“The real is back. The Ville is back” with the release of J. Cole‘s long-awaited album, The Fall-Off.
The album, which was 10 years in the making, arrives as a double disc, with each side featuring 11 songs and a bonus track.
They serve as updates to his first release, The Come Up, on which he details his goal to “come up” as a rapper. That project also includes snippets of phone calls to his mother and friends as he traveled home to Fayetteville, North Carolina, for holiday breaks following his decision to “come up” to New York and pursue his dreams.
The first disc – Disc 29 – chronicles Cole’s mindset after returning to his hometown at 29 years old, when he found himself at a crossroads in his life. The second disc – Disc 39 – gives insight into his perspective upon his return at age 39 when he was at peace.
The album’s artwork also looks back on Cole’s humble beginnings as an artist, including a makeshift studio set up on his desk.
The Fall-Off marks Cole’s seventh studio album. He has suggested it will be his final one, though it remains unclear whether he will stick to that plan.
An early album standout is “What If,” in which he raps from the perspectives of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac during their feud, imagining a scenario in which they reconcile and resolve their differences.
The Fall-Off is now available on streaming services.
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