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J Cole's 'The Fall Off': A Hip-Hop Masterclass or Brittle Read?
10 Feb
Summary
- J Cole's album reflects on legacy, marriage, and fatherhood.
- The album samples and interpolates hip-hop's rich history.
- Critic questions album's emotional depth despite technical skill.
J Cole's latest offering, "The Fall Off," serves as a reflective farewell after six consecutive US No. 1 albums. The North Carolina MC frames this double album as a culmination of his nearly two-decade career, aiming to achieve what he couldn't in his early days. The 24-track, 101-minute project showcases Cole's technical prowess and lyrical skill.
"The Fall Off" is rich with references, interpolations, and samples, attempting to encapsulate five decades of hip-hop history. Tracks like "The Fall-Off Is Inevitable" and "I Love Her Again" pay homage to artists such as Nas and Common, while collaborations with Tems and sonic nods to OutKast demonstrate a deep engagement with the genre's evolution.
Despite its encyclopedic approach to hip-hop, the album is noted for a perceived lack of emotional depth, with Cole being the primary focus and other figures serving more as narrative devices. His personal life, including his marriage to Melissa Heholt and becoming a father to two sons, is touched upon, particularly on "Life Sentence."
