Review: J. Cole - Friday Night Lights (Mixtape)

J. Cole has a track on his new mix tape entitled “Blow Up”. Cole predicts the success of his rapping with his punch line, “Bitch I’m about to blow up.” Well to no surprise, one of the lower key rappers is doing just that. Friday Night Lights is J. Cole’s latest attempt to intrude your headphones and keep us hungry fans full until his debut album, Cole World.

I cannot understand what is more impressive. Is it that J. Cole has a talent for making a bunch of words flow so effortless? Or is that he produced almost every single song on Friday Night Lights? A combination will give the occasional listener a reason to sit back and enjoy a classic.

Friday Night Lights begins with a ballad of piano and Cole’s voice echoing as he eases the listener into taking the bait. He explains how this mix tape is where he will make a name for himself. Cole teases the listener into the true track, “Too Deep For The Intro”. The track’s name explains it enough. Cole introduces us to a new blend of rap. A track full of comparisons from Nas to the new age flow, Cole sums up his effort with the closer, “if they don’t know your dreams, than they cant shoot em down”.

An element of J. Cole’s latest effort that sticks out is the lack of guest appearances, which is a huge positive. With the help of DC Based rapper Wale, Cole and Wale meet again on “You Got It”. The track features an upbeat punch with a mix of distant drums and Cole’s signature piano touches. He does not stop there. J. Cole adds Young Money heavyweight Drake on the track “In The Morning”. With both rappers having their ways with words, they explain a fictional story of love and making a one night stand last longer.

Here comes the time in the review where I need to pick a favorite song. Here’s the problem: there are too many songs that I favor. However one of the realist songs I’ve heard in quite sometime sticks out more than the others. “The Autograph” is strictly Jermaine Cole going off. This track features one of those feel good anthems, where Cole narrates his success and where he is in the world. In a very close second, “Home For The Holidays” is your classic 1970’s instrumental. The thing with J.Cole is that it does not matter what instrumental he’s rapping on, he will make it his own and do it better than anybody else in the game.

J.Cole leaves Friday Night Lights with the simply named track, “Farewell”, his final ode telling the listener where he stands in the world of rap. If you ask me, he’ll be here for a while. Friday Night Lights will go down as one of the top mix tapes of 2010. And it’s not too early to call it the top mix tape of the century.

Score: 94%

Download: Wale - More About Nothing [Mixtape]

For once, Wale has released a mixtape when he said it'd be released. Grant it, a few server issues and a thirty minute delay, we are graced with one of the most annticipated releases of 2010. Wale gives us the second dose of the Seinfeld love with More About Nothing. If you were a fan of The Mixtape About Nothing, then you're going to appreciate this one just as much. The tape features Wiz Khalfia, Roscoe Dash, Tre from UCB and others.

All I'm going to say is it's great that Wale proved he doesn't need 40 guests on a mixtape. The go-goer throws us his best pitch right here. Download link below.

Download: Wale - More About Nothing [Mediafire]

TAO09- #6: Wale- Attention: Deficit

Top Albums of 2009- #6: Wale- Attention: Deficit

As you saw on my top mixtapes list, Wale reappears on my top albums list. The long awaited Attention: Deficit. Like the Back To The Feature, the album was pushed back, bumped up, and then pushed back. All I can say is the wait was worth it.

Everyone thinks Hip-Hop is dead. Wale woke it up and it's starting to hit the mainstream. With tracks such as Beautiful Bliss (Featuring J. Cole), Contemplate, and Shades (Feat. Chrisette Michelle); it's a breathe of fresh air. The album artwork/booklet is pretty sweet too. Attention: Deficit shouldn't be overlooked, it's a keeper.

Standout Tracks: Contemplate, Beautiful Bliss (Featuring J. Cole), 90210

[MP3]Wale- Beautiful Bliss (Featuring J. Cole) (Mediafire)
[MP3]Wale- Contemplate (Mediafire)

MP3: Wale- CJ Genesis Ustream

Wale is one of my favorite freshmen rappers. Seems everything he does is golden. His live shows are dope, just like his freestyles. On January 26, 2009; Wale asked anyone for a beat so he could freestyle over it. Well, he did it over Ustream courtesy of CJ Genesis.

download: zshare

props to Deal with No Deal

TMO09- #6: Wale- Back To The Feature (Mixtape)

Top Mixtape of 2009- #6: Wale- Back To The Feature

When Wale announced he was releasing his next installment of dope music, I was amped. However, I wasn't amped for the six month delay that the tape met. In June of 2009, DC rapper Wale finally released Back To The Feature. The name of the mixtape says it all, as the mixtape contains over seventeen different artists going along on Wale's beats and adding that special to the tracks. The mixtape was what I bumped at the parties I attended over the summer and I still play the tape sometimes, not as much cause Attention: Deficit is dope. The tape contains artists such as Joe Budden, Curren$y, Skyzoo, Talib Kweli, and throw in J. Cole for some more support.

This tape isn't worth passing up. Oh and 9th Wonder produced the whole thing. Enough said.

Standout Tracks: Say It Again (Featuring Royce da 5'9), Rather Be With You (Vagina Is For Lovers) [Featuring J Cole & Curren$y], Life's A Bitch (Featuring Talib Kweli & Joell Ortiz)

download: mediafire

Wale- Back To The Feature

So I've had no computer for about...6 months or so. I recently got my Dell back and I'm experiencing problems yet again. We'll see if I can keep posting. Anyhow, DC rapper/hiphop artist Wale recently released his new mixtape, "Back To The Feature". The tape features a slew of guests who totally rip apart the mixtape. It's the best thing I've heard all year and I suggest everyone starts listening now.

Download:: http://sharebee.com/08059eb5