Cole World: The Sideline Story
| J. Cole
Cole World: The Sideline Story
Cole World: The Sideline Story (commonly shortened to Cole World or The Sideline Story; stylized as Cole World - The Sideline Story) is the debut studio album by American rapper J. Cole. The album is his first studio release, following three successful mixtapes. In 2007, the album was first recorded and ended, and then began to take place from 2009 to 2011, featuring the production that was handled mainly by Cole himself, with some production from high-profile producer No I.D. It includes features four guest appearances from Trey Songz, Drake, Jay-Z, and Missy Elliott. - Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
J. Cole certainly posed no threat to Jay-Z's crown; he's too humble and lacks charisma.
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Genius
I really do believe that J Cole’s debut album is the greatest album of all time.
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DJ Booth
This album is a beginning, not an end, and in time Cole may become the timeless artist so many hope for.
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BBC
It showcases some astounding potential.
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Rolling Stone
If he evens out the ratio of from-the-heart shit to smart shit, Cole could be great.
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Consequence of Sound
Cole has steadily proved himself to be an exciting and capable artist.
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AV Club
Those inspired moments don’t add up to a classic debut, though, and Cole World certainly doesn’t feel like the work of a surefire star.
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Slant Magazine
It shows off the scattered but considerable strengths of a talented rookie whose potential for long-term success is palpable.
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MSN Music
He's worth the shot Jay couldn't resist giving him. But he's still not comfortable enough or clever enough.
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Entertainment Weekly
Cole World: The Sideline Story is a well-rounded effort, and deeper than most.
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NOW Magazine
At times, the mid-tempo brooding gets a bit monotonous, but Cole is an engaging enough character to make this a solid debut.
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XXL
At times, the mid-tempo brooding gets a bit monotonous, but Cole is an engaging enough character to make this a solid debut.
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Boston Globe
The story goes that Jay-Z told Cole he had his whole life to make his debut album. Cole may have taken that literally, but it was worth it.
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All Music
Take a couple listens, let it sink in, and then discover that Cole World is one hell of a debut.
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Beats Per Minute
We got an album entirely thrown on the shoulders of the cub, and like a growing king, J. Cole actually pulled it off, but scope, cohesiveness, and focus couldn't help but become somewhat lost in the disarray.
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Prefix Magazine
Like his rhyming, his production is sophisticated, earnest, and maybe could benefit from a dose of rawness.
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Hip Hop DX
With the skill to match his heart, he’ll be dominating games in no time.
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Rap Reviews
Cole World does end up as a good debut.
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LA Times
J. Cole's early-onset veteran status also saps some of the energy you'd hope to hear on a debut as feverishly anticipated as this one.
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Focus Hip Hop
I can’t really say that there are any consistent flaws with this album but Cole is overrated.
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IGN
North Carolina rapper lives up to the hype on solid debut.
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We Got This Covered
Enjoy your shine J. Cole, you’ve certainly earned it.
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Southwest Shadow
J. Cole is one of the most original, hip-hop artists today on the scene yet and as his fame grows, music lovers will surely recognize him as one of the best.
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Pop Crush
It is an impressive album that shows that J. Cole has finally arrived and he will become a major player in the rap game.
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Ball Is Life
J. Cole’s debut may not be the ‘classic’ many wished for but instead offers up a polished, archetypal collection of work from the lyricist as he climbs further up the list of future game-changers in Hip Hop.
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Music Needs
Cole has used basketball metaphors in his mixtape game and Jay-Z’s number one draft pick is bringing excitement to this rap game.
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Soul in Stereo
I’m so disappointed in Cole World.
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SLAM
You can hear passion and urgency in his delivery, voice and words and keys-infused production throughout his long-awaited debut.
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The Needle Drop
J. Cole takes the talents he's been perfecting on past mixtapes and goes big time with them.
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The Washington Post
Cole is a deft rapper, clever but not obsessed with his own cleverness, interested in au courant beats but not fixated on them.
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Hip Hop Wired
True fans of artistry will love it, the girls will dig it, and it’s always good to see somebody with a grind as hard as Cole’s get rewarded with his first retail album after years of touring and label stress.
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The Couch Sessions
If there has ever been a debut, hip-hop album as mesmerizingly revealing as Cole’s, I missed it.
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Parle
A bundle of songs that are packed with powerhouse production and lyrics that reveal an emcee determined to take the Hip-Hop scene by storm.
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Creative Loafing
This may not be the masterpiece you were waiting for, but J. Cole remains as hot as ever — and that’s no lie.
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Just My Thoughts
I need a few more listens to really decide if I’m truly satisfied with the album or if I’m disappointed.
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The Ratings Game
This album is raw rap!
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jake krzeczowski
An instant classic.
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Define a Revolution
Cole World had more "meh" moments than overall good ones.
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Dead End Hip Hop
J. Cole’s rise to fame is still in progress.
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Pot Holes In My Blog
Penning lyrics and crafting beats on the sidelines has paid off for a man who is now very much the main event.
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iHipHop
Ever since he popped up on the scene a couple years ago, J. Cole has spoiled his fans with incredible music to the point where it has become inevitable to expect some sort of growth and evolution that is not really heard on Cole World: The Sideline Story.
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Flavour Mag
J Cole has proved with Cole World: The Sideline Story that he can handle it, giving his fans what is owed, a truly thought out, lyrical masterpiece.
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Reuters
As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait and that seemed to be the case for Cole.
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Keep Albany Boring
Shout out to J.Cole, the poor man’s Drake, for putting out a “good” album.
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Spin
It establishes the 26-year-old as an artist mature enough to shun the coattails of a superstar co-sign and lay the groundwork himself.
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Jaywan
Cole World sees Young Simba embark on his journey to be the king.
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Mixologi
J Cole gives us a album that is full of sick flows, relevant content and most definitely lives up to the hype.
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Boston
It was worth the wait.
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MVRemix Urban
J. Cole has grown from Roc Nation underdog to Hip hop prince.
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We Know Good
No article or review will ever give this album justice.
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Rap Dose
If Cole can improve from here, It’ll definitely be a Cole World.
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The Oswegonian
This album gets 5 out of 5 stars because every song is great and no song makes you want to hit the skip button.
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Hey Do You
J. Cole’s new album is a breath of fresh of air and hopefully will shed light on important social issues.
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Rukus
J. Cole has true talent and will be a force to reckon with in hip-hop for years to come.
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Illuminati 2G
All in all, Cole absolutely 100% delivered exactly what I’d hope he would.
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HOF is Better
He may not be the best, the favorite, the most popular, or the most paid, but soon he will be.
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