Hip-hop artist Jermaine Lamarr Cole debuted his seventh and final studio album, “The Fall Off,” on Feb. 9, which includes two discs totaling 24 songs.
The album offers an interesting perspective on Cole’s beginnings, career and how fame has directly affected his life. The most important thing to know about this album is how vital it is to Cole’s career, because it’s a send-off.
This is said to be his last album, but nothing is yet confirmed. According to news site Hot New HipHop, J. Cole states that he is going to spend his time working with others instead of focusing on another album.
“I will write, I will record when it hits me,” Cole said. “Release new music if the spirit says to do so. But The Fall-Off is a project I won’t try to top.”
“The Fall Off” isn’t just a simple album; it’s a reflection of who J Cole was and a calling to the man he plans to be. All of his mistakes, triumphs and influences on the public are put on display.
Cole isn’t just a rapper; he’s a huge part of what hip-hop is all about today. In my eyes, the album is perfect. With beats that give off laid-back chill grooves, to a more loose, fiery rhythm, this is what we have been waiting for.
Jayshawn’s thoughts
This song has a nostalgic tone of Cole’s ATM with its beat and rhythm. With Future and Tems featured on this track, it is pure bliss to my ears. This is a lyrical one for the original Cole fans out there.
2. “Poor Thang”
This track is an absolute banger. The delivery is strong and also very lyrical. It made me feel like I was on top of a puffy cloud and just staring down at the world. It’s super catchy, and the beat is insane. The track felt raw and unfiltered; Cole gave us a glimpse of his youth in under five minutes.
3. “Legacy”
This track is absolutely amazing; it has a reminiscent vibe, one that some people can never forget. More on the romantic side, the presence of a lost love is very vivid. It reminds me of the phrase, “the one that got away.” That phrase is said in the track, but it signifies it wholly.
4. “SAFETY”
An old school vibe, from third to first person, Cole speaks to us about different stories from his past and connects with us on a deeper level. The beat is so harmonic, and Cole flows on it effortlessly.
5. “Two Six”
This track is trendy, and speaking about where he grew up, Cole has yet another hit to add to the charts. Absolutely spontaneous, the flow is upbeat, and Cole just coexists with it.
Chase’s thoughts
This is the second song on the disc, where Cole breaks down and reflects on his life in reverse.
Cole starts the song by talking about his inevitable death, stating that he first appeared in a hearse.” A “hearse” here refers to a car designed to transport a coffin or casket.
Cole, in the next bar, continues on to say: “The driver steered to the church, my grandkids carried the coffin to the altar as they burst into tears from their shirts.”
Cole speaks about his death and how it will impact the generations of his family in the next bar.
He goes into the rest of his verses explaining the good in his life and the crucial mistakes he made as he walked through his life in reverse from an outside perspective.
Cole ends the song by returning back to his spirit with the line: “I couldn’t explain, momma gives me my name, then hands me over to the doctor, and I watch as my spirit reverts.”
This signifies J. Cole going back and remembering where it all started.
This song shows Cole’s ability to use clever wordplay and gives the audience a reason to think more deeply about their own lives.
2. “Quick Stop”
Cole gives us straight bars over a tense beat, which makes listeners feel uneasy.
Cole speaks about being stuck in a familiar cycle and how he isn’t above it. Making music and barely getting by, getting stuck in distractions and repeating.
The song itself is a short story about Cole stopping to get gas, which led to an encounter with a fan who told Cole how his music truly impacted his life.
Cole, initially trying to keep a low profile, is shocked by the encounter and is reminded of what making music is about.
Cole explains that it’s more about rap, women and money. In a final full circle moment, he ends with the line, “Yeah, it’s the difference you make.”
Cole’s storytelling and ability to convey a powerful message are fully on display here.
3. “Life Sentence”
This song gives us a glimpse of Cole’s journey with his wife of over a decade. Cole opens up about personal struggles with love, loyalty and commitment.
“And I promise to treat her right, unlike what I had seen in my life as examples, marriages in shambles,” Cole said in “Life Sentence.”
He refers to his own upbringing with his parents, as his father left when he was a baby. In this song, Cole explains that he wants to be better for his wife, even though he didn’t have the right example growing up.
The entire song is framed as a letter to his wife, as he pays tribute to their relationship and how it has got him to where he is today.
4. “Man up Above”
This song is about the violent cycles Cole witnessed in his upbringing. It begins with a gospel sample from Marvin Sapp, “Never would have made it” (2007).
Cole goes on to explain the violence he saw in his neighborhood, with the line: “Don’t go outside a lot, ain’t tryna get popped.”
As the chorus continues to play throughout the song: “Never would have made it, without you.”
The song serves as a vision of realistic violence in certain neighborhoods for listeners. Cole also uses the sample to show how he remained faithful to God for a better future through it all.
This song serves as a tribute to his faith before and throughout his career, while also highlighting the harsh realities of it all.
5. “39 intro”
The track gives us insight into Cole’s mindset at 39 as he returns to his hometown, Fayetteville, North Carolina, mirroring his song “29 intro,” which gave us his mindset at 29.
This time around, Cole is older and claims to be closer to peace.
“I’m pleased to report, after many attempts, I climbed out from the mouth of the gritty abyss,” Cole said in “39 Intro.”
Cole goes on to explain how his mind has been reframed with “Nvidia chip,” which are high process graphic cards known for their ability to handle massive amounts of calculations at once.
He uses this metaphor to show his new found mental fortitude.
“39 intro” shows Cole in a new mindset, a state of peace and he explains how far he has come from just 10 years ago.
Final Thoughts
To put it simply, the album was amazing. It brought together so many different pieces of Cole’s ability to create classics.
We were excited for this album ever since Cole had slight hints of “The Fall-Off” on his mixtape “Might Delete Later.” There is genuinely no song on this album that I will skip if it’s in rotation; it is music to my ears.
There are some songs that make you rock your head back and forth, while others make you go completely silent and pay attention strictly to the bars.
In terms of a final send-off for J Cole’s career, I think this is a proper way to go out.
I mean, the fall off was inevitable anyway.
