2014 Forest Hills Drive, A Deconstruction.

Here is a Deconstruction of my favorite album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive by the North Carolina Native, J. Cole.
I will be dissecting the meaning of the album, the production, and how they contribute to the album's concept. Hope u Enjoy!

Introduction:

First things first, to start this up I would like to Thank you to everyone who reads this thread, it truly means a lot to me, as this took me a while if you couldn’t tell. Retweets and Likes are HIGHLY appreciated. With that out of the way, let’s get started.

How this will work, I will first explain the track and the meaning of it, as well as how it ties into the concept firstly. After I am done with that, I will list the samples and Interpolations after I am finished with explaining the first portion.

1. Intro

The Intro Track starts off with a tone setter sets the mood and theme for this project asking the listener if he/she wants to be Happy. This is to start the young Cole’s journey on a quest to find himself and his beliefs , as this is the overall theme of this album.

2. January 28th

As we transition from Cole talking about happiness and starting to make the move to finding his true self as a young teen. January 28th talks about how Cole is essentially, “Back on the map” and better than ever, as he reminisces over his struggles as an (1/3)

adolescent, finding himself as a person, Black prejudices still faced in present day, getting lost in his thoughts, not letting others influence his actions or words, whilst still staying true to him, and to spread the message to naturally love each other. (2/3)

This track sets up the concept of a Young Cole starting to reminisce before he makes that extra step to find his true self. (3/3)

3. Wet Dreamz

After starting to slowly take that first step as an adolescent, the question of sex comes up in Cole’s mind, as one day he goes to school and starts to crush on a young girl around his age and wants to hit it with her in bed. So, he puts on this “Cool guy” (1/2)

Persona to try to impress her, saying that he’s a pro at Sex, and a very dominant Male, when in all of reality, he is just a virgin. He then finally goes and is on his way to hit it with her in bed, when the girl reveals that she is also a virgin, as she has been faking too (2/2)

4. 03’ Adolescence

Now that Cole has gotten his adolescent experiences in the realms of sex and overall, he reminisces over those experiences and his flaws as an adolescent such as his confidence being messy, and his troubles with women and fitting in. (1/3)

In the second verse, he comes to a conclusion of wanting to stop working hard in school, and starts to question getting rich off of his rapping shit and is about to do it, before a close friend of him tells him that he shouldn’t, as Cole has inspired others with (2/3)

his work ethic and morals and that the lifestyle that Cole is chasing, isn’t one to chase. So, with that, he starts to realize that he is lucky, and starts to appreciate the little things in life as well as realizing that he is one of the illest alive. (3/3)

5. A Tale of 2 Citiez

Coming from now being a graduate and on his own, Cole tells us a story of two mentalities in his life from his hometown, that he has experienced as being a product of those respective environments. The story starts off with the mentality of his, (1/3)

that he is poor in an unstable environment and wants to get rich so he is peaceful and purses writing, before he is pulled up on by another group that has come to rob him. The second part of the story in the second verse, is him coming from an actual gangster who is also (2/3)

trying to get rich, so he pulls up on people and robs them for cash, as it is revealed shortly after, that the first person (Cole) was robbed by the second person. At the end, Cole asks for forgiveness from the lord and reminds himself that Happiness is obtained naturally. (3/3)

6. Fire Squad

Confidence and anger have now overtaken young Cole, as he has been robbed and realized that he must act like that ill-willed person that he is in ‘03 Adolescence. So, over this track he is now on a quest as this young rapper to restore balance in Hip-Hop (1/3)

as he claims the throne and takes savage shots at these fake/white rappers, while also asserting his position in the game. At the end he comes to the realization that there will be “no more kings” and to be aware of any man who tries to cling to a crown since after all, (2/3)

they are a coward. He finishes the track by saying that everyone is their own king of their own life, since they control themselves and that they just want to be loved deep down. (3/3)

7. St. Tropez

Now that Cole has asserted himself, he is finally making the move to Hollywood, the promised land of freedom and happiness where he can relax and there will be no more sins to bother him. He is starting to get lost though in his fame and success, becoming selfish.

8. G.O.M.D

Cole is really starting to get lost now, as he is really getting arrogant and has lost vision of himself starting to make basic music and act fake in public. His ego has truly taken control with him but throughout the beginning of the track he is explaining his (1/3)

peaks, yet his struggles at the same time with this “Hollywood Cole” and wants to be alone and let him think. He then vents about his issues with being a thug, and never having someone to love them and explains what it’s like for him being in that newfound position, and (2/3)

comes to the realization that he should sing and spread “love.” The ending of the track is him realizing many things wrong with Hollywood, and the flaws so now he tries to get out of it. (3/3)

9. No Role Modelz

Concluding him leaving Hollywood after the last track, Cole reflects among it and mainly talks about 2 Major problems in Hollywood. The fake “Role Models” and the fake hoes/women that reside in there. He goes to explain that the women in Hollywood (1/2)

are fake and do not want genuine love as Cole does want that love and explains his struggles with these “Hollywood Hoes.” He then goes onto to conclude that many people don’t have proper Role Modelz that are in Hollywood, and how fake they really are deep down. (2/2)

10. Hello

Now, the newfound Cole who has left the Hollywood tries to talk to a girl that he met and see if they make it work again and explains how heartbroken deep down he is, so he hooks up with her and displays her genuine love for her asking the question, "Hello?"

11. Apparently

Now, it is yet again another reflection track on how selfish he has been to his close ones, specifically his Mom and Girlfriend and asks for forgiveness from them for what he has done to them, as a result of being selfish. The second part of the track (1/2)

is him using his rap skills that he has gained as a result of coming from an appreciative mother and girlfriend. In the end, he appreciates them for sticking with him along the way of this wild journey, that is 2014 Forest Hills Drive. (2/2)

12. Love Yourz

Now, we have gone full circle around the album and this adventure that Cole has undergone, as he talks about the importance of self-love, happiness, and being your true self. He explains that Hollywood, Fame, and money isn’t all that and being broke is (1/2)

better than being rich, as you can be stronger on your own without the fame and recognition and to just ultimately, be yourself and do what you want to do and don’t let anyone stop you. As well as to spread love to each other as people are often more hurt then loved. (2/2)

13. Note to Self

On the final track of this album, Cole thanks everyone that has helped him on his journey to fame and success, as well yet again, spreading the importance of Love and how life falls into place for you. A great reflective end to the journey that is 2014FHD.

Conclusion: This album is ultimately a journey of finding oneself, and a story of how Fame and success isn’t all that and you are a strong individual, regardless of social status, or money. No matter who you are, you matter in this world and are loved by.

Samples and Interpolations OF 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Samples and Interpolations: How this section works is I will simply list the samples/interpolations definition, and how they are used in each song in list format. Thanks for coming to this section if you're still reading!

The meaning of Samples/Interpolations: A Sample is something that is used in a previous song for the beat, then used again but in the same way or a different way than previously. An Interpolation is something that is used in a song by an artist previously but is used differently.

Intro

No Samples or Interpolations Listed/Found

2. January 28th

Sky Restaurant by Hi-Fi Set

3. Wet Dreamz

Maryia by The Family Circle

Impeach the President by The Honey Drippers

3. 03’ Adolescence

Here’s That Rainy Day by Sonia Rosa & Yuji Ohno

Runnin’ (Dying to Live) by Tupac featuring The Notorious B.I.G (Interpolation)

Alright by D’Angelo

One Time 4 Your Mind by Nas (Interpolation)

4. A Tale of 2 Citiez

Blocka by Pusha T (which is also a sample on Travis Scott’s Track “Blocka La Flame” on his Mixtape Owl Pharoah

Bring Em’ Out by T.I.

5. Fire Squad

Heart Breaker by Aguaturbia

CB#5 by Ralph Vargas & Carlos Bess

6. St. Tropez

That’s All Right With Me by Esther Phillips

Sister Sanctified by Stanley Turrentine & Milt Jackson

Hollywood by Rufus & Chaka Khan

7. G.O.M.D.

Berta, Berta by Branford Marsalis

Get Low by Lil John & The East Side Boyz featuring Jay-Z (Interpolation)

Drunk in Love by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z (Interpolation)

8. No Role Modelz

Don’t Save Her by Project Pat featuring Crunchy Black (Interpolation)

Fool Me Once by George W. Bush

9. Hello
No Interpolations or Samples Listed/Found

10. Apparently
La Morte Dell’erminia’ by Filippo Trecca
CB#5 by Ralph Vargas & Carlos Bess

12. Love Yourz

Close (To the Edit) by Art of Noise

Long Red by Mountain

13. Note to Self

No Samples or Interpolations Listed/Found

LINK:

Conclusion: Thanks for reading! This really took me a while to make and I appreciate it if anyone read it! Let me know your thoughts and opinions! Love you all