At first listen you might think the lines вЂњ Do I wanna die? I donвЂ™t know вЂќ or вЂњ Show em my pain never, dirt on my name never вЂќ are simply allusions to his own troubled psyche and while youвЂ™re not entirely wrong, there is another level to what Cole raps about which reveals itself while listening to the almost 9-minute closing track, the eponymous вЂњ4 Your Eyez OnlyвЂќ. Even though 2014FHD flirted with the idea of being a conceptual album, this one fully embraces it. Thematically, this appears to be ColeвЂ™s most cohesive effort. вЂњThematically, this appears to be ColeвЂ™s most cohesive effort.вЂќ And if the story doesnвЂ™t seem worrisome enough, consider that this is a true story that happened not too long ago to Cole and his Dreamville team.

He briefly mentions that their profiling is a result of the media depiction of black men as criminals, or in his words: вЂњ Only time they see us we be on the news in chains вЂќ. Take for example the вЂNeighboursвЂ™ cut, where Cole references how his neighbours assume he and his friends are selling drugs, based solely on the fact that they are wealthy black men smoking weed, and call the police on him. However, do not expect this project to be political, rather the album makes allusions to many of the sentiments and hardships at the centrepiece of this movement (such as racial identity, and profiling) without directly mentioning them. Cole releases, this project is impeccably well-timed, with вЂBlack Lives MatterвЂ™ being at the forefront of everyoneвЂ™s minds and media coverage in the United States. Cole release being rarer than a shooting star), the Fayetteville rapper seems to have fleshed out this initial sentiment to create 4 Your Eyez Only.Д¬onsidering how long the stretches are between J. Two yea s later, arguably at the peak of his musical career (despite a J. Cole popped by The Letterman Show, and during a performance of his unreleased song вЂњBe FreeвЂќ, he sang вЂњ There ainвЂ™t no gun they make that can take my soulвЂќ. With his hair grown-out and his lyricism sharp as ever, Jermaine embarks on his most conceptual project yet.Д«ack in 2014, on the run-up to 2014 Forest Hills Drive, J. While many people wonвЂ™t like the album for its slow beats and lack of radio hits, it is important to recognize the artistry that Cole put into 4 Your Eyez Only.The Ville is back, the real is back. He tells a story of struggle, love and of changing oneself for the better, and he does so from the perspective of a different person. We donвЂ™t know if he actually had a friend who wanted to leave a tape like this to his daughter, but the story that Cole tells is important nonetheless.

We donвЂ™t know if there is any truth to the picture that Cole paints with his storytelling. вЂњNeighborsвЂќ provides a taste of old Cole as it is more similar to the songs from 2014 Forest Hills Drive, the upbeat tempo makes the song fun to listen to and one of the best on the album. There is one song on 4 Your Eyez Only that strays from the narrative. Cole also shows optimism by focusing on the good aspects of life and love on tracks like вЂњFoldin ClothesвЂќ and вЂњSheвЂ™s MineвЂќ parts one and two. A large part of the album focuses on death and mortality. Throughout the album there are a number of themes present in the narrative that Cole tells. By making slower, simpler beats, Cole makes the story he tells and the album feel more genuine. Cole is telling a story here, and he wants the listener to know it, so he makes the words the center of the songs. He also has some level of production credits on all of the songs, showing the level of care that he put into not only the verses on the album, but the beats and melodies too.Д¬ole makes the beats simple and jazz heavy in an effort to make the verses more prominent throughout the album. Rapping this entire album from someone elseвЂ™s perspective is no small feat, and Cole does it with precision and care. Through these conversations it is revealed that 4 Your Eyez Only is the album that ColeвЂ™s friend left to be played for his daughter.Д¬ole raps from his friendвЂ™s perspective, вЂњwrite my story down and if I pass/ Go play it for my daughter when she ready/ And so IвЂ™m leaving you this record for your eyes only,вЂќ showing that he has passed and this is the record that he left behind. вЂњChangeвЂќ is also the song that introduces listeners to James, the person whose perspective many fans think the album is told from.Д¬ole raps eloquently about death on вЂњ4 Your Eyez Only.вЂќ The song is sung like a conversation, the first part between Cole and his friend, and the second part between ColeвЂ™s friend and his friendвЂ™s daughter.

4 your eyes only j cole shared