Rapper J. Cole might be doper than Drake

His flow is smooth, his wordplay is clever and his production is impressive. He’s a young, light-skinned black dude and he’s just signed to the label of a major rapper. But he’s not Drake. And it’s not Young Money. He’s Jermaine Cole, also known as J. Cole, and he’s the first rapper on the new label founded by — wait for it — Jay-Z.

Hardly a Drizzy imitation, J. Cole is from North Carolina, graduated from St. John’s University in New York City and never has been on a soap opera. But the comparisons are warranted; the two sound similar and the content is closely related. However, J. Cole’s grittier and a little more humble. And his lyrics are bolstered with messages that ooze sincerity. Blowup wise, J. Cole hasn’t quite made it to Drake’s level. I only watched half of “106 & Park” Monday and ol’ Jimmy Brooks made an appearance in two of five songs.

But this isn’t a blog about Drake; we all know how many of those the Internet is supporting right now. J. Cole is talented. And I’m gonna say it right now: I think he’s more talented than Drake. Fresh Detective readers (all five of you) know I love Drake, so this isn’t me hating on someone’s success. I might even prefer Drake when it comes down to bumpability and (at least for now) mixtape strength. But I think J. Cole only is going to sharpen his already impeccable style during the next year or so. For now, we know what Drake’s got: braggadocio and sunglasses.

J. Cole has two mixtapes — “The Come Up” and “The Warm Up” — and both are solid. His most recent, “The Warm Up,” features the track he played Jay-Z that got him signed, “Lights Please.” And let me just say: Oh man! It’s so genuine and hard-hitting. It’s mellow — J. Cole doesn’t try for bangers — but it’s heavy with passion. His ability to tell a story is reminiscent of one of his cited influences, Nas. And that’s not an exaggeration. Just play “Dreams” and try not to listen intently and laugh at its progression.

He doesn’t seem like he wants to host the MTV Video Music Awards. I doubt he’s looking to be a sex symbol and the paparazzi might never follow him around. Dude raps, and raps well, and that’s what he wants to be known for. Drake is a persona. J. Cole is a real guy. Both are sweet artists, but they’re playing different roles.

Having said that, though, you’re going to start seeing J. Cole soon if you haven’t already. “The Blueprint 3,” Jay-Z’s album coming out Sept. 11, features J. Cole on an already leaked track “A Star is Born.” And he’s also touring with fellow Roc Nation artist Wale after an impressive appearance on Wale’s most recent mixtape “Back to the Feature.”

I don’t think J. Cole’s going to get as big as Drake, but I also never thought Wale would do a song with Lady Gaga and have his music played in American Eagle. The game is changing and J. Cole really is warming up.

Listen to “Lights Please”.

Download “The Warm Up”.

Follow J. Cole on Twitter @JCOLEnc

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