By Calder Costantini – Staff Reporter

J. Cole released “The Fall-Off” on February 6 marking his seventh and final studio album. The project includes 24 tracks with two different discs, with the whole album totaling an hour and 41 minutes. Throughout Cole’s career, he has built a reputation for self-awareness and lyrical tendencies that only Cole himself can reach. With “The Fall-Off,” Cole fully leans into this identity, releasing an album that’s reflective, mature, and intentional. 

Cole has always been one not to show off on his tracks, and let the real fans listen and throw away everyone else’s opinions. This project is no different. “The Fall-Off,” from the opening track, shows Cole’s abstract abilities on an album. Cole’s production style is minimalistic but catchy, starting the album with songs like “Two Six” and “SAFETY,” which are punchline rap songs but are simplistic when it comes to the production. 

Lyrically, “The Fall-Off” focuses on legacy. Cole’s ability to rap about legacy and his awareness of the business around him are amazing. Again, on songs like “SAFETY” and “Legacy,” Cole highlights his struggles throughout his childhood and his adult life, doing things that no other artist highlights in their music. On these tracks, Cole specifies his confusion and doubt about his place in this constantly shifting industry of music.

The middle stretch of the album slows it down. Cole will be heard singing on tracks such as “I Love Her Again,” “Only You,” and “Life Sentence.” In these songs, Cole explains his fear of retirement and even larger fear of falling off, which is the reason he made this album. It is clear that Cole made this album with the hopes of making listeners understand his choice of retirement. 

Overall, Cole did a very good job with his final album, leaving listeners happy with a 24-song goodbye. This album underlines how Cole wants to be respected for his very long career, and how Cole is scared of what comes after retirement. “The Fall-Off” is going to remain a hip-hop classic and be labeled as one of Cole’s most prestigious albums. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars