J. Cole's "The Off-Season"
What’s up guys! So for this week I
listened to J. Cole’s new mixtape “The Off-Season” and boy was it a vibe. I
first decided to listen to the documentary posted on YouTube that shows the
mentality used to create this project. J. Cole talks a lot about this idea of comfortability,
and how if you’re to comfortable in life, it stops you from taking creative
risks. This also makes you not want to do anything that might venture outside
public taste. If something sells, and you’re used to making a certain revenue
from what it, then why would you consider anything else? He also talks about
the usage of features, not using many due to the public idea that the less
features you have on a project, the better you are as a rapper. The documentary
has J. Cole talking about these struggles but also his take on how he came back
to make this project. Pretty much, if you’re comfortable with the idea of not
growing as a person or creative artist, then you don’t need to do anything. But
if you’re hungry for growth, it’ll make you get out of bed and chase it. This documentary
was great because I think J. Cole’s issue is something the rap genre is suffering
from as a whole. Instead of having more experimentation and creativity, we’re
just swarmed by cookie-cutter monotony with the same topics of girls, drugs,
and money.
The mixtape
backs up the message introduced by the documentary as we’re starting with a
chant-like song that brings J. Cole back to our ears as he raps about what he’s
attained so far in “95.south”. The next songs “amari” and “my life” shows more
of this humble flaunting as J. Cole talks about everything, he could have done
with his success yet follows the path he shows us today. The next song “applying.pressure”
talks about the “cap” lifestyle that modern rappers have with their main goal
be to show off what the general public doesn’t have. He also calls out the
other side by addressing members of the general public who spend their time hating
on those who have succeeded in their life. “punchin’ the clock” sheds light on
J. Cole’s past and how he was almost influenced by the devil’s work through
everyday sights of drug use and violence. He talks about how he could have came
out a different person then he was today, but the situations he faced in his
life forced him to try attaining a lifestyle that goes beyond coping with
everyday struggles.
This idea is furthered in the song “pride
is the devil” as he talks about pride being the reason why some choose to flex
and show off unhealthy lifestyles and why others take the higher road in positively
influencing others. Pride is something we all have to deal with as individuals,
but the more control you have over it, the easier it will be to learn and gain
a better life. “close” is a song that shows us what happens when pride swallows
you up, having you live a bitter life that holds you in a lifestyle of crime
and eventually takes your life if you’re not careful. This mixtape is an
educational one as it accepts the harsh truth that some people can’t escape the
world around them. But if you ever have the opportunity to leave, you need to
grab it right then and there. This mixtape reminded me a lot of Kendrick Lamar
in content as it served as a project to teach those who need assistance with
making that next step in their journey of life. If I were to rate this project,
I would give it an 8/10 as there were clear signs of effort from our rapper
Jermaine. Let me know what you guys think, did you guys like it? Hope you all
have a great start to the week, take care!
FAVORITE SONGS: you know what, for the first time this blog,
I think each song has something good to them so listen to it all. It ain’t that
long.
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