Career Sophmore Album Debate... Born Sinner vs It Was Written

[thegoat123]

Cut the the radio on(102 Jamz), and they're having a ridiculous call-in debate, WHO HAS THE BETTER SOPHMORE ALBUM? NAS OR J COLE "BORN SINNER or the oh so glorious IT WAS WRITTEN"...

Nas being in my top 3, this was kind of disrespectful to me, but a lot of people called in saying Born Sinner was better.  My guess is that they were probably within the age group 16-21, which they may have missed the Nas Era by default.  Of course, Nas won the overall debate, but I'm surprised it was even close, or better yet even an argument AT ALL.

My personal opinion, It Was Written is Nas's best overall album.  Illmatic was the game changer, but It Was Written was the overall package to me.  This is when he had Dr Dre on the team too, before the beats took a slump for a while in his career.  Born Sinner does not have an I GAVE YOU POWER(most clever story in hip hop aside REWIND), IF I RULED THE WORLD, STREET DREAMS, I'm gonna stop there.   Cole's homage to Esco in I LET NAS DOWN was deep and it gave that honest hip hop feel from the Golden Era, but Born Sinner = It Was Written? Nah, Never, Ever.

Street Dreams

If I Ruled The World

With Spanish subtitles lol

I Gave You Power

 

[definition of dopeness]

I'm in the small percentage, that prefers It was Written to Illmatic.

It was Written > J. Cole whole catalogue. and i'm a fan of J. Cole's music.

 

[thegoat123]

I'm in the small percentage, that prefers It was Written to Illmatic.

It was Written > J. Cole whole catalogue. and i'm a fan of J. Cole's music.

I agree.  Even though Cole is going to keep getting better album by album, he's not there yet.  He may truly become baby Nas by album 5.

 

[mastamind033]

IWW and its not even close. This album has stood the test of time and has got even more acclaim over the years. Hell the 2 songs that didn't even make the cd version, the Street Dreams Remix with R. Kelly and Silent Murder, are better then anything J. Cole has ever done.

 

[thegoat123]

IWW and its not even close. This album has stood the test of time and has got even more acclaim over the years. Hell the 2 songs that didn't even make the cd version, the Street Dreams Remix with R. Kelly and Silent Murder, are better then anything J. Cole has ever done.

True. People want that new Nas figure so bad

 

[cronicmolemolereturns]

I agree.  Even though Cole is going to keep getting better album by album, he's not there yet.  He may truly become baby Nas by album 5.

naww. he's missing something that Nas has.. cant put my finger on it.

 

[00david00]

not even in the same category

 

[thegoat123]

not even in the same category

I guess its just as close as it gets for this generation.

naww. he's missing something that Nas has.. cant put my finger on it.

Maybe its that Nas didn't kick the same depression story every few tracks...most repetitive thing he did was make references to ill will...Cole keeps talkin bout gettin signed to J****, and being broke in college stories...he makes it work tho, you see a lil concept growth in the 2nd LP

 

[untouchable jc]

Illmatic all day

 

[MajinZuub]

Cole is miles away from where NaS was when he dropped his 2nd album. Not even close.

 

[thegoat123]

Illmatic all day

I flip flop sometimes...but when I really sat down and compared them I feel Illmatic was that new never heard of hip hop (Kanye attempted this with Yeezus)... IWW he stepped into that new realm, the new sound of hip hop with advanced storytelling and better concepts in complete songs.  He was really just rappin on Illmatic over sampled Jazz beats (new sound), he made songs on IWW, still on another level tho.

 

[dt43]

Cole is not even within two levels of Nas.. c'mon now

 

[londo]

This is so ridiculous to me how did these two albums even get together in someones thoughts....I like J Cole but just no  -_-

 

[airjordan jb23]

IWW is a classic album that no matter what era we're in, it's gonna be looked back at as timeless. the album has classic esco material straight up & down, from i gave you power (one of the best story telling songs ever made), to if i ruled the world (really put nas on the map in terms of finally getting that radio record out there & he did it with one of the best female artists of that era), to having mobb deep in their prime on there, to dre having a production feature, & to having classic firm features... when looking back at the mafioso era in rap there are some key albums to point out & this is one of them.

 

[Hahahaha]

The fact that this thread was even made infuriates me. IWW is my favorite NaS album and J. Cole won't even come close

 

[strongmind3]

the brotha made "i gave you power" man..."i gave you power"...

 

[gmoney7781]

This isn't a fair comparison.

 

[gllahone84]

It Was Written 

/thread.

I Gave You Power >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Born Sinner 

P's verse on Live ***** Rap >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> second half of Born Sinner 

And I rock with BS. 

 

[vicrain24]

REALLY?

Compare IWW to sophomore albums like.....

Late Registration or The Cool or The Marshall Mathers LP...... not Born Sinner

 

[thegoat123]

REALLY?

Compare IWW to sophomore albums like.....

Late Registration or The Cool or The Marshall Mathers LP...... not Born Sinner

Those are some great comparisons right there...Idk what's wrong with radio...smh

I guess its all the Nas comparisons Cole be gettin

 

[just nikes]

I'd be pissed if I heard that being discussed.

In fact, you shouldn't listen to them for a while.

*I am a J cole fan and thought BS was solid.*

 

[dipsetgeneral]

Everyone already said what I was going to say in here.

"Born Sinner" is practically excellent throughout. Can make an argument for classic if someone really wanted to.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

I like Cole but now y'all just going too damn far.



IWW is a masterpiece.

IWW is a classic album that no matter what era we're in, it's gonna be looked back at as timeless. the album has classic esco material straight up & down, from i gave you power (one of the best story telling songs ever made), to if i ruled the world (really put nas on the map in terms of finally getting that radio record out there & he did it with one of the best female artists of that era), to having mobb deep in their prime on there, to dre having a production feature, & to having classic firm features... when looking back at the mafioso era in rap there are some key albums to point out & this is one of them.

What he said.

 

[deleted]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[flatbushfiyah23]

To the person who said Cole is missing something well its....

A debut album as great as Illmatic but many rappers don't have that level of a debut period.

IWW is a better sophomore album but I think its ridiculous that people are always looking for the next Nas, Jay etc. Let the new talented young rappers like Kendrick and Cole just be themselves and the let their music breathe and speak for itself.