J. Cole’s debut album _Cole World: The Sideline Story_ weaves a fascinating look into the psyche of rap’s brightest up-and-coming star.
Cole declares boldly on the introductory track “I’m coming for what I’m owed,” as he feels his relentless work will pay off. The melodic introductory of the next song, “Dollar and a Dream III,” promises if the listener will “walk with a n—a, I’ll give you my pain,” and fulfills it with some history of Cole’s upbringing and desire to make it to the top of the rap industry.
Trey Songz lends his vocals to the hook of “Can’t Get Enough,” an incredibly catchy tune filled with singsong bragging about the sexual conquests that come with Cole’s newfound fame. On the very next song, “Lights Please,” Cole goes deeper than just talking about sex by explaining how the company of a woman makes him temporarily forget things that are going wrong in his life.
After the interlude, Cole’s title track “Sideline Story” talks about being doubted and how he’s trying to “get up off the sideline” and make it big. He is then joined by Jay-Z on “Mr. Nice Watch” in bragging about the wealth his talent is bringing him.
Cole next launches into the hardest-hitting lyrical flow of his album on the song “Cole World,” abandoning any pretenses of humility and talking about his desire to turn the whole world into a “Cole World.”
The piano in the background of “In the Morning” and its guest verse by Drake make a romantic and soft song out of a basic request for something plenty of people want when they wake up in the morning.
The most emotionally raw song of the album, “Lost Ones,” tells the story of an unplanned pregnancy and comes right after a song requesting sex. The painful emotions behind Cole’s verses on this song make it easy for listeners to picture themselves in that situation.
“Nobody’s Perfect,” featuring Missy Elliot, is awkward and inauthentic, showing at this point in his life Cole is clearly much more adroit at discussing sex than love. The next song, “Never Told,” describes the emotional turmoil Cole faces as an adult from keeping his father’s infidelity secret in his youth.
In “Rise and Shine,” Cole briefly mentions his mother’s drug addiction and talks about his road to success, making it easy to root for his success. The next song, “God’s Gift,” erases the feel-good vibe created by “Rise and Shine” because “God’s Gift” is so full of borderline hubris. If he teeters off the edge of overconfidence and becomes too brash, he could easily go down the Kanye West road where his arrogance causes listeners not to pay the attention his talent and message deserve.
In “Breakdown,” Cole goes back to the emotional stresses of missing his father and seeing his mother addicted to drugs, while being caught up in the rush of his rise in the rap industry. It comes across as the second-most authentic and heartfelt song on the album behind “Lost Ones.”
“Cheer Up” directly quotes 2Pac in an homage to the greatest rapper of all time when he says “I wake up in the morning and I ask myself / Is life worth living? Should I blast myself?” The song’s uplifting message adds yet another side to the multifaceted Cole’s debut album.
On the final track, “Nothing Lasts Forever,” Cole doesn’t seem the slightest bit sad about a breakup, and is instead just resigned to its inevitability. It is a solid song, but a head-scratching note on which to end the album.
The bonus tracks are two of the best on the album. The first bonus track, “Work Out” is the exact type of song that has become the staple of J. Cole’s work: a catchy song about sex, filled with deft lyrics and clever wordplay. “Daddy’s Little Girl,” the other bonus track, tells the story of a young woman rebelling against her upbringing and abandoning her innocence.
As a whole, _The Sideline Story_ is worthy of five stars in terms of Cole’s skill, but probably only a three for the depth of the story it tells. Cole presents many sides of his persona in the album, but only really scratches the surface.
His upbringing and the obstacles he overcame in his life are what make him so appealing to audiences, but he seems to hold back from delving into that aspect of his personality. _The Sideline Story_ is great, but would have been even better if Cole had shared more of his pain and the background he emerged from in the path to becoming arguably the most promising young rapper in the industry.