As a whole, this aspect of the album really offers an explanation of the theme of the struggle of being a black man in today’s society.Īnother important event to note during the making of the album was the SWAT raid of Cole’s mansion. Cole also notes this feeling in the song Neighbors, when he explains that these shootings make all black people feel as if they are candidates for the same type of fate as Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black male who was killed by a white police officer. For example, these events forced Cole to express the fear, that many African Americans share, of being gunned down mercilessly by police in his song 4 Your Eyez Only.
![4 your eyes only j cole immortal sample 4 your eyes only j cole immortal sample](http://museverb.com/wp-content/uploads/freshizer/4dac3b26d25d11f6bb806314e7d7ef44_MuseVerb-Exclusive-j-cole-4-your-eyez-only-cover-1536.jpg)
These unfortunate altercations influenced the album by being the source of some of Cole’s political commentary that can be found within the music. The incidents continuously sparked riots and intense protests, jarring new political conversations across the nation. To begin, in the two years leading up to the release of the album there were numerous fatal interactions between unarmed African Americans and police officers. However, it is also important to note the incidents occurring during the time this work was being created. In terms of the context of the piece, the album follows the narrative of James McMillan Jr., as mentioned before.
![4 your eyes only j cole immortal sample 4 your eyes only j cole immortal sample](https://riffsnrhymes.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/untitled-design.png)
This narrative serves a microcosm for the life of a black man in today’s society, and speaks to many political issues that occur today. The tale goes on, recounting how McMillan tried to turn his life around upon becoming a father, but reaches a sorrowful end with McMillan being slain in the streets. In between a few personal intermission songs from Cole, the album retells McMillan’s journey starting from the point where he became a drug dealer. The story of the album follows the narrative of James McMillan Jr, a young black man living in Fayetteville, presumably alongside Cole. The album features a variety of musical styles as it holds slow, melodic, jazz-style beats while also containing a few up-tempo, old style beats that reflect the rap of the early nineties. Only was released on December 9th, 2016, exactly two years after the release of his last album.
#4 your eyes only j cole immortal sample skin#
Finale "1985 (Intro to 'The Fall Off')" is straight talk directed at a certain sect of younger commercial rappers, mixing sharp cultural commentary with condescension and guidance: "These white kids love that you don't give a fuck/'Cause that's exactly what's expected when your skin black." As the value of Cole's witticisms, and the intellect required to decrypt full meaning of his verses, continues to be debated, the increased strength in his clear-cut writing evinces promise of greater work ahead.4 Your Eyez Only Album Cover official cover art released by J.Cole Instagram, 16 Nov. "Brackets" sharply turns from a millionaire bleating about paying taxes to a detailed treatise on who does and doesn't benefit from the process. Two other instances conversely make for highlights. Cole's few departures from the narrative method are sometimes for the worse, such as the point on "KOD" where he gets combative about the lack of guests on his records and deflates boastful rationale with some of his weakest wordplay. Most compelling of all is "Once an Addict," a regretful reflection on struggling as a child and young man to cope with the toll heartbreak and alcohol took on his mother. The primary theme indeed is addiction - not only to chemicals, but to technology and consumerism as well - with contextual allusions to its causes and bleak illustrations of its effects. The beats are often listless and skeletal, accessorized with bleary keyboards, fitting no one's conception of ear candy, though they complement the lyrical content. Only one track is neither produced nor co-produced by Cole. It's related exclusively by an alternately cold-blooded and nearly desensitized Cole, twice present in pitched-down form as a hollowed-out addict named kiLL edward. Unremittingly joyless, the set is nonetheless commendable for an absence of creative compromise and reflects the time as accurately as any other contemporaneous release. Moreover, the acronymic title of the rapper/producer's fifth album stands for Kids on Drugs, King Overdosed, and Kill Our Demons. Cole's disinterest in supplying listeners with an entertaining diversion, the dystopian cereal-box-look of the follow-up, replete with an obvious disclaimer, should get the point across. If the cover of 4 Your Eyez Only didn't send a clear enough signal regarding J.