UPDATE: Cole released the tracklist yesterday:

1. “Intro”
2. “January 28th”
3. “Wet Dreamz”
4. “03’ Adolescence”
5. “A Tale of 2 Citiez”
6. “Fire Squad”
7. “St. Tropez”
8. “G.O.M.D.”
9. “No Role Modelz”
10. “Hello”
11. “Apparently”
12. “Love Yourz”
13. “Note to Self”

Courtesy of Billboard

So, J. Cole, the man who shouldn’t need any introduction, is dropping an album (2014 Forest Hills Drive) on DEC 9th (same date as Weezy F). He put out a tweet and accompanied it with a trailer for the album.

The trailer is dope. The thing that stood out most to me was the message he put out with the video:

“What up? My New Album is finished. It’s called 2014 Forest Hills Drive and it’s very special to me. It’s available everywhere on 12/9. This time I’m releasing no singles, just the album. See you in 3 weeks. Thank you for the love and support.”

Few things about this message:

1 – It feels like he’s a local artist with a small following, telling people that his new shit is dropping. What I mean is, it doesn’t sound like this: “The new J. Cole is dropping! 2014 Forest Hills Drive, with the latest single *insert single title here*! Available everywhere on DEC 9th.  Click here to pre-order on itunes“. I appreciate the shit outta things like this, especially from an artist like Cole. I don’t really care for it when it comes from a boring artist. Cole can rhyme his ass off AND knows how to make a song. His last album was crack if yeen know.

2 – He says it’s “very special” to him. And I believe him. 100%. What that indicates to me is time spent in the studio making sure every thing sounds right. It makes me feel like this album is gonna be filled with top notch lines with an introspective, personal feel to them. Can’t wait for that. I love intimate rap bars.

3 – “I’m releasing no singles” <——THAT, right there, is what stands out to me the most. I feel like that’s the thing that says “I’m putting my money where my mouth is”. I mentioned before that he’s giving me that local, unknown artist vibe. This just reinforces it. It’s like he’s one of them internet dudes dropping comments talmbout “YO!!! Check out my music. Go to this link”. FOH…I’m not clicking your link… I’ll click on Cole’s link though, pause. It’s like when Beyonce put her album out on the low. I like shit like that. It’s an artist just being free. We ALL can learn a thing or two about creative freedom.

So yo, J.Cole’s trailer worked on me, because now I can’t wait to hear the album. I won’t be buying it. It will be made available for me come Monday the 8th on Google Music. Get like me and stop stealing music, jerk. I won’t be making any bold predictions anytime soon. My last one was a #fail.

Peep the trailer below: