ALBUM REVIEW: K.O.D
Album Review
By Solomon Obi
Name of Musician: J. Cole
Name of Album: KOD
Genre of Music: Hip hop
Label: Dreamville, Roc Nation and Interscope
Release Date: 20 April, 2018
Initial Response: Well anyone who has cared to pay attention to J. Cole hustling his way through Rap’s world could foresee a profile album such as KOD on the horizon; he has indeed grown over the years. I was greatly impressed.
What I know about J. Cole: His real name is Jermaine Lamarr Cole. He is an American Rapper Singer, Songwriter and Record Producer. He initially gained recognition as a Rapper following the release of his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in early 2007.
How long has he been in the music scene: J. Cole has been in the game since the late 90’s, he released his second mixtape, The Warm Up, on June 15, 2009 which received positive reviews. He got signed to Jay Z’s Roc Nation as the first signed artist to the label in 2009 and he appeared on Jay Z’s album The Blueprint 3 (2009), on the track “A Star Is Born”.
What’s his Background: He was born on January 28, 1985, at an American military base in Frankfurt, West Germany. His Father is an African American veteran, who served in the U. S. Army and his mother is a white European American who worked as a postal worker for the United States Postal Service.
Overall theme of the Album: Powerful
How do I describe it: KOD magnifies his current status as an outsider, who is well versed in pop music’s machination even as he refuses to take part in them, his righteous, substance over style image is enormously appealing. J. Cole has pointed that KOD has multiple meanings: Kids on Drugs, King Overdosed and Kill Our Demons. He amplifies the “Kids on Drugs” portion of the album by soapboxing from his personal experience. The album has a great to tell about him and his world.
The lyrics: They are explicit and I don’t think this album will get much air play except it is altered. But on a light note, the lyrics from the album could be understood and you do not need to take your time to harness the messages in them.
Here are few examples
KOD
”Go, go, go
Go, go, go
Go, go, go
Go, go, go
This is what you call a flip
Ten keys from a quarter brick
Bentley from his mama’s whip
K.O.D., he hard as s**t
This is what you call a flip
Ten keys from a quarter brick
Bentley from his mama’s whip
K.O.D., he hard as shit”
Tracks that stand out: KOD, Photograph, The Cut Off, ATM, Bracket, Once an Addict and Friends.
Tracks that don’t: Well it is hard to say because all the tracks on this album are dope and each have a story to tell about his life. So I can’t really say I will just let you decide the ones you think don’t.
Why: They all carry rooted messages about his life, struggles, drugs, money, fame, friends and matters that affect him as an individual.
How does this album compare to others in this genre: This is album broke Apple’s Music 24 hour streaming record and was streamed more than 36.5 million times on Spotify in the United States. This joint shows J. Cole with a heightened sense of urgency and energy in the records as compared to his last project 4 Your Eyes Only.
My overall ratings and why: I will give this album eight over ten, though the lyrics are explicit, he is able to strike great scores and make a statement with this joint, that he is growing in the game and still has a lot to offer in times to come. The tracks on the album allow him to express himself, him struggles, his money, his fame, his issues with taxes, drugs, friends and his life. He has indeed seen everyone his evolution in the industry and the greatness of the genre hip hopThis album is remarkable.
By Solomon Obi
Name of Musician: J. Cole
Name of Album: KOD
Genre of Music: Hip hop
Label: Dreamville, Roc Nation and Interscope
Release Date: 20 April, 2018
Initial Response: Well anyone who has cared to pay attention to J. Cole hustling his way through Rap’s world could foresee a profile album such as KOD on the horizon; he has indeed grown over the years. I was greatly impressed.
What I know about J. Cole: His real name is Jermaine Lamarr Cole. He is an American Rapper Singer, Songwriter and Record Producer. He initially gained recognition as a Rapper following the release of his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in early 2007.
How long has he been in the music scene: J. Cole has been in the game since the late 90’s, he released his second mixtape, The Warm Up, on June 15, 2009 which received positive reviews. He got signed to Jay Z’s Roc Nation as the first signed artist to the label in 2009 and he appeared on Jay Z’s album The Blueprint 3 (2009), on the track “A Star Is Born”.
What’s his Background: He was born on January 28, 1985, at an American military base in Frankfurt, West Germany. His Father is an African American veteran, who served in the U. S. Army and his mother is a white European American who worked as a postal worker for the United States Postal Service.
Overall theme of the Album: Powerful
How do I describe it: KOD magnifies his current status as an outsider, who is well versed in pop music’s machination even as he refuses to take part in them, his righteous, substance over style image is enormously appealing. J. Cole has pointed that KOD has multiple meanings: Kids on Drugs, King Overdosed and Kill Our Demons. He amplifies the “Kids on Drugs” portion of the album by soapboxing from his personal experience. The album has a great to tell about him and his world.
The lyrics: They are explicit and I don’t think this album will get much air play except it is altered. But on a light note, the lyrics from the album could be understood and you do not need to take your time to harness the messages in them.
Here are few examples
KOD
”Go, go, go
Go, go, go
Go, go, go
Go, go, go
This is what you call a flip
Ten keys from a quarter brick
Bentley from his mama’s whip
K.O.D., he hard as s**t
This is what you call a flip
Ten keys from a quarter brick
Bentley from his mama’s whip
K.O.D., he hard as shit”
Tracks that stand out: KOD, Photograph, The Cut Off, ATM, Bracket, Once an Addict and Friends.
Tracks that don’t: Well it is hard to say because all the tracks on this album are dope and each have a story to tell about his life. So I can’t really say I will just let you decide the ones you think don’t.
Why: They all carry rooted messages about his life, struggles, drugs, money, fame, friends and matters that affect him as an individual.
How does this album compare to others in this genre: This is album broke Apple’s Music 24 hour streaming record and was streamed more than 36.5 million times on Spotify in the United States. This joint shows J. Cole with a heightened sense of urgency and energy in the records as compared to his last project 4 Your Eyes Only.
My overall ratings and why: I will give this album eight over ten, though the lyrics are explicit, he is able to strike great scores and make a statement with this joint, that he is growing in the game and still has a lot to offer in times to come. The tracks on the album allow him to express himself, him struggles, his money, his fame, his issues with taxes, drugs, friends and his life. He has indeed seen everyone his evolution in the industry and the greatness of the genre hip hopThis album is remarkable.
Comments
Post a Comment