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Rapper J. Cole Debuts Cole World: The Sideline Story at New York Listening Party

As Hip-Hop heads wait for Roc Nation rookie J. Cole’s debut album to hit stores later this month, the rap newcomer held an album listening event in downtown New York last night.

Sporting a crutch, following an ankle injury he suffered from a game of basketball earlier this week, J. Cole played his upcoming album for a private group of industry insiders.

Rolling Stone was on the scene and wrote a praiseworthy review of the J. Cole freshman effort:

Cole World narrates J. Cole’s uphill battle against compromise: a 15-track opus on his two-year ascension in a hip-hop landscape that values danceable pop beats and viral videos over his brand of glitz-free lyricism.

“I’m coming for what I’m owed,” he declares on somber opener “A Dollar and a Dream III,” before launching into “Can’t Get Enough,” which features Trey Songz and will serve as his next single.

The bachata-sampling track nods to radio without pandering to it, retaining Cole’s blitzing wordplay: “I’m from the ‘Ville where they bang for the money/And carry .45s like change for a 20,” he lip-synced fervently as his entourage mobbed in the crowd.

Read the full review here.

Also, check out a few pics from the album listening event on the next pages.

J. Cole’s Cole World: The Sideline Story drops on September 27th.

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