Music Album: Born Sinner by J. Cole

The hip hop world has been introduced to a new wave of rappers - on their way to becoming pioneers of the future. In world where Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Wale reign supreme as heirs to the hip hop throne, J. Cole stands out as an artist is his own lane, an underdog who can surprisingly give the aforementioned a run for their money. After a well-received debut album, he delivers Born Sinner - his captivating sophomore effort which aims to make his star sign brighter than it had before.

His brand of hip hop is reminiscent of the work of Nas. The blend of hip hop with r&b and soul make the album as a whole a pleasurable listening experience. On 'Let Nas Down,' he pays homage to the iconic rapper who had expressed his distaste in decisions that Cole had made with single choices of his first album, the heartfelt track received a resounding response from Nas himself. 'Power Trip ,' his emotionally charged collaboration with Miguel speaks on a relationship gone sour. 'Crooked Smile' (featuring TLC) amongst many, happens to be one of the many gems on this album.

The thrill of this album is that it provides a musical experience that is very much hip hop, he might not have the vulnerability of Wale, the versatility of Drake or the excellent wordplay of Kendrick Lamar – what he does have is a soothing storytelling rap style that is sincere, genuine and quite frankly, unlike anything we have heard from contemporary rapper since probably Nas.