![]() “Cole World: The Sideline Story,” Cole”s 2011 debut studio album (following a series of mixtapes) entered the Billboard 200 at No. “Born Sinners”” tunes deal with conflict after conflict, whether it”s the war between genders (all too often, Cole resorts to denigrating women), race relations, his sudden rise in money and the accompanying power, or just the endless noise in his own head. His lyrics, as full of braggadocio as they can be, are also full of questions for which there are often no answers. While he may not have as much of import to say as he thinks he does, Cole certainly has a way with a story: here they often tie in with with biblical references, whether its original sin, the promised land, or crucifixion (though, thankfully, he doesn”t have quite the level of messianic complex as West). “Born Sinner,” produced largely by Cole with some help from No I.D., Elite and others, solidifies Cole”s impressive wordplay and rap skills. “Yeezus” will win the sales battle, but Cole may win the war. ![]() Cole deliberately moved the release of his sophomore set, “Born Sinner,” up a week to compete directly with “Yeezus.” While much, if not all, of the focus on June 18 album releases has been on Kanye West”s “Yeezus,” fellow rapper J Cole is nipping at his heels like a eager, overly-confident puppy.
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