Born Sinner
| J. Cole
Born Sinner
Born Sinner is the second studio album by American rapper J. Cole. It was released on June 18, 2013, by Roc Nation, Dreamville Records, ByStorm Entertainment and Columbia Records. The album features guest appearances from Miguel, Amber Coffman, Jhen Aiko, James Fauntleroy, Bas, TLC, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent. The album was also primarily produced by Cole himself, along with others such as Jake One, Syience, Christian Rich and Elite. - Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
J. Cole's lastest album finds the Roc Nation signee in a referential state of mind.
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Billboard
Easily the best hip-hop album of 2013 so far, stands on its own merits.
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Genius
Ay, good work Cole!
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Consequence of Sound
He reaches for statements of love, death, and materialism—everything that’s simply passing.
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Hip Hop DX
Receiving a pass for effort and strong conviction rather than actual execution, Born Sinner does little to rectify concerns that J. Cole has trouble exciting segments of his audience.
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Rolling Stone
Sometimes he’s both – a verbal powerhouse and a self-emptying truth-sayer.
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Tiny Mix Tapes
It’s courageous without being self-congratulatory, humbling but still unabashedly ballsy.
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Hot New Hip Hop
Whereas Cole World felt disjointed and slightly underwhelming, Born Sinner impresses as a complete album.
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The Gavel
Some will again be dissatisfied by his sophomore effort and there’s undoubtedly room for improvement.
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Slant Music
Cole has managed to steal some of Kanye’s thunder without appearing either greedy or disrespectful.
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All Music
Born Sinner is a daring step forward for Cole and an exciting attempt at mastering Jay's Blueprint style.
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Soul in Stereo
Cole’s not perfect but, honestly, that’s what elevates him from the current caricatures masquerading as rappers. He’s human.
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Velocities in MusicTV
We would have like to have seen a more cohesive album listen in order to call this a masterpiece, but it’s still damn good, and Cole’s abilities never cease to leave us impressed.
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Creative Loafing
The new him may have some amazing things in store.
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Complex
J. Cole's album rollout proves he's a new kind of rap star.
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Zillanoise
Cole uses Born Sinner to express his imperfections as not only an artist, but as a person as well.
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Vibe
Born Sinner serves as J. Cole’s rite of passage into being rap’s potentially lethal contender.
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Sputnik Music
Born Sinner isn’t the “real” hip-hop that everyone has been clamoring for; it’s just a great mainstream album that caters to everyone who isn’t going to buy Yeezus.
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Okay Player
He had mad expectations… n he damn near almost kinda but not really came close to sorta achievin 1 or 2 of em namsayin.
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The Drop
Across the board, Cole has shown growth.
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Rap Reviews
It is an album that will outlast a staged music industry shoot out.
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XXL
But while BS may not exhibit the growth sonically or conceptually that fans may have anticipated after hearing Cole’s early work, he remains too gifted lyrically, too keen of a storyteller, and too emotionally open for his sophomore LP to be anything less than impressive
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UPROXX
Is redemption possible or even desirable or do you wait until you fall further.
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Ear Milk
It is melancholy and frustrated and no fun to listen to.
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Mic
This album is without any weak links.
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Exclaim
Born Sinner is an honest account of Cole's growth and development, revealing his humble beginnings, challenging successes and bright future.
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Idolator
Born Sinner is a well rounded package from an artist who has fought tooth and nail to achieve his position in Rap.
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Koalition
What Cole lacks though is that stand-out, almost overbearing, passion and ego in delivery that really makes a lasting impression.
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The Musical Hype
Born Sinner is a superb effort.
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Respect Mag
In the end, Born Sinner is an album that beats the sophomore slump, but it still showcases a J. Cole who is haunted by his own doubts, albeit new ones.
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Brent Music Reviews
Ultimately, Born Sinner is a superb effort.
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Popstache
It’s clear that he figured out a sound for himself, and he has used his second album as a way to establish himself as a more intellectual rapper.
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SQ Magazine
His passion for the music he makes is reflected in the record’s varied beats and samples, genre shifts, crisp production and tight lyricism; an emotional trip that finds itself standing on the borders of self-gratification.
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The Guardian
The Jay-Z protege combines inventiveness and classic 70s soul tributes with the brashness of a rookie Kanye West.
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The Needle Drop
Despite the dramatic cover art and album title, J. Cole's sophomore effort doesn't seem any more emotional or focused than his debut.
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Beats Per Minute
If Born Sinner proves anything, it’s that he’s not ready to take the fall, but he as a long way to go if he wants to rope off an area all his own in hip hop’s evolution.
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The Music
Though not the classic he threatens to create, Born Sinner remains intelligent, middle-classy mainstream hip hop.
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The Daily Cougar
While many may come for his excellent use of wordplay and style, they can’t deny that there’s a huge deficiency of delivery and flair.
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Spin
But here he seems stuck somewhere between starstruck and envious, fawning over his idols instead of trying to take their crowns.
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The Odyssey
I highly recommend it as it tells a powerful story with the lyrical genius that is J. Cole.
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Noisey
I feel like I'm listening to my friend complain while I'm playing Call of Duty high.
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Def Pan
Overall, Cole’s sophomore project is a great effort, showcasing his lyrical and production abilities but not quite at the ‘classic’ pedestal that many of his fans put him on.
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Parle
Born Sinner isn’t worthy of much extensive praise either.
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Mimo
Cole embodies tenacity and determination, especially taking in how far he’s come.
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Financial Times
The album shows the North Carolina rapper is an ingenious wordsmith and beat-make.
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Artistic Manifesto
By no means is this album ready to be dubbed a “classic,” or even album of the year for that matter, but, it is definitely worth your listen.
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Hit The Floor
The album plays to all his strengths, and will likely earn him the respect he deserves.
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Alkaholic Kroniklez
But the lack of confidence & your insecurity is the reason you will never be great.
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We Plug Good Music
J. Cole’s sophomore album may have begun dark but it ends on something light and nostalgic.
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Business Insider
There is always someone waiting in the wings, trying to take your spot while you're focused on anything but your hunger...J. Cole is that person.
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Rock Sucker
J. Cole’s flow is generally okay to good throughout album, so it’s a shame that he has precisely nothing of any interest to say whatsoever.
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Sidewalk Hustle
This time around, Cole really dug deep and the introspection shows.
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Glide Magazine
Born Sinner may be the strongest album of the summer
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Good Kid, Ratchet City
It features amazing storytelling and social commentary on the music industry, fame, and wealth.
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Sunset in the Rearview
Born Sinner is 100x better than Sideline Story
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Caleb D Upton
Born Sinner has shown us what happens to a person when they are deeply honest about our frail condition
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Lyfstyl
Born Sinner is a superior album that shows immense growth in Cole’s talents as a rapper and even more so as a producer.
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DJ Booth
Overall, Born Sinner is an impressive effort.
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Rolling Stone
His riffs on racism, homophobia and misogyny have more lyrical cunning than insight.
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Los Angeles Times
A quieter, self-examining rap record that’s short on audacity but long on workman-like singles.
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USA Today
His themes of lust and temptation are soulfully and artfully realized on this sophomore effort.
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Entertainment Weekly
He’s a talented, nimble rapper, but diatribes like “Trouble” and “Land of the Snakes” are more exhausting than impressive; too often he comes off like a strident high school jock with a word-a-day calendar.
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The Boston Globe
Cole continues to flash terrific storytelling technique with a rich gift for language and a deepened worldview.
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Newsday
Overall, Born Sinner is a treasure: Cole paints pictures with his superb rhymes and sets the mood nicely with his solid production.
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Sinuous Magazine
Undoubtedly living up to rather high expectations, true fans of the artist will find that this set, which may one day be considered a classic, is worth every dime.
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Guestlist
Each song has been carefully crafted to take you on a beautiful path through the rapper's mind state as he journeys from dark to light.
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The Multicultural Politic
Born Sinner is one of few albums which can be listened to on repeat, and every single song appreciated.
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Arena
J. Cole has carved out a nice lane for himself.
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Simply Believe Music
The self-produced track shows Jermaine’s growth as both an artist and a producer.
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Stash
The fact that it gets better with each listen effortlessly makes it one of the best Hip Hop records of 2013.
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Sypher Sights
It’s a nice sounding mainstream hip-hop album that actually has some good raps on it, but not much of what J. Cole says on this album is fresh and ground-breaking; and his rhyming and wordplay, while good, aren’t enough to make an exceptionally great album on their own.
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Hype Beast
J. Cole entered into Hip Hop’s consciousness at a time when the genre was desperately looking for a new voice and persona to fill the “every-man” role
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Da Shelter
J Cole nevertheless proves that he’s his own artist and he’s not afraid of showcasing it either.
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The Source
Cole’s subject matter and flow distinguish him amongst his rap contemporaries and has a nostalgic quality that is sometimes endearing and at other times dreary.
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Spectrum Pulse
There still a lot of real potential on display here - J. Cole just needs to realize it.
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Juice
Cole seems to be back to his strengths.
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Independent
Born Sinner may be a bloated, over-long album weighing in at 21 tracks, but there are several songs here to suggest that West should be keeping an eye on Cole.
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Journalism
It’s hard to find flaws with this album, it’s beautifully produced, and J.Cole is genuinely a brilliant rapper and this album shows he is also a competent music producer.
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IX Daily
The album was less about expressing his dominance in the game and more about showing his ability to take his influences and infuse them within his own music.
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Kids Wear Crowns
J. Cole isn’t just Jermaine from the Ville who still has loans to pay off, he’s now evolved into a well-rounded artist with a story to tell. And that’s all we wanted.
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Off Topic
Easily surpassing his first album and coming close to his mixtapes in terms of Cole's best work.
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The Quietus
Primarily, Cole’s second album concerns itself with both the obvious and the unexpected pitfalls of fame
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SoSo Active
The album is a joy to listen to and it’s capable of repeat listening’s without becoming too worn out.
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ymmwt
Listeners are given vintage J. Cole: lyrically intricate rhymes over somber beats.
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Day and a Dream
At least in this sequel he’s speaking more for his own freedom than ever before.
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First Klass Breakfast
Jermaine is still finding his footing as an artist, but he’s off to a good start.
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Rise and Vibe Music
You’ll be happy I recommended it.
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The Early Registration
It isn’t perfect, but it is progress — and a lot of it.
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2 Dope Chicks
Overall the album is a masterpiece! J. Cole doesn’t let fans down at all and if you’re not a fan this album will definitely make you a believer!
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Uncivil Sophisticate
At this rate Cole would just be a bench player who can have some terrific games but not the certified superstar he has the potential to be.
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Pivot Music
Born Sinner blew Yeezus out of the water.
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The Link Up
Born Sinner is a good effort from Cole and symbolises the new school rappers that deliver substance in rhymes, whilst offering classic drum heavy beats that you can more than snap ya neck to.
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Jam Spreader
It may not be the best album but it’s very real and honest and that’s what sets him apart from other rappers in the game.
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A Healthy Medium
Born Sinner deals with the good, the bad, the ugly and the evil within a man, and in this particular case, his name is Jermaine.
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Youth and Hysteria
Born Sinner is a solid album from start to finish, but don’t expect anything superbly groundbreaking here – it is a commercial, radio-friendly record.
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The Urban Realist
It’s a battle of wanting success and fame and what to do when you get it. Better yet, what not to do.
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The National
J Cole keeps the lyrical spotlight firmly on himself as he grants the rest of the album's guest slots to vocalists that complement his eloquent wordplay.
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