Most never see the arrival of the ending. For any attainment of success, an artist much approach their goal with a relentless drive to ensure they reach where they are supposed to belong. Time always progresses though. Each passing moment on the journey brings one ever closer to an inevitable end.

J. Cole started his mission when he was aged twelve and let his passion for music take him where he needed to be. It moved him from his hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina, to New York City so he could be closer to his idols. It made him debut in 2007 with his mixtape The Come Up as a 22-year-old with much desire. It caught the attention of Jay-Z as he signed a major-label deal with Roc Nation. It let him capture commercial and critical success with the release of six studio albums that all charted at #1 in the United States. It ensured he was one of the biggest artists in the world. It enabled all of his dreams to come true.

So, it is fitting that J. Cole brings a closure to his pursuit by going back home. There was a starting place for the life that he embarked upon. The cover adorning his new album, The Fall-Off, shows his modest production set-up that he used when he was a teenager and composed his first song. The album is in two parts: the first disc represents his feeling when he went home aged 29 — when he was at the height of his cultural prominence – and the second disc is for when he went home aged 39 — feeling the approach of the unavoidable end. The title of The Fall-Off too depicts a mindset; the same being and thought process that could propel one to reach The Come Up has receded with the passing of time into letting The Fall-Off become a fruition. Nothing is forever.

J. Cole described The Fall-Off as being “made with intentions to be [his] last.” He gets to dictate his final words. The Fall-Off is self-inflicted. The majority of artists that have ever created art will never see their end coming. Who could be involved in a pursuit of passion with the thought of it being over? It was his idol in Jay-Z who immortalised the concept of the retirement album with The Black Album 23 years earlier but even then it was apparent he aspired to be like Michael Jordan and eventually return (he literally describes the process in “Encore”). With J. Cole though, one can feel the shift in priorities has already happened. This is to be the final word.

The Fall-Off is a monumental album with 24 tracks totalling 101 minutes; the majority of songs run over four minutes. J. Cole holds down the majority of the running time singlehandedly but finally breaks his long-standing mantra of “platinum with no features” with his last effort. Uncredited guest appearances are made by singers Erykah Badu, Burna Boy and Tems alongside the rapper who will now forever be the only rapper to ever feature on a J. Cole studio album: Future. Production is handled by a large quantity of producers; much larger than ever seen on his studio albums. It seems that J. Cole decided to not let self-imposed limitations hold him back from his creative desires with his last effort. The instrumentation is varied and all-encompassing from across his career with sounds of jazz, trap, soul and boom bap.

J. Cole samples Mobb Deep and Common; he interpolates DMX, Outkast and T.I. Concepts originated by Nas are utilised twice with “SAFETY” being inspired by the prison letter stylings of “One Love” while “The Fall-Off is Inevitable” utilises the reverse storytelling of “Rewind”. “I Love Her Again” is a sequel to the hip-hop love story in “I Used to Love H.E.R.” by Common. “What If” has J. Cole imagining himself as The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac if they instead took the opportunity to express their genuine feelings to each other in writing. J. Cole lets himself be inspired by the music and artists of his youth that once gave him the motivation to believe it was possible.

The sentimentality and awareness of the moment is cavernous for J. Cole. He deals with topics like loyalty, the pressures of success, and the search for purpose. These are the closing words from an artist who once had the pull to shift the culture with him. How was it all achieved? The last line of the album-closing “Ocean Way” tells it all: “the more that I love, the more that I gain.” J. Cole loved this music enough to let it go as far as it took him; still, he knew when it was over. The Fall-Off is a fitting finish for an artist who wrote his own story. It is an excellent album to be remembered by.

The Fall-Off
J. Cole
Independent
Featuring: Burna Boy, Erykah Badu, Future, Tems
Production: The Alchemist, AzizTheShake, Beat Butcha, Steve Bilodeau, Boi-1da, J. Cole, DZL, Fierce, FnZ, Ron Gilmore, Jün Tetra & Gldy Jr, , David Linaburg, Luca Mauti, Maneesh, Omen, Powers Pleasant, Sucuki, T-Minus, Tae Beast, Vinylz, Wu10
Singles: “The Fall-Off is Inevitable”