This project showed me alot from Cole, most was growth from him musically and instrumentally. But even with this, I feel like this project shows one of the reasons why Kendrick is better than Cole.
Hear me out before yall start to s--- on me. I really dig the concept of this album but it isn't as fleshed out as GKMC SXN80 or even TPAB. It felt like a loose narrative in the vein of FHD and Born Sinner but instead it was about a friend and loosely parallel to Cole while FHD and Born Sinner were just about Cole. This is a cool album but sitting with it over these past 4 days made me realize that Cole isn't on Kennys level when it comes to albums and lyrics.
Not only was the narrative, like his previous one, very loose and almost bare, but some of the lyrics on this record are pretty bad when you actually think about em. The almond milk bars as I said before in another thread are so d--- bad. Those are lyrics I wouldn't expect Drake to put on such a serious album, let alone Kendrick. This isn't some critique of the album tho so those are the only bad lyrics I'm gonna speak on.
Even with this record while it is very solid, I still don't feel like Cole has a classic record yet. Friday Night Lights is a classic and it would be a classic album if he released it commercially. Other than that, you could argue that FHD is one and even 4YEO may be recognized as one in the future. But the difference between Cole and Kendrick is that Kendrick puts out instant classics and consistently above average records.
Idk if there is a Kendrick project that is as mediocre as Sideline Story. Idk if there is a line as bad as the many s--- puns Cole has in Kendricks whole discography. I've been a fan of Cole long before I was a fan of Kendrick. I used to believe that Cole was just as good if not better than Kendrick. After growing with him through his music over the years and sitting with 4 Your Eyez Only for the past 4 days I now fully believe that Cole is not better than Kendrick and isn't as close as I once thought
Discuss?
TL:DR
after listening to 4YEO about 10 times its evident to me that while Cole is a great artist, Kendrick is a special artist that not alot of rappers of this generation can touch. Cole < Kendrick
Can't we just agree that they're both on the same level or just stop comparing the two? Why can't we just enjoy the music? They will both go down as legends of this generation.
Because of 4YEO I think Cole is better than Kendrick, but that's personal preference, I can relate to Cole's music more (they both at #1 for me tho). Cole strongest skill is story telling, and this album is just one big story (and oh gawd, that last track is just so beautiful and makes the rest of the album just close to perfect for me).
I hate when people specifically bring up lines like that almond milk lol, people just be looking to hate/pick on Cole for no reason. Like they are waiting for something 'corny' and bash him immediately. Foldin Clothes is a dope track (especially because of that last verse makes the rest of the track just a dope vibe).
You know Kendrick was rapping "I pray my d-ck get big as the Eiffel Tower, so I can f--- the world for 72 hours" on GKMC right.. Got a chorus with "I'm going big, s--- my d-ck (4x)" on Section.80.. And that's just of the top of my head.
Not to bash Kendrick, but both artists got lines in the same "category" that they bashing Cole for. Besides that, Cole & Kendrick the best rappers to do it this generation tho. Can't wait what they gonna bring to us on that collab tape.
