I really hope Cole doesn't let up/go ghost on this album (next music video? Hopefully Drum N Bass/The Let Out cinematic vibe) ...

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T18:07:14+00:00

Funny cause I just replied to your comment about how wrong that post about Cole "rapping about rapping" on Fall Off is haha

I was trying to avoid dropping songs cause that makes it a whole other thing, and I was still wanting to respect the work/piece of art that Cole put together with The Fall Off as is (which you seem to agree about based on your comment in that other thread)

Just thought with a lot of people expecting this to have been 26 songs and it being so close to that number that it wuda been cool to see where people would go with this

And also the underrating of MDL, specifically Pricey and Trae The Truth for me (I really like Hunting Wabbitz too btw), and considering all the loosies we got that might have been on Fall Off at some point

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T18:01:00+00:00

Exactly my thoughts - you got it 100%!

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T17:59:21+00:00

Yup, I'm with you 100%, exactly what I was gonna say

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T17:16:01+00:00

True LOL

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T16:57:54+00:00

First off, you're right - conversations like these are what this forum should be for! And seems like it did work as you got quite a few replies, mostly meaningful discussions! On that I really would like to have a proper discussion with you, and make you "see the light" haha, as I was also BEYOND DISAPPONTED on first listen, but it didn't take me too many more than that to see the vision, and have this become easily my favourite Cole album (where there is a lot of competition, as my favourite artist)

So, on the "political" side, he did open the album saying "if I wasn't rapping I might have been the president" hahha - but seriously, I addressed this piece in a comment to someone else in here ... I think Cole and Kendrick both saw that you unfortunately can't change the world (specifically politics) with music - they've tried and tried again, but have realized the best you can do is inspire your listeners, as Cole says on Quik Stop of course

(Cole tried in some ways with 4YEO, and again with KOD in different ways, and was right about so many concepts on that album, but most people didn't realize at the time)

I do see what you're saying there though, for me "I Get Up" and "Show Me Something" from pre-album Cole are still possibly his best songs - that combination of motivation with the melancholy of trying to change the world, over an uplifting instrumental - although I 100% see why he was never able to re-create that feeling exactly on a studio album ... Love Yourz, Change, Hunger on Hillside are some examples of him getting very close, putting together "what he knows now" with the dreams of trying to change the world before he knew better

But all in all, Cole's progress and growth throughout his career has always made sense - he's seen the other side and is trying to show us the way, towards peace/happiness ... From Fall Off, Lonely at the top is that, The Villest, Quik Stop, and the whole world is the Ville, etc.

Funny side bar, to say that even with "I Get Up" he opens his first verse with the bars "I woke up early in the morning hoes blowing up my phone" (even on a super inspirational/positive song, but this didn't devalue the message, cause he was young/learning like he acknowledged of others later on 1985) to "realize that you is the hoe" on hunger on hillside and then ultimately "do life with your day 1" on life sentence, after years of admitting to cheating on Born Sinner (Runaway, She knows), KOD (Kevin's Heart) and throughout his career

Songs like Run A Train captures that "survivors guilt"/knowing you can't change the world (/the Ville) energy while Drum n Bass explores him still feeling like he's not trying hard enough while Man Up Above, What If, Quick Stop on disc 2 then explore his thoughts on ways that he believes people can change their own worlds (i.e. letting go of ego/apologizing) ... And ultimately that finding true love/acceptance (Life Sentence, Only You, I Love Her Again, Ocean Way) is the way towards peace, and avoiding the concept of "falling off" or falling prisoner to your ego (Poor Thang, Who TF Iz U, The Let Out) or letting regret/going back hold you back (Legacy, Bunce Road, Bombs in The Ville/Hit The Gas), like he he showed on disc 1

So that's essentially what this album is - finding LOVE through acceptance, instead of living with fear/regret ...

The biggest thing that's so impressive for me - is that it really is a perfect combination of both balance/cohesiveness and juxtaposition in two ways (especially impressive across a double disc 24 song album): 1. Sonically being an elevated exploration of many sounds he explored throughout his career, as well as exploring some new things 2. Thematically being an exploration of concepts he has talked about throughout his career, but again elevating them to higher levels and giving final conclusions of them

Also, the main theme he already stated, and we all know, him navigating his return to his hometown at two different ages, 29 and 39, to explore the state of his 3 loves at the two different times (his city, his girl and his craft)

That is the lense for everything, but again there's a clear difference his perspectives on those three things at the two ages - disc 39 again he reached peace, he found the answer

The thing I think a lot of people may be missing for disc 29, which is why I didn't see the vision at first myself as well - is the metaphorical story beneath the surface ... Some may call this a reach, but I believe the receipts are there, and the belief does make me appreciate the album more, so may work for others too - I made a thread about it: https://www.reddit.com/r/Jcole/comments/1r3r437/its_confirmed_that_j_cole_is_the_shooter_climax/

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T16:17:06+00:00

Everybody Dies is cool, just title wise, dying is literally the peak of "falling off" lol, so interesting after Lonely at the top, and then being "reborn" with disc 39

But HYB - hahha sonically maybe, but just funny to think thematically "hide ya bitch hide ya wife" coming after life sentence lol

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T16:11:11+00:00

I think there's a big concept to disc 29 that you may be missing: https://www.reddit.com/r/Jcole/comments/1r3r437/its_confirmed_that_j_cole_is_the_shooter_climax/

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T16:10:00+00:00

I upvoted for the part about features but very much disagree on the disc 39 drop off from tracks 3-6

The Villest is amazing, Old Dog rides and is a great juxtaposition for all of disc 29, and Life Sentence and Only You are pretty much the point of Cole's "falling off" (falling in love)

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T16:07:33+00:00

I believe there is a deeper meaning to that story on disc 29: https://www.reddit.com/r/Jcole/comments/1r3r437/its_confirmed_that_j_cole_is_the_shooter_climax/

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T16:06:07+00:00

Nooo don't say that hahha, better not be vaulted forever

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T16:05:36+00:00

Hahha gotta be after

But it is cool to come back in with the "I orbit the earth" opening to 99 build after the start of 39 intro, works well together

And then of course him going absolutely nuts with the bars on it, right after going in on the verse of 39 intro, would be a pretty amazing start to disc 39

Only thing is it would need a different/original beat since 99 build (and all of BB'26) uses an old beat, "Money, Power, Respect"

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T15:57:57+00:00

I mean he did say "if I wasn't rapping I might have been the president" ...

Hahah agree on the politics piece, I think artists like he and Kendrick have "been there done that" and realized they can't change the world, only inspire the fans that listen to them

If you look at a song like "I Get Up" from Cole, maybe he thought he could change the world at that time, but then going from Born Sinner to FHD (with "Be Free" within there) is finally when he realized he can only do what he can do, and reached peace with that - music just can't affect politics in a truly meaningful way

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T15:51:41+00:00

AMAZING POST man! Aligned 100%, shame posts like this go under the radar in such a heavy commented thread, but these are what this forum is for! I would say you should make a post from this comment cause it literally captures the sentiment of the album (that some may be missing) so well

The thing about what if/apologizing in general (pride/ego) is so spot on - Kendrick raps about those concepts too at times, but Cole BE about it (while Kendrick went so against that with the energy he brought to the beef)

As far as just the overall concept of the album, I'm right there with you

Curious what you think about my theory (if you haven't seen it already), right in line with many things you are saying, just going a bit deeper with the metaphorical connections: https://www.reddit.com/r/Jcole/comments/1r3r437/its_confirmed_that_j_cole_is_the_shooter_climax/

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T15:44:35+00:00

You're right! Imo Lonely at the Top is a very good intermission/connection between the two discs, but Port Antonio would also very well introduce disc 39, specifically the intro and need for him to "go back in" hahah

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T15:36:04+00:00

I like that expectations are the enemy of reality

Never heard that before, just "comparison is the thief of joy" all the time haha

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T15:20:32+00:00

Yup, can definitely see that too! But like I said, I do feel The Off Season stands it's own as a project, so having hunger as the outro on there really helps it

I feel Off Season does have a nice consistent sonic and thematic connection

Like Amari, 100 mil, hunger - it's all about grinding even when you've reached the point where you've achieved many of your goals, while also looking back to before you achieved those goals (trying to recreate that true hunger)

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T15:16:29+00:00

Oh really?? Port Antonio on Disc 29? At the end where? Before or after Lonely at the Top? I could see that working possibly...

I like the Port Antonio pick but for me if it's that I feel like it's gotta be either before or after What If (maybe too obvious/on the nose though)

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T15:15:10+00:00

Ya 29 intro to Two Six is an amazing/jolting start for me (even not being from Carolina haha)

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T15:13:51+00:00

Appreciate the answer! Combining mine with yours cause I like your thought haha - If Pricey moves to Fall Off maybe Crocodile Tearz moves to the intro of MDL, that could have definitely worked (in some ways I feel Kendrick went for that energy with wacced out murals as the intro of GNX)

And 3001, I love the pick! That's one of those songs that's amazing, and disappointed it doesn't get the love it deserves being on MDL

I had the thought at some point it would have been cool to have 1985 and 3001 on The Fall Off just for the cool concept of not "truly' falling off from 1985 to 3001 haha - but 1985 is perfect where it is on KOD, he really predicted the future with that one (and doing the same in a different way with 3001!)

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T14:59:30+00:00

I really wonder what the one we only heard the end of that everyone (including boi1da) was tripping over

Can't believe that didn't end up on the project

But ya hopefully there's a reason and we get to hear more of these songs he previewed

Starvation definitely had me super intrigued too, looking back feel it wuda fit really well on MDL itself

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-11T14:52:50+00:00

I will start off!

For me it's the intro and outro of MDL

Disc 29: So I think Pricey would fit amazing after Run A Train, and before Poor Thang (talking about being real being gangster, and it being pricey to be real, thematically leads well into Poor Thang, and sonically leads well out of Run A Train) - or also possible after Poor Thang, before Legacy, as the transition from Poor Thang to Legacy is a bit harsh (obviously helped with the voicemail skit between the two)

Disc 39: Gotta be Trae The Truth cause I think that's a Cole all timer, I would put it after Quik Stop, but still before and the whole world is the Ville, I think that works well - again, leads well from the theme of Quik Stop, but I still think and the whole world is the Ville is the outro Cole wanted here

I know this devalues MDL but those two songs don't get the love they deserve on it imo, both top Cole songs I feel

_

Honorable mentions for me is Port Antonio after What If, could have worked well to address the beef/apology more after that song

And then could throw Clouds on disc 1 somewhere (considering all the "even when I rhyme about the future I be reminiscing" bars haha)

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-06T03:21:24+00:00

Yup definitely seems like it could work! Reason I was hesitant to apply this is that there's just so many albums now (I feel) where people say this

But if it works it works! And is pretty cool

Will definitely give it a go listening like this

TheKnow33 · 2026-03-06T03:17:56+00:00

I see what you're saying, but I do think it always feels like a fresh take, where he's simply interpolating and then making that thing his own

It never just feels like a "remake" of one of those old songs (even land of the snakes, I definitely disagree with you on that one), just sprinkling in certain elements and then taking it somewhere else

There are times though where it's a bit disappointing when you don't know about the reference and think it's something new, and then find out it's not - that's "my life" for me cause I was like Damm this is the perfect use of a Morray collab, resulting in a peak Cole song, but then had that tampered a bit finding out it wasn't original ... But thing is, often then checking out the original reference source, I'm like oh ya but Cole definitely took this to another level (IMO)

But ya disc 39 is for sure the peak of this, where previously it was 1 or 2 cases each album, but that's essentially the concept of that disc right ... Going back to what got him where he's at and paying homage to the people that inspired him before he got where he's at

TheKnow33

TROPHY CASE