fauxfreemagazine
Known for always keeping fans on their toes; master of his craft, rapper and producer J Cole surprised us with the release of a track titled ‘i n t e r l u d e’ just a week before he is anticipated to unveil his latest studio album and one that comes 3 years after his platinum-selling ‘KOD’.
The artist posted on Thursday that a new song was coming out with the caption ‘Told myself I would drop the album all at once. Sometimes you gotta say f*ck it tho.’ showing just how impatient he is for everyone to hear what's next. It’s unclear where ‘i n t e r l u d e’ fits into the album’s structure and it’s certainly uncommon for an interlude to be released as a lead single for an album but in just two minutes the spark has already fanned a flame of anticipation for what's at play in 'The Off-Season'.
Keeping in line with tradition, Cole forms a big part of the track’s production as well as long-time collaborator Tyler Williams AKA T Minus. The track starts off with a smooth soul sample with a simple ambling drum pattern, leading into a modern trap hi-hat loop (reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘untitled unmastered.’ 2 and 7 tracks) that will without a doubt make your head nod, coupled with J Cole's impeccable wordplay and graphic illustration this track will wet the appetite of Hip Hop heads across the spectrum. The ‘sample’ itself is actually an original piece created by the team with vocals by co-producer Tommy Parker.
Already with 5 million plays on Spotify, the track takes us through Cole’s thoughts on the reality that we have all had to confront over the last 16 months: the disproportionate murder of members of the Black community at the hands of an out of control police force. While it was apparent that in the heat of the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, people noted that J Cole wasn’t as vocal as they wanted, ‘i n t e r l u d e’ following on from his track ‘Snow On Tha Bluff’ are there to remind us that Cole is still processing the trauma that Black artists portray in their work. While ‘i n t e r l u d e’ shows off J Cole’s signature blend of soulful hip hop and modern conscious rap, it also sets the intention for this much anticipated album release. Will it live up to its hype? We only have a few days left of waiting and we’re looking forward to it.
Are you?