Why "KOD" By J Cole Is The Most Important Hip-Hop Album In A While

KOD has been out for a week now and it's nothing short of a beautiful, masterful work of art that is speaking to people and even changing some people's lives for the better.

J Cole is expected to top the Billboard 200 when the charts are updated later this week. Hits Daily Double is predicting 375-390k SPS with 140-155k in traditional album sales.

Cole also broke a Spotify record, as well as an Apple Music streaming record. Both well deserved.

But, why is KOD so important?

This body of work speaks on the issue and challenges of addiction. Addictions that our current generation are suffering from whether we'd like to admit it or not.

Nobody ever asks nobody shit, that’s the fucking problem. It's almost like we're asking everybody — Hey, you good? You good, you sure you good, man? Okay, cool. Everybody’s fucking good. Well nah, actually everybody isn't good.

1. This quote helps us understand the theme of KOD - Kids On Drugs, King Overdosed, Kill Our Demons.
    

Cole speaks of the pain that makes people escape into drugs, alcohol, money, sex, social media, and other vices.

We live in a society where all this drug use is normalized, it's the norm, it's okay, it's fucking encouraged, it's fucking promoted. You turn on the TV — you feeling down? Of course I'm feeling down, I'm a fucking human being. Try this. Whatever this thing is. Like, nah, how about you actually feel sad and figure out what the fuck it is that got you feeling sad, so you can work on that?

There are several other addictions at play on KOD — money (“A.T.M.”), social media (“Photograph”), sex (“Kevin’s Heart”). 

Personally, when I first got into the music business, I felt inclined to drink every time I went out, and I was out a lot. I was never an alcoholic, I'd be doing a disservice to real alcoholics. But, what I was probably most addicted to was public approval.

Cole is not only an artist, he's a poet, and he's a voice of truth and reason. Hopefully, KOD will continue to open eyes toward struggles of addiction and how to deal with these struggles properly. 

Remember, choose wisely...

[Source: Paul Cantor for Vulture Magazine.]