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Hip-Hop tip for the top 2011 – J. Cole

• 18th Jan 2011

Welcome to my first official blog for Glasswerk. Although I am a bit late with my tip for the top in 2011, don’t hold it against me as I was on my holidays. You may have already read my review for the Drake show but if you haven’t I briefly mention a new rapper, who supported Drake, by the name of J. Cole.

If you haven’t already heard of him let me give you a quick bio. J. Cole is 24, from North Carolina, USA, signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Label, featured on the Blueprint 3 track ‘A Star Is Born’ and is widely tipped stateside to be the next best rapper. A moniker which is wildly thrown about in Hip-Hop by many, it seems though this time not to be the minority shouting this from the rooftops but the majority of Underground Hip-Hop sites and influential people in the game alike.

Jay-Z’s second stab of world domination following a successful era in the early 2000’s with Rocafella seen J. Cole as his first signing. Since then Jigga has acquired the musical talents of Willow Smith, Alexis Jordan, Jay Electronica and recent X-Factor reject Cher Lloyd. To say 2011 may just prove to be Jay-Z’s most successful yet seems to be quite a fair bet considering he is releasing a joint album with Kanye West.

J. Cole recently released his latest mixtape titled ‘Friday Night Light’s’ and Hip-Hop site Allhiphop.com gave it a 10/10 rating, which is rare for an album never mind a mixtape. After witnessing this new talent live I am convinced by the hype surrounding him. After songs ‘Who Dat’ and ‘Lights Please’ being on constant rotation on my IPod and seeing Mr Cole deliver them solidly live I am now confident to expose him to the UK public without the fear of greasing my name.

You can download your copy of ‘Friday Night Lights’ for free from J. Cole’s official website at link and I seriously recommend you do. I would welcome your comments and appreciate your feedback for this new talent. If you think I have good taste and want to follow my tracks you can catch me on twitter at @alexgrantohg for more musical musings. Next week catch my article of how the world may react if Kanye West was discovered to be gay.