Foreign Celebrity

Best J. Cole Songs On ‘2014 Forest Hills Drive’ Album, Ranked

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Prior to December 2014, J. Cole had already attained commercial success and notoriety as a formidable lyricist but had yet to truly cement himself as a dominant force in Hip-Hop.

The North Carolina native first made waves in 2009, after news of JAY-Z making him the flagship rap artist of Roc Nation surfaced ahead of the release of his mixtape, The Warm Up. That cosign, however invaluable, immediately created high expectations for Cole. He was viewed as the predecessor and progeny of arguably the greatest rapper of all time.

J. Cole Performing

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Cole’s potential was evident upon the release of the mixtape, which was built upon Friday Night Lights, the instantly classic mixtape that created overwhelming anticipation for his solo debut album. Iin 2011, Cole World: The Sideline Story debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart and earned Platinum certification from the RIAA.

However, it was widely deemed underwhelming in comparison to his previous efforts, raising some uncertainty about his ability to live up to the promise of being one of the leaders of the new generation.

Two years later, Cole doubled back with his sophomore album, Born Sinner, which duplicated Cole World‘s chart dominance and received stronger reviews. However, it was viewed as falling short of recent releases from his rap peers, bordering him between the distinction of being a top prospect and a true contender for the crown.

J. Cole Performing

Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images

Having admitted his past creative mishaps on Born Sinner, Cole decided to lock in and return to his roots. He recorded his third studio album in his home state and returned to his childhood home, which inspired the album’s title. 

Released on Dec. 9, the following year, 2014 Forest Hills Drive saw Cole divert from his previous formula, shunning blatant attempts at radio airplay in favor of songs that resonated with his core base, a focus he failed to hold throughout his first two albums.

J. Cole Performing

Brian Feinzimer/WireImage

The result was rave reviews from critics and listeners alike without diminishing his returns. The album became his third to top the Billboard 200 and would go on to become his best-selling album to date. 

In celebration of its release anniversary, VIBE took a trip down memory lane, parked in front of 2014 Forest Hills Drive, and ranked the album from top to bottom.

Which song is the overall best on the album? Find out below.

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