J. Cole switched things up for The Off-Season, his latest album. The king of going platinum with no features invited collaborators such as Cam’Ron, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Morray, 6lack, Lil Jon and Bas to join him for his sixth solo album. Cole, who normally handles the bulk of the production found on his albums, also collaborated with A-list producers this time around. Timbaland, Boi-1da, Jake One, DJ Dahi, Frank Dukes and T-Minus assisted the Grammy nominated rapper with crafting beats for The Off-Season.

The T-Minus-produced “​​p r i d e . i s . t h e . d e v i l” is slated to earn J. Cole another plaque after reaching 500,000 sales-equivalent streams. Featuring a catchy hook and a standout verse from Lil Baby, the certified gold collab, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, gives off song of the summer vibes. J. Cole flexes his hit-making abilities, as well as his shit-talking skills throughout The Off-Season. J. Cole explains on “a p p l y i n g . p r e s s u r e,” that sometimes it is necessary for him to to flex “Cause n*ggas just try to act like you just not that motherfuckin’ n*gga.”

J. Cole is a big stepper

So far for 2021, J. Cole has the biggest streaming week of any artist, in any genre. Cole’s The Off-Season debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 325.5 million streams in its opening week. Every song on the Dreamville/Roc Nation/Interscope release, which happens to be Cole’s six No. 1 album to date, charted in the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.

On “Amari” — a track from his latest album The Off-Season — Cole raps about a “throne” being his “assigned seat.” At this point in his career, the MC from North Carolina can have several royal seats. More than a decade into his illustrious career, the 36-year-old whose relatable raps resonate with listeners continues to be a top-tier lyricist and a commercial success. Although, The Off-Season may not be Cole’s best work, it does further cement his legacy as one of the greatest rap stars of his generation.

“The Off-Season symbolizes the work that it takes to get to the highest height,” said the “Middle Child” rapper, who recently lived out his childhood hoop dreams. “The Off-Season represents the many hours and months and years it took to get to top form.”

Tell us your thoughts on the new album now that you’ve had some time to bump it.

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