Song Guests: Ronald Gilmore, Nate Jones, David Linaburg, Travis Antoine, James Casey, Chargaux, T.S. Highest Charting Position (Top 200): #1 ( certified gold, January 2015) Label: Dreamville/Roc Nation/Columbia/Sony ColeвЂ™s truest artistic homecoming, the writing is literally on the wall. Sometimes less is more, and time may argue that despite his boisterous first two releases, when it comes to J. 2014 Forest Hills Drive manifested the destiny of the wunderkind heard in the late aughts, and presented Hip-HopвЂ™s most exciting double-threat since Kanye West. Cole refused the grandeur frequently associated with #1 Rap albums. With careful sequencing, and attention to cohesion, J. Cole reverting back to the mixtape formula that ushered him in.

Besides Kanye, Oddisee, and Blu, none of ColeвЂ™s peers could challenge the industry on a self-produced song. вЂњFire SquadвЂќ was Cole letting loose, jockeying for the trophy-and presumably answering KendrickвЂ™s вЂњControlвЂќ bell properly. However, not all of the album was sheer nostalgia. Within, the Dreamville founder recounted losing his virginity ( вЂњWet DreamzвЂќ), being inspired by his motherвЂ™s work ethic ( вЂњApparentlyвЂќ), and navigating puberty ( вЂњвЂ™03 AdolescenceвЂќ). Cole dealt with things that predated his fame and fortune. Cole finally arrived in making the kind of album that seemed timeless, and unrestrained.ДЇar from his debut, 2014вЂ¦ felt like a first album, in the sense that J. There were little to no weaknesses, as J. In doing so, it stripped away his major label and elite associations, putting all the strengths and weaknesses square on JermaineвЂ™s shoulders. Devoid of marketing, promotion, and features-this was a deliberate and orchestrated effort to reintroduce J. While each stood tall against the competition, it would be 2014 Forest Hills Drive that felt like his true, completely creatively-controlled work. With that, Jermaine Cole made two acclaimed, commercially-successful albums in Cole World and Born Sinner. Signed to Roc Nation by Jay Z, Cole and the general public were aware of the pressures and expectations of being the labelвЂ™s first MC to make cultural impact. Cole was at the top of the so-called вЂњnew class.вЂќ The Fayetteville, North Carolina MC/producer faced tremendous pressures between his white-hot mixtape run and becoming a radio-ready star. This battle, featuring a #1 and arguably the biggest breakthrough of the 2010s, has some seriously high powered implications (click one then click вЂњvoteвЂќ). Kendrick LamarвЂ™s Section.80, which featured early Cole production work, is a highly inventive cosmos of Compton anthropology, years before the mainstream accolades. 2014 Forest Hills Drive is a third album that felt like a debut-with its own artist fending off distractions, including his strong label machine. Collaborators for nearly five years, these diligent students of Nas and Tupac Shakur, respectively attained a gift for making the music feel meaningful, and to be cherished-even in an era where music is becoming more of a commodity. In the 2010s, you will not encounter many conversations about whatвЂ™s good about present-day Hip-Hop without hearing the names of J. While there will no doubt be conversation between family and friends (virtual and real), only votes cast in the voting tool below will be counted, so use the power of your click.

You and your vote will decide which album goes forward, and which one leaves the conversation. вЂњFinding The GOAT AlbumвЂќ will consider 120 albums from three individual eras (40 in each), with options for wild card and write-in candidates. Now, вЂњFinding The GOATвЂќ returns to ask a new question: what is the greatest of all time Hip-Hop album? One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-HopвЂ™s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? вЂњFinding The GOAT MCвЂќ lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as determined by hundreds of thousands of voters.

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