North Carolina rapper, singer/songwriter & producer J. Cole surprise-releasing his 4th mixtape. At this point, I’m pretty sure everyone & their mom knows who dude is. Especially given the universal acclaim of projects like The Warm Up, Friday Night Lights, Born Sinner & my personal favorite: 2014 Forest Hills Drive. However, his last 2 albums 4 Your Eyez Only & K.O.D. were both released to mixed reception. Matter of fact: my review for K.O.D. is amongst my most controversial. I don’t get shit for it anymore but at the time when I gave it a 6/10, Cole stans were on my ass for the next 2-3 weeks. Even to this day: my opinions on that & 4YEO haven’t changed at all but that’s not the point. The Off-Season was the most I’ve enjoyed a Cole project since FHD, so Might Delete Later was an interesting surprise to me.

“Pricey” featuring Gucci Mane & Young Dro is a symphonic boom bap opener produced with T-Minus & Wu10 whereas “Crocodile Tearz” works in some pianos & hi-hats talking about The Fall-Off being like JAY-Z droppin’ Reasonable Doubtlast. “Ready ‘24” featuring Cam’ron flips I’m Ready by The Diplomats fittingly enough to get on their shit again just before the trap-inflicted “Huntin’ Wabbitz” with co-production from Charlie Heat references Elmer Fudd of the longtime Warner Bros. franchise Looney Tunes.

Central C joins Cole on the acoustic trap/pop rap crossover “H.Y.B. (Hide Your Bitch)” with FNZ behind the boards advising to hide your significant others from them leading into “Fever” continuing the pop rap vibes except it’s much more groovier courtesy of ATL Jacob talking about a woman he loves & needs. “Stickz N Stonez” is my favorite on the tape bouncing back from the 2 worst whether it be the dusty Alchemist instrumental or the lyricism declaring that no one wants smoke with him, but then “Pi” featuring Ab-Soul & Daylyt goes drumless to drop straight bars for 6-minutes other than the trans line.

“Stealth Mode” featuring Bas on the bridge talks about got a lot to get off their sternums over a summery drill beat while “3001” finds Mike WiLL Made-It & Pluss of all people dabbling with boom bap dedicated I was listening less than 1000 years from now. “Trae tha Truth in Ibiza” soulfully discusses his work ethic & the now deleted “7 Minute Drill” ends the tape with Conductor Williams sampling “Energy” by Drake so Cole can come through with an admittedly weak response to Kendrick’s verse on Future’s latest album We Don’t Trust You saying he’s “washed like The Simpsons” on the Fox Corporation’s flagship property albeit trademarked by The Walt Disney Company & he has since apologized for it officially backing out of the beef.

I’m just gonna come straight out the gate by saying both J. Cole & Drake don’t have an album better than good kid m.A.A.d. city or To Pimp a Butterfly, but I think Might Delete Later is a pretty solid tape for the most part. The overall sound is more trap oriented with some jazzy undertones and J. Cole actually does sound pretty hungry here as much as he did on the previous album a couple years ago other than a few unfortunate lows. Still very excited for The Fall-Off.

Score: 2/5

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