| Born Sinner | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 18, 2013 (2013-06-18) | |||
| Recorded | 2011–2013 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 59:28 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer | ||||
| J. Cole chronology | ||||
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| Deluxe edition cover | ||||
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| Singles from Born Sinner | ||||
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Born Sinner is the second studio album by American rapperJ. Cole. It was released on June 18, 2013, by ByStorm Entertainment,Columbia Records,Dreamville Records andRoc Nation. The album serves as the follow-up to his debut album,Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011). The album featuresguest appearances fromMiguel,Amber Coffman,Jhené Aiko,James Fauntleroy,Bas,TLC,Kendrick Lamar and50 Cent. The album was also primarilyproduced by Cole himself, along with others such asJake One,Syience, andElite.
Born Sinner was supported by four official singles; "Power Trip", "Crooked Smile", "Forbidden Fruit" and "She Knows", along with the promotional single "Miss America". The album received generally positive reviews from critics. It debuted at number two on the USBillboard 200, selling 297,000 copies in its first week of release. After two weeks of being at number two,Born Sinner climbed to number one in its third week. The album has since been certifieddouble platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As of December 2016, the album has sold 796,000 copies in the United States.
Only a week after the release of hisgold certified-debut albumCole World: The Sideline Story, Cole began working on his second album,Born Sinner. He said that it allowed him to, "reinvigorate himself both mentally and creatively."[1] On October 24, 2011, during his interview with Hot 106's Rise & Grind morning show, Cole revealed that he had begun working on his second studio album, with hopes of releasing it in June 2012. He had also stated that the album would consist of songs that failed to make his debut: "I don't know how many, but I got songs that didn't make the last album that are automatically going to make this one."[2] On February 24, 2012, J. Cole reached two million followers on Twitter, he celebrated by releasing the song "Grew up Fast."[3] On March 1, 2012, J. Cole returned to his hometown ofFayetteville, North Carolina. To celebrate his return, he released the song "Visionz of Home" (which launched an event, titled "Dreamville weekend") to inspire the youth of his hometown to achieve great things.[4] On July 26, he returned to Twitter after a 100-day absence and went on to reveal and release his new song "The Cure" in where he hints at a new album. On October 20, he announced at a live show that his second album was complete and he would wait until afterKendrick Lamar releasedGood Kid, M.A.A.D City to reveal it and previewed two new songs, "Maine on Fire" and "Crooked Smile." However they were not tied to any project.[5][6] "Maine on Fire" would end up appearing on aFunkmaster Flex mixtape.
On November 5, Cole revealed the title of his second album, and an album teaser for it,Born Sinner and the release date of January 28, 2013, viaUstream.[7][8] With the title he ended his basketball-themed series of projects. He would say,
It was just time for something new. I wouldn't have minded doing it again but I felt that I closed that story. "That metaphor and that storyline had really ended. Metaphorically I was just a kid working to get on this basketball team, got cut – that wasThe Come Up, thenThe Warm Up was like, alright I made the team, I'm on the team, now what? I'm not in the game, I'll just ride the end of the bench. ThenFriday Night Lights was like 'come on man, you're still not gonna put me in the game? What I gotta do? Here, I'm gonna kill it in practice.Sideline Story was like, Wow, I really am starting now, and I feel like I ended that chapter when it's all said and done. Plus, this new theme is really more reflective of where I'm at and where I've been at for the past two years, so it was just perfect to move on.[9]
On November 30, 2012, Cole said he feels the album will be better than his debut due to him being more free in creating this one. Most of the production will come from himself and most guest producers and features will be kept under wraps until the album release comes closer. He went onto say the features will be minor and key to the album.[10][11] The album's production was primarily handled by J. Cole himself.[1] Also in November 2012, Cole stated that the album is 90% completed including the writing and recording.[12] Cole said he recorded four albums worth of material during the recording process for the album.[13]
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J. Cole announced a release date of January 28, 2013, (his birthday) along with the album name on November 9, 2012.[14] In early January the album was included on multiple "Most Anticipated Albums of 2013" such asMTV[15] andXXL rankedBorn Sinner the sixth most anticipated album of 2013.[16] After describing the January release date as ambitious, he would announce on New Years Day 2013 that the album would be coming out at a later date.[17] On February 22, 2013, J. Cole said that the album should arrive around June 2013.[18] He later would confirm a release month for June, and then on April 8, 2013, J. Cole announced via Twitter that the album would be released on June 25, 2013.[19] Interesting enough, that date would have been the seventeenth anniversary of the release ofJay-Z's debut albumReasonable Doubt.[20] However, he announced on May 20, 2013, via his Twitter account that he would move the release up one week to June 18, 2013.[21] He later revealed that he moved up the release date to coincide with the release ofKanye West's albumYeezus, saying "Instantly the lightbulb [turned on]… it got real. I was like, 'Yo…' The idea hit me instantly: 'You got to go to that date. I'm not going to sit [here]… I worked too hard to come a week later after Kanye West drops an amazing album. It'd be like, 'Oh and J. Cole dropped too, a week later.' Nah. I'm going to go see him on that date. He's the greatest. So it's like, I'm a competitor by nature so it was instant, it wasn't even a thought."[22]
On February 12, 2013, Cole released a freeEP titledTruly Yours in promotion of the album. The EP consists of five songs in their "raw form" that he knew would not make the cutlist forBorn Sinner.[13] Later on April 29, he announced that he would be releasingTruly Yours 2 the following day.[23] The EP featured guest appearances by2 Chainz,Young Jeezy andBas, with production from Canei Finch,Jake One and J. Cole himself.[24] Cole announced the deluxe version of the album will include an extra CD which will double asTruly Yours 3 and featuring 5 new songs.[25] The track features50 Cent and Bas, which Cole originally wanted to have 50 andNas on the song.[26]
J. Cole said there is a lot he wants to do that he didn't get to do on his last album because the label didn't know that he was going to come out and have the number-one album in the country so this time he hopes the promotion effort is way bigger. He plans to shoot a short film to accompany the album as well as multiple music videos.[12] In promotion of the album Cole released severalBorn Sinnervlogs, the first video spotlighted Cole's mother and her former job of working at the post office, and her retirement. The second video spotlighted friend and frequent collaborator Kendrick Lamar. In the video he discusses his earliest musical influences and his work ethic.[27] On June 6, 2013, J. Cole held one time listen sessions for the album in various places throughout North America.[28] The following day the album leaked in full online via variouspeer-to-peer file sharing websites. Rather than go into crisis mode and attempt to remove it from online, Cole put the album up for a limited time free stream.[29] Cole and Nas released "Let Nas Down (Remix)" on June 22, 2013.[30] The remix was named one of the best songs of the first half of 2013 byComplex.[31] On July 29, 2013, Cole announced What Dreams May Come Tour with fellow rapperWale.[32]
The first promotional single fromBorn Sinner was "Miss America" and which released on November 13, 2012.[33] Cole said he pushed away pop-accessibility in order to put out a single that provides social commentary.[34] The song has been described by multiple outlets and Cole himself as not an ordinary first single and in no way directed towards radio.[35][36] The song was used inUbisoft'sLaunch trailer for the 2013 video gameTom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist.[37] The song peaked at number 34 on the USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[38]
On February 12, 2013, J. Cole announced that the first official single from the album would be released in the next week.[13] Two days later on February 14, he released thelead single, "Power Trip", a collaboration withMiguel.[39] On April 9, 2013, the music video for the song was released.[40] The song peaked at number 19 on the USBillboard Hot 100 and was certifiedplatinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[41][42]
The second official single, "Crooked Smile" featuring R&B groupTLC premiered on June 3, 2013. The song was made available oniTunes the following day.[43] The music video for the song was released on September 18, 2013.[44] It peaked at number 27 on the USBillboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[41][45]
"Forbidden Fruit" featuring rapper Kendrick Lamar was the last song recorded for the album, as it contained a reference to him dropping his album the same day as Kanye West, who also releasedYeezus on June 18, 2013.[46] It was reported by MTV in June 2013, that it would be the album's third single.[47] Then on August 1, 2013, it was sent to urban contemporary radio asBorn Sinner's third single.[48] The song peaked at number 46 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[38]
On October 29, 2013, "She Knows" featuringAmber Coffman, was serviced to urban contemporary radio as the album's fourth official single.[49] It officially impacted rhythmic contemporary radio on November 19, 2013.[50] The music video for the song was released on February 14, 2014.[51] The song peaked at number 90 on the USBillboard Hot 100.[41]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 6.6/10[52] |
| Metacritic | 71/100[53] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [54] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B−[55] |
| Financial Times | [56] |
| Los Angeles Times |  [57] |
| MSN Music (Expert Witness) | B+[58] |
| Pitchfork | 6.0/10[59] |
| Rolling Stone | [60] |
| Slant Magazine | [61] |
| Spin | 6/10[62] |
| XXL | 3/5[63] |
Born Sinner was met with generally positive reviews. AtMetacritic, which assigns anormalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received anaverage score of 71, based on 21 reviews.[53] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 6.6 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[52]
Kyle Anderson ofEntertainment Weekly said, "He's a talented, nimble rapper, but diatribes like "Trouble" and "Land of the Snakes" are more exhausting than impressive... The jazz-kissed "Let Nas Down", a deeply personal tale about hearing that one of his rap idols hated his early single "Work Out", delivers far greater impact without all the high-minded posturing about love and death."[55] Erin Lowers ofExclaim! said, "With the exception of two numbers, the self-produced 16-track project revels inTimbaland drumlines ("Born Sinner") and soulful Kanye symphonies ("Chaining Day"). However, the standout cut samplesA Tribe Called Quest's "Electric Relaxation", featuring the only other rapper on the album: Kendrick Lamar. "Forbidden Fruit" embodies a silent confidence, paying homage to a legendary group while speaking on releasing an album the same day as Kanye West, bringingBorn Sinner full-circle."[64] Julia LeConte ofNow said, "Born Sinner's production, Cole's own, is nuanced and varied on the whole – looped harp, careful piano, electronic elements, boom bap drums, choirs everywhere – but all impeccably orchestrated."[65] August Brown of theLos Angeles Times said, "If the self-mythologizing ofYeezus is a little much for you, how about a rap album where the MC is bummed that he disappointed his hero? J. Cole'sBorn Sinner is at the other end of the universe from Kanye West's latest – a quieter, self-examining rap record that's short on audacity but long on workman-like singles."[57]
Ben Simms ofXXL said, "Born Sinner's best moments are when he embraces the persona that initially garnered him praise. "Power Trip", "Crooked Smile" and "Let Nas Down" are the album's strongest tracks, and they feel like the rapper who createdThe Warm Up, which only becomes problematic at times because of Cole's insistence to produce almost all of his work. But while BS may not exhibit the growth sonically or conceptually that fans may have anticipated after hearing Cole's early work, he remains too gifted lyrically, too keen of a storyteller, and too emotionally open for his sophomoreLP to be anything less than impressive, but not overly so."[63] Corban Goble ofPitchfork said, "At its best,Born Sinner, showcases J. Cole's overall musicality, pairing his ability as a lyricist with a more broadly developed production palette. In a heat, he can rattle off some fierce rejoinders (See: "Niggaz Know"). But several releases deep into Cole's growing catalogue, we haven't been delivered the savior that Jay-Z's "A Star Is Born" seemed to anoint. (The latter's current indifference to Cole has become so pronounced that Cole has to keep squashing beef rumors.)"[59] David Jeffries ofAllMusic said, "It's snide, smart-ass stuff and when it comes to sublime / ridiculous balancing act that his heroes Jay-Z and Nas have mastered, Cole is a little short on the sublime side here to be considered classic. Still, "Crooked Smile" with special guests TLC is a genuine, mature step in the right direction and will have no trouble reaching vintage age. A handful of other numbers carry that same weight, makingBorn Sinner a daring step forward for Cole and an exciting attempt at mastering Jay's Blueprint style."[54]
Ted Scheinman ofSlant Magazine said, "Here's the only real problem withBorn Sinner: Cole's production work is elegant, but he's first and foremost a words guy, and when you're competing with the lushness of Kendrick Lamar (who makes a spooky appearance on "Forbidden Fruit") or the preening, infectious weirdness of Kanye, playing it straight is probably not sexy enough.Born Sinner doesn't match the cohesive satisfactions ofGood Kid, M.A.A.D City, though it boasts better writing."[61] Francesca D'Arcy-Orga ofPopMatters said, "For many, lyrically, he's better on a higher percentage ofBorn Sinner than Kendrick was onGood Kid, M.A.A.D City, but the album lacks the superb production and cohesiveness that makesGKMC standout. Still, no one can say that J. Cole has failed to deliver on this album. He's certainly impressed with his flow, delivery and production, and while he hasn't released the next golden hip hop album he's coming close."[66] Jon Dolan ofRolling Stone said, "Sometimes I brag like Hov / Sometimes I'm real like Pac," J. Cole raps on his second LP. Sometimes he's both – a verbal powerhouse and a self-emptying truth-sayer. The flagship signee to Jay-Z's record label spins dervish rhymes over dazzling self-produced tracks (see the Outkast-sampling "Land of the Snakes"). His riffs on racism, homophobia and misogyny have more lyrical cunning than insight." Have fun at the next company picnic, homey."[60]
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associated Press | Top 10 Albums of the Year | 4 | |
| Complex | 50 Best Albums of 2013 | 13 | |
| PopMatters | The Best Hip-Hop of 2013 | 7 | |
| Rolling Stone | 20 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2013 | 7 | |
| Slant Magazine | The 25 Best Albums of 2013 | 14 | |
| The Source | The 25 Best Albums of 2013 | 11 |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | BET Hip Hop Awards | Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2014 | Billboard Music Awards | Top Rap Album | Nominated |
Born Sinner sold 297,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, debuting at number two on theBillboard 200, finishing approximately 30,000 copies short of Kanye West'sYeezus.[75] In its second week, the album remained at number two on the chart, selling an additional 84,000 copies.[76] After two weeks of being at number two,Born Sinner climbed to number one in its third week with 58,000 more copies sold.[77] In its fourth week, the album dropped to number three, selling 39,000 copies.[78] As of December 2016, the album has sold 796,000 copies domestically according toNielsen SoundScan.[79] On September 15, 2020,Born Sinner was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[80]
In 2013,Born Sinner was ranked as the thirty-fourth most popular album of the year on theBillboard 200.[81]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Villuminati" | J. Cole | 5:07 | |
| 2. | "Kerney Sermon (Skit)" | 0:46 | ||
| 3. | "Land of the Snakes" |
| Cole | 4:14 |
| 4. | "Power Trip" (featuringMiguel) |
| Cole | 4:01 |
| 5. | "Mo Money (Interlude)" |
| Jake One | 1:17 |
| 6. | "Trouble" |
| Cole | 4:18 |
| 7. | "Runaway" |
| 5:14 | |
| 8. | "She Knows" (featuringAmber Coffman andCults) |
| Cole | 4:56 |
| 9. | "Rich Niggaz" |
| Cole | 4:36 |
| 10. | "Where's Jermaine? (Skit)" | Cole | Cole | 0:36 |
| 11. | "Forbidden Fruit" (featuringKendrick Lamar) |
| Cole | 4:28 |
| 12. | "Chaining Day" | Cole | 4:44 | |
| 13. | "Ain't That Some Shit (Interlude)" |
| Syience | 2:27 |
| 14. | "Crooked Smile" (featuringTLC) |
|
| 4:38 |
| 15. | "Let Nas Down" |
| Cole | 4:37 |
| 16. | "Born Sinner" (featuringJames Fauntleroy) |
|
| 3:29 |
| Total length: | 59:28 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | "Miss America" |
| Cole | 3:45 |
| 18. | "New York Times" (featuring50 Cent andBas) |
| Cole | 4:31 |
| 19. | "Is She Gon Pop" |
| Cole | 2:45 |
| 20. | "Niggaz Know" |
| Cole | 3:37 |
| 21. | "Sparks Will Fly" (featuringJhené Aiko) |
| Christian Rich | 4:12 |
| Total length: | 78:18 | |||
Notes
Sample credits
Credits forBorn Sinner adapted fromAllMusic.[83]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
Decade-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[97] | Gold | 40,000^ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[98] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[99] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[80] | 3× Platinum | 796,000[79] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Label(s) | Format(s) | Edition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | June 14, 2013 |
| [100] | ||
| Canada | [101] | ||||
| Germany | June 17, 2013 | [102] | |||
| Ireland | [103] | ||||
| United Kingdom | [104] | ||||
| United States | June 18, 2013 | [105] | |||
| New Zealand | June 23, 2013 | [106] | |||
| Japan | June 29, 2013 | Standard | [107] |
