2014 in 2015
On December 9th, 2014 rapper J. Cole released his third solo album entitled “2014 Forest Hills Drive”, which is the address of his first childhood home back in Fayetteville, North Carolina. This album is unlike anything Cole has every put out before. Of course his other pieces tell stories, but none nearly as significantly strong and personal as this one. In comparison to his other work, this album is like a movie that sheds light on the life Cole lived growing up. From his early adolescence to his teenage years, all the way to his turning point in college living out in New York City where the start of his new life began. To his days in Hollywood and finally finding what he has so longingly been yearning for which he eventually realized was hidden in himself.
His track list includes: 1. “Intro”, 2. “January 28t”h, 3. “Wet Dreamz”, 4. “03’ Adolescence”, 5. “A Tale of 2 Citiez”, 6. “Fire Squad”, 7. “St. Tropez”, 8. “G.O.M.D.”, 9. “No Role Modelz”, 10. “Hello”, 11. “Apparently”, 12. “Love Yourz”, 13. “Note To Self”
Being that I have been a J. Cole fan for quite some time now, as well as a music lover in general I am able to see the bigger picture here. The story begins with an introduction from Cole singing on a mellow beat, “Do you wanna be happy? Free from pain, free from scars, Free to sing, free from bars. Free my dawgs, you're free to go. Block gets hot, the streets is cold. Free to love, to each his own… Look how far I done came. They say that dreams come true and when they do, that there's a beautiful thing. Do you wanna, do you wanna be happy? I said do you wanna, do you wanna be free?” Easily giving us an idea of the purpose and inspiration behind this album to set the tone.
The first official track on the album, “January 28th” is the first scene where Jermaine showcases where he was born, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Coincidentally this could be an ode to Jay-Z being that the second track off his most legendary piece, “The Black Album” is also named after his birthday, “December 4th”. Cole then begins to take us through his early adolescence life with his poetry on “Wet Dreamz”, “03’ Adolesecense” and “A Tale of 2 Citiez” in which all takes place throughout his time in high school. In his earlier years, “Wet Dreamz” where Cole expresses the anxiety leading up to his first sexual encounter all the way to his senior year in “03’ Adolescence” and “A Tale of 2 Citiez” that explain the crossroad he finds himself facing alone. Should he leave the only place he has even known and go to school to get a degree and chase his dreams in New York City? or should he stay home and make quick money in North Carolina?
“Fire Squad” is next, Cole talks to himself about his decision. Knowing he is afraid, he questions why, “N*gga, why you acting like a b*tch? If you scared to take a chance, how the f*ck we gon’ get rich?” Cole pushes his inner conscious to leave home and strive for excellence in NYC. Cole finally got his foot in the door in the expression of “St. Tropez” where he is adjusting to his new life. Being recognized in the streets and having a fan base he is finally off to Hollywood which brings us to the eighth track on the album, “G.O.M.D.” (Standing for get off my “dick”)
photo by dominic scott
“HOLLYWOOD COLE!” the track starts off immediately with a beat that pulls you in eager to know what is about to be said. He’s made it and he wants everyone to know that. “HOLLYWOOD COLE!” He’s established. He’s finally found what he’s been looking for, for so long, at least that’s what he thinks. “HOLLYWOOD COLE!” Shortly he realizes that resentment is filled in the air surrounding him being estranged from family and friends back home. Him and his girlfriend eventually breakup because he is unable to balance the life he had before fame with the life he now has with it. He asks himself if he has changed and if so, was it solely his fault? Burying himself in these questions until he drowns, eventually Cole rises to the surface and gets his life back on track hoping to get back together.
Proceeding to the next track, “No Role Modelz”, he has finally realized that Hollywood isn’t real. The so called “happiness” that is portrayed on television is artificial. The women aren’t ideal. The new “friends” he made aren’t real. It’s all fake. He sings, “she shallow, but the pussy deep” throughout the hook. Which is a play on words, shallow end, deep pool. Shallow personality, with a deep sexual past etc. Not the kind of woman he wants to be with which lead him to the epiphany of having a good woman well before the fame.
The realization of true happiness and desire hit Cole hard like a shot to the heart. He reminisces on his life before the fame. All the people he didn’t have to second guess his friendship with because there was no possibility of him being an asset to them. In this reminiscence he remembers a girl he had deep feelings for in the tenth track entitled, “Hello”. Come to find out she’s a mother now and he wonders how life would be if he was her children’s father, but then soon snaps out of it because he doesn’t even have children of his own, “nowhere to place these things I own”. Now if you’ve followed Cole’s success, or have at least listened to other work you would see the connection of the woman on this track to the one on “The Autograph” (where he explains having further relations with her even though she is married) on “Friday Night Lights” which came out seven years ago. There’s also a connection to his first verse on “Can I Holla At Ya” which samples Lauryn Hill’s “To Zion”, where he expresses his concern again for a woman he used to know before he left home. “Some older dude snatched you up, gave you a rock now” with the “we speak about time as if we could just buy it back, if only it was that simple damn I miss you. Can I Holla at Ya?” he also talked about her on “Pray” which is a song on The Game’s “Jesus Piece” album that released in 2012. Deep thinking and past times run through Cole’s mind often. Throughout “Hello” he repeatedly says “hello?” as if he is on the phone with her, portraying the fact that he wants to call, but doesn’t because he finally decides to leave his past in the past.
Closing in on the final pieces that paint this beautiful picture together with “Apparently” where Cole sings “This is my canvas. I'ma paint it, paint it, paint it, how I want it ni%&a fuck you cause there, there is no right or wrong, only a song. I like to write alone, be in my zone. Think back to Forest Hills, no perfect home” Cole reflects on all the wrong decisions he has made in his life and how fans, as well as family still apparently look up to him because they love him for who he is.
On the final track, “Love Yourz” Cole now knows that everything he had been searching for has been in front of him the entire time. Which is the case in most of our lives, making him no different than anyone else. Which is the exact reason why I confide in his music so much. He’s just like you and I. He now knows that happiness isn’t in fame, it isn’t in jewelry, it isn’t in women. It is in his roots, his body, his soul, his mother, his woman, his family, his friends. He buys the childhood home that was foreclosed while he was chasing his dream. A result of leaving his mother and brother behind to face these struggles on their own because he was so blinded by the limelight. Jermaine finally brings himself inner peace and closure and he has come to the conclusion that “there is no such thing as a life that’s better than yours”, therefore you should love the life you live. Which is a concept most people haven’t grasped yet, but after listening to this album I’m sure they will. I did.
Thank you Cole.