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Born Sinner
Hip-Hop · 2013 · 21 tracks · 1h 18m

Born Sinner

J. Cole

Soulful samples meet internal conflict. A self-produced sophomore effort that trades radio polish for late-night introspection and dusty, jazz-inflected boom bap.

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The album where J. Cole finally stopped trying to be a pop star and started being himself.

A heavy, soul-searching meditation on fame and morality wrapped in warm, late-night production.

Born Sinner · vs · J. Cole
Late Night+0.8σ

Late Night saturates this record a touch more than the artist's norm.

Tracklist · 21 Tracks · 1h 18m
01
Villuminati
5:08
01
Miss America
3:46
02
New York Times
4:32
02
Kerney Sermon (skit)
0:46
03
Land of the Snakes
4:14
03
Is She Gon Pop
2:45
04
Power Trip
4:01
04
Niggaz Know
3:37
05
Mo Money (interlude)
1:18
05
Sparks Will Fly
4:12
06
Trouble
4:18
07
Runaway
5:14
08
She Knows
4:57
09
Rich Niggaz
4:36
10
Where’s Jermaine? (skit)
0:37
11
Forbidden Fruit
4:29
12
Chaining Day
4:45
13
Ain’t That Some Shit (interlude)
2:27
14
Crooked Smile
4:39
15
Let Nas Down
4:37
16
Born Sinner
3:29
Moments Worth Waiting For
The way the A Tribe Called Quest sample on Forbidden Fruit creates a hypnotic loop that feels both vintage and modern.
The raw, conversational vulnerability in the second verse of Let Nas Down where the beat strips back to emphasize the regret.
The transition from the gospel-inflected hook to the driving, distorted bassline on the title track Born Sinner.
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