J. Cole’s ‘4 Your Eyez Only’ a hit and miss

2016 was an extraordinary year for hip-hop, with impressive releases from Kanye West, Travis Scott, Skepta, Kid Cudi and more. The year also saw the rise of highly controversial “new wave” rappers, such as Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty and 21 Savage.

However, one of the most polarizing and divisive projects of the year was J. Cole’s latest album “4 Your Eyez Only,” which gained widespread attention upon its Dec. 9 release. While the peculiarity of Lil Yachty and Lil Uzi Vert often leave them cast as talentless “mumble rappers” with incoherent lyrics, Cole’s critics  find his rapping too conventional.

Cole’s most avid supporters claim he is one of the greatest MC’s in the history of hip-hop, writing profound verses with a simple storytelling style. Many have adopted an antagonistic approach to modern-day hip-hop, believing that a certain level of intelligence is necessary to appreciate Cole’s music, and the rest of today’s rap music is shallow noise about money, sex and guns.

One Twitter user was widely mocked and essentially turned into a meme when he tweeted, “Those who call J. Cole trash, an artist who consistently delivers food for thought … I believe they're afraid to think. They fear reality. J. Cole's lyrics, accompanied with mellow beats, impel you to think about what's real.”

The problem with these overarching and groundless statements is that people are making Cole out to be a legend simply because of how accessible and relatable his music is, especially to lower- and middle-class people of color. Little more than an elementary comprehension is necessary to understand his music; he reiterates the human experience for a black man, but provides little actual commentary or depth.

For example, on “She’s Mine, Pt. 2” he raps, “But if I had a magic wand to make the evil disappear/ That means that there would be no Santa Claus no more … 'Cause what he represents is really greed/ And the need to purchase s— from corporations/ That make a killin' because they feed/ On the wallets of the poor who be knockin' on they door.” Cole touches on issues he believes is plaguing society, such as materialism and gang violence, but offers no actual solutions.

Thus, his extreme popularity is somewhat disconcerting when he’s compared to a league of lyricists far beyond his ability, and he even takes egotistical shots at his fellow artists, such as the mediocre diss track “False Prophets” that was directed at Kanye West a week before the album’s rollout.

Top MC’s like Kendrick Lamar are able to utilize far more impressive flows and rhyme schemes while breaking down barriers, directly addressing mental illness, racism in America, abuses of the marginalized individual and more without restraint.

On the other hand, musicians like Lil Yachty, Kanye West and Young Thug are pushing hip-hop in a new direction by experimenting with fresh new sounds and styles of production. Cole doesn’t bring anything new to the table, nor does he offer anything particularly insightful.

Despite its shortcomings, “4 Your Eyez Only” isn’t a bad record per se. Cole’s beat choice has always felt monotonous, revolving around trap beats with some jazz influence, but the project features superb production from Frank Dukes, Vinylz, Boi-1da and J. Cole himself on its standout tracks.

“Neighbors” has Cole humorously recalling an incident in which a SWAT team raided his home studio (nicknamed the Sheltuh) after false reports of drug dealing; with a smooth, fast-paced flow, he cynically addresses racism in a post-racial America: “Welcome to the Sheltuh, this is pure/ We'll help you if you've felt too insecure/ To be the star you always knew you were/ Wait, I think police is at the door.”

On the self-titled final track, he recounts the life story of his friend James McMillian, Jr., who was murdered in the streets, to the daughter McMillian left behind. Here, the whole album is tied together as McMillian’s story; the experiences regarding racism, romance and family life are shared by both individuals, but only Cole was fortunate enough to make it out of the streets.

All in all, “4 Your Eyez Only” is an ambitious record, with a unique yet somewhat mundane message delivered as a simple story to a deceased friend’s daughter. The album solidifies Cole as an unremarkable musician, undeserving of the attention his albums are constantly met with. While he shines on more purposeful tracks like “Deja Vu” and “Neighbors,” his literal, uninspired verses on songs like “Foldin Clothes” are hardly worth a listen. But then again, who else can say they’ve gone double platinum with no features?