line that separates those two choices is, for too many young African Americans, way too thin. He takes aim at many of the stereotypes of the rap game, illustrating by example that artists don’t have to kowtow to them or be dictated by them. His storytelling prowess is on display on “Wet Dreamz” and “Apparently”, which find him embracing vulnerabilities and offering motivation for anyone tempted to settle for less than they’re capable of. “Fire Squad” is an indictment of the state of rap. It cautions against annointing “kings” and skewers the paradigm of deifying a select few. And for the harsh realities the album highlights, they’re balanced with a hefty dose of hope and encouragement for those who might feel slighted by the hand they’ve been dealt.

As impactful as this album was upon release its importance today is much greater. The dynamic within hip hop has shifted significantly, even in the five years since it dropped. In this age of the face-tatted mumble rapper, an album like this feels nearly ancient, like a product of a long bygone era. The production is top-notch, especially the eerie bells that introduce “A Tale of 2 Citiez” that so deftly convey the disquietude of the unstable setting. The beats compliment the raps seamlessly. 2014 Forest Hills Drive is J. Cole’s best album to date and as the highway of hip hop rolls on, it will surely serve as a prominent signpost in the rear view mirror.

*image; cover art for the album 2014 Forest Hills Drive by the artist J. Cole