If you are a huge fan of Hip Hop, 2024 has been great for you. This album has been flooded with great music and important moments. From records like 21 Savage’s american dream to Yeat’s 2099 to Schoolboy Q’s Blue Lips, 2024 has had so much memorable music come out that is proving the Hip Hop game is as possible and prominent as ever. One of the craziest moments of the year happened on the very good new album WE DON’T TRUST YOU by Future and Metro Boomin; this moment came on the song ‘Like That,’ due to a fiery feature from one of Hip Hop’s GOATs, Kendrick Lamar. Not only is Kendrick’s verse on ‘Like That’ great for its plethora of witty lyricism and cool flows, but it is also impactful due to the shots he delivers at Drake on J. Cole. Kendrick calls both of them out on this track and asserts himself as the only king of Rap music today. Everyone knew that J. Cole would not stay silent and let these shots go to the wayside(the jury is still out on whether Drake will respond as well), so Hip Hop fans have been waiting for something new from J. Cole since that song came out. J. Cole did not wait long to respond to Kendrick, as he has already dropped a new album of his own titled Might Delete Later. Any time an artist as prominent as J. Cole drops new music, it is a great day for Hip Hop. It is exciting to see what J. Cole will say to and about Kendrick, as well as to see what else he has to say about what is going on in the world and in his life right now, considering he is such a great lyricist. Here is how I feel about J. Cole’s new album Might Delete Later. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from Might Delete Later, and also comment on how you feel about the album as a whole.
‘Pricey,’ which features Ari Lennox, Young Dro, and Gucci Mane, gets this record going on a very laid-back and sentimental note. This song has a chilled-out sound that reminds me of summer; this will be a great track to listen to in a few months because it makes me want to drive around on a warm day with the windows down enjoying the weather. The melody for this track has an old-school West Coast sound to it, and the deliberate beat matches the casual feeling of the melody well. The rap performances on this song are solid(each rapper has a nice flow and vigorous inflection), but for me, the artist that stands out is Ari Lennox. Her sultry voice is so soothing on this track and makes the song feel so warm. On ‘Pricey,’ J. Cole and his features are talking about their rises to stardom and how they are better than their peers for what they have gone through in their lives and how they have handled the strife. ‘Crocodile Tearz’ is quickly emerging as a fan favorite from this record, and it’s not tough to see why this is the case. J. Cole turns the ferocity up to 10 on this track. The instrumental on ‘Crocodile Tearz’ is mean and cold, making this song feel anxious and intense. The melody for this song almost sounds like a warning bell, and the punchy, bass-heavy beat makes the track feel so heavy. I love how the instrumental builds, as it makes the climax so hard. J. Cole shows his rapping prowess on ‘Crocodile Tearz’ through his flow and tone. His commanding delivery makes this track hit extra hard. On ‘Crocodile Tearz,’ J. Cole is rapping about his rise to stardom and how he is still at the top of the rap game. ‘Ready ‘24,’ which features Cam’ron has a sound that throws it back. This is a song for fans of old-school Hip Hop. ‘Ready ‘24’ is basically a modern, Trap-infused version of the song ‘I’m Ready’ by The Diplomats(the early 2000s rap group made up of Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, and Jim Jones). The melody contains the same sample from The Diplomats’ version on the track, The beat for this one is a lot larger and more intense, though, giving this track a vigorous energy. I like the way J. Cole’s voice contrasts with Cam’ron’s. J. Coles’ higher pitch gives the song extra emphasis, while Cam’ron’s mellows things out a bit. On ‘Ready ‘24,’ J. Cole and Cam’ron are rapping about the trajectory of their careers and how they are more than satisfied with where they are at today. J. Cole slows things down a considerable amount in the song ‘Huntin’ Wabbitz.’ I have to say, this track sort of bores me a bit. Nothing about it is necessarily bad. The melody is pretty pleasant, and the beat is hypnotic. J. Cole’s delivery on the track(especially in his flow) is somewhat solid as well. But there is something about ‘Huntin’ Wabbitz’ that does not do it for me. I do not think I will be coming back to this one at all. Something is interesting in the use of a sample on this song, though. The track contains lines from the popular Meat Canyon Youtube Video Wabbit Season, giving this song a quirky pop-culture reference On ‘Huntin Wabbitz,’ J. Cole is calling out the other rappers at the top of the game(namely Kendrick Lamar) who have been throwing shots at him lately.
‘H.Y.B.,’ which features Bas and Central Cee, has a slightly different sound than the Trap based sound we have heard to this point on this record. It leans into the UK Drill sound that Central Cee is popular for making himself. This track has a melancholy yet relaxing melody and an off-kilter Drill beat. Before Central Cee comes onto ‘H.Y.B,’ I would say the song is okay at best, but I think Central Cee honestly saves this one. I do not love the way J. Cole’s flow and vocal inflection sit on this song, and Bas’ performance on the chorus is nothing special. Central Cee’s gruff voice and rapid flow gives the track life and make ‘H.Y.B.’ a lot better for me. On ‘H.Y.B.,’ J. Cole, Bas, and Central Cee are rapping about how easy it is for them to get any girl because of how much money they make. ‘Fever’ is a quick and light track with a sound and an energy that is nothing like anything before it. This is a quick and dancey R&B Trap song with a Tropical feeling to it. ‘Fever’ has a warm and luscious melody that makes me sip a margarita at a Beach party. The beat for ‘Fever’ is fast-paced and will make anyone move their hips when it comes on. Although I would never expect J. Cole to make a song like this, I really enjoy it. J. Cole definitely shows his range in ‘Fever.’ On ‘Fever,’ J. Cole is singing about a girl who makes him feel hot and bothered whenever she is around. ‘Stickz N Stonez’ is another song that I have seen become a fan favorite alright. If you are a fan of J. Cole’s older music, this is a track for you. It has a breezy and retrospective sound that is very reminiscent of the music J. Cole was making in the mid-2010s. Even though the song has that energy, it does not feel outdated because of how good J. Cole’s rapping is on ‘Stickz N Stonez.’ He keeps the listener engaged with his lyricism, flow, and tone. On ‘Stickz N Stonez,’ J. Cole raps about how he has done everything there is to do in Hip Hop and challenges any other rapper who thinks they are on his level. ‘Pi ‘, which features Daylyt(a legendary battle rapper) and Ab-Soul, is by far the most psychedelic and vibey song on the record. Frankly, it sounds like a song that is meant to be smoked to. The song is driven by a sample of a 1990’ Bluesy Funk Trap called ‘RainMaker.’ The beat for ‘Pi’ is very Jazzy, fitting the trippy and groovy feeling of the melody. All of the rap performances on ‘Pi’ are great. Ab-Soul, Daylyt, and J. Cole all bring a viscous energy to their rapping that contrasts the melody nicely. On ‘Pi,’ J. Cole, Ab-Soul, and Daylyt rap about their prowess at rapping and they know no one can touch them.
‘Stealth Mode,’ which features Bas, keeps the funky old-school feeling we got on the last track going. It does contain a specific sample of a 1970s Blues track like the preceding one, but the melody feels super inspired by that kind of music. This melody is so sweet and balmy; it creates a cool contrast with the beat, which is inspired by New York Drill music. The beat for ‘Stealth Mode’ has a buzzy and slightly off-center drum pattern that makes me think of music by Pop Smoke. Both J. Cole and Bas sound very good on ‘Stealth Mode.’ Both rappers increase the energy of the track and make the song feel robust. On ‘Stealth Mode,’ J. Cole and Bas are referring to and calling out snitches and traitors who have gone behind their backs. ‘3001’ is another song that feels inspired by J. Cole’s own older music. It has the energy of the kind of songs he was making at the beginning of his career in the late 2000s. Unlike the last song which is reminiscent of his older music. ‘3001’ does sound a bit outdated to me. It does not have the charm that ‘Stickz and Stonez’ had which makes that one more endearing. Regardless of how I feel, I could see this one becoming pretty big because of its similarities to his older music which is beloved by his biggest fans. J. Cole’s rapping has the kind of commanding and poignant tone and flow that his biggest supporters love and crave, furthermore making this a track they will appreciate. On ‘3001,’ J. Cole is rapping about his stature in the rap game and how he is as rich and famous as he could ever want to be. ‘Trae The Truth In Ibiza’ has what is probably the smoothest and most calm instrumental on the project. This song is even more laid-back than ‘Pricey’ and ‘Pi.’ This instrumental has a Southern Gospel-Trap sound that is joyous and luminous. The melody for this track is driven by a Soulful and Jazzy piano riff and vocal sample; the beat for this track is easy-going and goes perfectly with that Soulful melody. I love how J. Cole’s more rapid flow contrasts the melody, as it gives an energy boost to ‘Trae the Truth In Ibiza’ that gives the track a bit more life. In ‘Trae The Truth In Ibiza,’ J. Cole pays homage to those who have helped him along the way in his career and acknowledges all of the struggles he had to go through to get to this point. J. Cole closes out Might Delete Later on an aggressive and rowdy note with the song ‘7 Minute Drill.’ This is the track that will most be remembered from this project, not only because of its raucous sound but also for its lyrical content. ‘7 Minute Drill’ is meant to specifically be a warning shot towards Kendrick Lamar. This song has two beats in it, with the beat switching about halfway through the track. The beat in the first section is quick, distorted, and buzzy, while the beat in the second half is more clean, harsh, and deliberate. Both beats in ‘7 Minute Drill’ deliver the appropriate amount of hostility to make J. Cole’s raps really hit. On ‘7 Minute Drill,’ J. Cole sort of rips into Kendrick, stating his opinions on some of his music and asserting that he is better than Kendrick. He also makes it known that Kendrick started this first and that he would not have done this if Kendrick had not instigated it. It is an interesting and bold statement from J. Cole that set the Hip Hop world on fire and makes there a lot more to look forward to in Hip Hop during 2024.
There are some artists who no matter how much music they put out can seemingly never make a bad album. I feel like these artists are taken for granted and sort of unfairly judged because they are being compared to themselves more than their peers. J. Cole is someone who definitely fits into that mold. I will say that in my opinion Might Delete Later is not close to his best work. This album will be way more remembered for the statements he made about other rappers on it than for the actual sound of the songs on it. That is not to say that Might Delete Later isn’t a good album. It is decently high-quality for what it is, and J. Cole continues to show his versatility and talent on this project. Might Delete Later will not be a staple or highlight in the discography of J. Cole, but it is a somewhat solid addition to his catalog that is not totally forgettable.
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