By Odeisel
J.Cole and Drake may as well be joined at the hip when it comes to being compared as leaders of the new school. For the kiddies they are stylistically as different as night and day but they continue the legacy of dueling duos like Kane and Rakim and Jay vs. Nas. While they would hope to have careers approaching that fantastic four, the newbies are what’s up for their generation and so Drakes commercial appeal and songwriting skills will be paired against Cole’s ferocious spitter skills for the next decade. But like Lebron and Wade choosing to pair rather than battle, Cole and Drake will avoid the direct route by working together. It ain’t South Beach but “In The Morning” is a fine pairing that accentuates the strengths of both artists.
Piano pouncing and guitar plunking cede with light digital strings from the initial base of the track but the breaks bring a slithering bassline and whiny synth. Drake’s verse has an electric guitar undercurrent. The piano runs throughout and gives the song a subdued classiness. Maraccas and a low level bump add suitable knock, as does a drum for cole’s second verse.
Cole’s delivery is aggressive for a song of this type. Not too gruff for the composition but decidedly different from his guest. While this is a song aimed at the ladies, there is no simp on this nor syrup. Cole slick talks from the outset, trying to be under her like and underline, calling her a dime and trying to be next to her like the number 9. It walks the line of cute/corny adroitly, never falling into latter land. Cole wants to know if she’s fancy, huh or whether she can chill and watch the game and be simple. He asks her a few questions but shes so fine and his homies are already jocking him so he probably won’t wait for the answer. We know how that’s going to end, but i guess as long as he beats in the AM it’s all good.
Drake is clearly a veteran of these kinds of songs and drips all over this track like Merlot. He is all over shorty, with a three part rhyme scheme and a cadence that lets you know that he’s on her tough pouring on the pressure. His horseback riding allegory is dope, even though his connectivity is cliche’. Homegirl got a booty like Serena and Drizzy has seen enough. His verse boomerangs back to the title in true veteran status and doesn’t even bother to croon. He outclasses C in delivery and imagery, but again this song is clearly a romp through Drakonian waters, and not really what Cole’s cup of tea.
Cole’s second verse removes the momentum of his first, treading back to b-boy bravado that has been done too many times. The tender, humble sentiment is absent and now he’s just a regular rapper popping the same regular dude shit.
Don’t mistake his last verse for a failure though. This song is solid and real album fodder. Score this track a victory for Canada’s King and a marked improvement in Cole’s ability to stick to the script of a song without relying in his spit-driven crutch. Maybe one day soon, we’ll see if Drake will swim with the sharks and get on a hard track and get tested. “In The Morning.” Don’t Sleep.
J.Cole feat. Drake-In the Morning
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