Rapper J Cole’s fourth studio album, 4 Your Eyez Only, dropped Dec. 9. The internet has been merciless in making fun of Cole and his fanbase the last few months. So does Cole prove the jokes wrong with this album or does he further prove their point?
4 Your Eyez Only, a narrative project, takes the perspective of a crack dealer struggling to rise above and live a better life. While it opens the door for many introspective moments, it could have been more potent. Cole tells the story well but he does not capitalize on this enough.
Cole is in his comfort zone here. 4 Your Eyez Only contains varied and relaxed production. It’s an organic hip-hop record that prefers jazzy coziness over banging beats. This subdued sound works well, especially on the controlled assault of “Immortal.”
Cole plays it too safe. The record sounds nice, but it brings nothing new to the table. 4 Your Eyez Only could be more lively as well.
Cole’s recognizable voice and flow return on this album. His rapping is tight and consistent but unremarkable.
Lyrically, Cole excels at giving listeners a good piece of his mind. He expresses himself clearly. This is a record that Cole poured himself into and it shows. Cole paints pictures and offers plenty of gentle moments. A couple of underwhelming lines float around, but they don’t drag the project down.
However, one of Cole’s biggest problems remains in his hooks. “Neighbors” is a solid track but Cole struggles to offer a good hook for it. Many of the hooks on this album are weak, which can turn the excitement down a notch.
The biggest misfire on 4 Your Eyez Only comes in the form of “Foldin Clothes.” The production may be strong — boasting a driving bass line — but the lyrics are laughable. Listeners can appreciate the sentiment behind the track but Cole drops the ball. A song about enjoying the simple things people do with their loved ones is refreshing, but J Cole does not execute this idea well. It is hard to take the song seriously when the first line is “I wanna fold clothes for you.”
Still, 4 Your Eyez Only is Cole’s most mature project yet. He’s moved past his juvenile braggadocio and “too much information” attempts at intimacy. While this is a solid album, it does nothing to spice up hip-hop as a genre. It is fine but it plays it far too safe for earn a placement in the upper echelon.
Meanwhile, the online jokes are too harsh for what Cole is offering, but he still does not live up to the hype of his fans. For this, 4 Your Eyez Only earns seven out of 10 stars.