#iTunesSounds: “Black Friday” – J. Cole & Kendrick Lamar – December 31, 2015

By: Brandon Clay @PSBPopCulture

As if the rumblings of these two teaming up for a collaboration album weren’t loud enough already, they each dropped separate tracks on the other’s beat. Lamar chose Cole’s “A Tale of 2 Citiez” while Cole jumped on Kendrick’s hit “Alright.” Neither spared the beat going all in with A Game verses to hold us over as we wait. Cole even alluded to a possible release date during the month of February. Stay Tuned. For now, enjoy both of these songs.

Cole lets the smooth beat ride for about 20 seconds before jumping in full throttle. The North Carolina-based rapper has seen his popularity rise since the release of Sideline Story in 2011. I watched him headline a sold-out Atlanta stop on his “2014 Forest Hills Drive Tour” in August. Cole has found a niche as the anti-rapper. His flow on this one was no different as he dropped the following:

FAVORITE LINE: “Flow hot, whip cold. I’m bipolar brotha. I don’t like to talk about a Rover brotha. Keep it 100, I just sold it brotha. Tired of police looking at me like I stole it brotha. Prolly just gonna cop a little Corolla brotha. Don’t need a Rolex on to know I’m gettin’ older brotha.”

Lamar establishes his voice right away referring to himself as “The People’s Champion.” Right now, he’s established himself as a mainstay of hip hop for the forseeable future. If we needed proof of his current status, the feature on Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” cemented Lamar’s emergence to the A-List of the game.

FAVORITE LINE: “I tell the chick don’t sweat me. I’ll kill this whole beat if Cole’ll let (please Cole). Eve should have never sent the instrumental. Every time I start writing I get sentimental.”

Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @PSBPopCulture.