✊🏽🎤J. Cole — a hip hop leader, reloaded

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TheMotto No. 68 is here — and it’s clear that J. Cole is back outside. Post-“Snow In Tha Bluff” and his Noname misstep, Jermaine Cole has returned to form with not one but two singles. He announced this week that both are from his forthcoming The Fall Off (no release date as yet). On Cole’s self-produced “The Climb Back,” he flows through soulful pockets, expounding on his stubbornness, and his heartfelt desire to tell his truths. The mood is both resistance to political correctness and Cole-as-young-OG-voice-of-the-culture: Made a li’l tune called “Foldin Clothes” / And a nigga still ain’t known to fold under pressure | Well, you know what Cole do | Make a diamond / They just rhymin’ / Me, I’m quotin’ gold | One phone call get you canceled like a homophobe / In this PC culture | Address me as the G.O.A.T. / Like they call Chief Keef Sosa. Cole wants to say what he wants to say.

Cole’s “Lion King On Ice” (he co-produces with DaBaby’s go-to partner, jetsonmade, and Ontario’s T-Minus) is the best song of the two because Cole delves deep into his personal artistic journey: Niggas wanted me to look the part/ Had to stop takin’ advice | Put the jewelry to the side/ Had to find me, had to find God | Half the time, we be pacifyin’ / What they expect from us? | But that’s treacherous, that shows less of us | I need y’all to see every part of me | Every scar and every artery | Every story that I can recall, then I can fall.

This two-pack of greatness — labeled Lewis Street on your favorite DSP — is a reminder of J. Cole’s impact and artistry. It’s always beautiful to witness Cole glow in his role as one of our three kings.

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top billin’: 

mood ⤵️ 

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

.@JColeNC after dropping two new songs

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watch out, now: 

there’s never been an MC as versatile as Drake. Aubrey even spits a few lines in Arabic on his feature for UK drill artist Headie One’s “Only You Freestyle.” Hood’s deep, world’s wide.

You ain’t did | Shit I did. I can’t even keep up with all of Future’s content. The sinister “Posted With Demons” visual got bloody cop cars and big flames. Welcome to the dark side.

Chicago’s Calboy — dude’s been on my radar since 2018’s “Envy Me,” and he continues to show artistic progression with the nifty and melodic“Clueless.”

the legendary Too $hort adds Oakland bounce to the title track from Ventura’s Kyle’s latest. This would sound nice at a function — when it’s time to go back outside.

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you must learn: 

The Remarkable Rise of Lil Baby 📈 author: Charles Holmes / Rolling Stone

INDEPENDENCE: A Conversation with Steve Stoute and Russ

Erykah Badu Is Blazing a New Trail (From Badubotron) 👸🏾💦author: Melena Ryzik / NY Times

Chance The Rapper’s Art And Activism And The Perils Of Prison Reform / The New Yorker

The Audacity 💪🏽 author: J. Cole / The Player’s Tribune

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made you look: 

congratulations to one of the greatest of all-time. sending many blessings, Onika.

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what more can I say: 

He’s a gangsta and a gentleman. High praise to Snoop Dogg for making his battle with DMX a top-notch family affair. Snoop triumphed, yes, but he uplifted X at the same damn time, and the mutual respect between the two kings was crystal clear. How ya gon’ top this, Swizz and Tim? We ready!

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Danyel Smith + Elliott Wilson