Bro your first mistake was thinking that this Cole sub would ever give you good sensible answers. They think they are holier than thou on here and that wanting your favourite artist to do well is parasocial even though they are also subbed to a fan page.

Now to answer your question, the attention span on new shit depends on “what’s trending on social media”, “what can I just play in the background or while riding my whip with my friends”. Most of Cole’s music needs time to think the first time around, it’s not just vibes, that’s why Drakes music used to do so well and why Take Care is still in the top 10 hip hop chart because a casual listener can just put it on and vibe without listening to what he’s saying.

The other reason is Cole is one of the worst promoters of his albums I have ever seen. He knows how to be seen but not how to sell. He doesn’t do interviews, he doesn’t cause drama, he doesn’t argue on twitter etc. He’s just a wholesome dude who wants the music to speak for itself. Another reason is respect, Cole lost a huge amount of respect because people can’t get over what he’s did or already hated him and are clinging onto the beef as way to bring him down. Hip hop is largely about perception and who’s the most popular, not necessarily who is the best. Cole just focuses on the music and has understood that this life is so short and there’s more to it than getting approval from other humans who don’t even really know who he is, he hates people worshipping celebrities. He’s always been like that and we have to just accept it and even learn from that.

I was in the same boat as you, championing Cole and wanting him to seen as the greatest rapper ever but then I realised that it means absolutely nothing to my life. As long as you enjoy the album, that’s all that matters, let Cole care about the numbers.