To some, he’s one of the greatest the rap game has ever seen. To others, he’s one of the most overrated rappers to bless the mic.
Rap is a sport and, just like football or basketball, it brings out the inner polemic in us all. Just this past week, J. Cole caused a stir on the internet again when his verse on Benny the Butcher’s new song, “Johnny P’s Cadillac”. Predictably, many fans hailed his verse as one of his best and yet another sign that his lyrical skill was beyond his peers, while others saw it as another testament to his mediocrity. For the longest time, Cole’s remained relatively quiet on it all, using his music and features to showcase his talent. But it begs the question of why does his music leave rap fans on such drastically different sides of the field, and is it possible for him to merge the two audiences?
Last year, J. Cole dropped one of the year’s biggest projects with The Off Season, garnering major praise from his peers and fans along with criticism from those who’ve long felt his music was overrated. Songs like “Middle Child” and more recently, “Heaven’s EP”, capture his thoughts perfectly:
“Some people say that I’m running third, they threw the bronze at me
Behind Drake and Dot, yeah, them niggas is superstars to me.”
His musical message since Middle Child reflects a renewed desire to assert his skill, which inevitably leaves him trapped in the Cole dilemma. If he remains humble and makes music for his fans, we will ignore him in favor of more brash and self-assured rappers. But when he brags about his lyrical ability, we label the music as repetitive and drab. Ironically, when his peers assert they are smoking on the top 5 or that they are juggling two coasts, we welcome it as bringing back the competitive spirit.
Most people would agree that J. Cole shines on features, especially if his partner on the track is 21 Savage, which only adds to the dilemma:
If he’s as great as we say he is, why are his brightest moments shared on the track with another?
Ultimately, I believe J.Cole is fully aware of how he’s viewed by fans and critics alike, but he’s reached a level where the feedback is heard but not felt. On the aforementioned track, “Heaven’s EP”, he offers more insight.
“Maybe deep down, I’m afraid of my luminosity.”
Maybe. Or maybe his greater purpose is to make music that embraces the past we all loved and the future we are working to love. Since he came on the scene, Cole’s made it his goal to appeal to the backpackers and the fans of hardcore rap, even when the two seemed incompatible.
The desire to bridge the gap reminds me of Nas, who constantly finds his every move either labeled as a classic or a disappointment.
But what he, and even Nas, realize now is that the only way to keep rap alive is to rap with whose alive.
By rapping with the rappers in the game, be it Young Thug, 21 Savage, Royce da 5’9, Rapsody, or Lil Baby, he’s keeping the sport alive, opening fans up to a style of rap they may have abandoned. Of course, some will see these unions as forced and label the songs as repetitive or formulaic. But what else can you do when you see a sport dying in front of you?