Idk I’m not really going off of anything other than memory. I just remember Who Dat being on 106 & Park and all the hype. Drake would’ve had to been out and active by then but he was no longer the shiny new toy and it wasn’t obvious he’d be the biggest thing in the world. Drake was not the answer if you asked someone who would be running the game 10 years from now.

This is spoken from the perspective of someone who was 13 when Thank Me Later dropped and used to perform the album in my basement when I got home from school. I also thought Who Dat was underwhelming as S*** and couldn’t understand why Cole was being proclaimed as the next big thing

Who’s to say Drake isn’t closer to Tyga rn than his current stature? He was always bigger than Tyga but late 09/early 2010 he was probably only a step or two ahead

Such an iconic moment in Hip Hop.

Doesn’t get talked about enough.

FHD more acclaim than IYRTITL (which is a mixtape, not an album btw) ? I doubt the sales thing too tbh, but Cole got a dedicated fanbase fr

Best I Ever Had was everywhere before people even knew J Cole exists

The GOAT

J Cole lowkey wouldn't be hailed as one of the bests of the generation if he didn't already have hype and a loyal fanbase behind him by the time Kendrick blew up, it would've been a top 2. If Kendrick came first, J Cole would just be seen as a similar but not as good rapper. It would've been Drake and Kendrick as the top 2 and Cole would've been in the Rocky/Sean tier

FHD is actually Cole’s lowest rated album by critics

Yall need to stop relying on Metacritic. They deadass take into account reviews that don't have scores and staff at Metacritic assign scores based on how the review "sounds"

If 4YEO/KOD/CW:TSS > FHD according to critics, that should tell you all you need to know.

Kanye should not be outselling cole first week sales if he a “big 3”

what the hell are you talking about

Kanye, Drake, and Em are the only legacy acts who can still outsell the current gen

😂😂😂😂😂😂 man tyga ain’t have a real solo hit until rack city foh

The next big thing?
Lol

Corniest rapper alive , tries too hard

FHD is an undeniable classic

Chimp1

Been a Cole stan since 2012 but I never understood this Yall really feel comfortable putting FHD up there with Ready to Die, The Love Below, TPAB etc?

I was similar. I was 16 and in high school and loving TML. I also thought who dat was not great and remember it making sense when Cole talked about them putting a hold on the album till he had a good enough single.

But when comeback season came out one of my good friends and my cousin both were like “you gotta listen to this guy, Drake. He’s gonna be IT”

There was definitely the idea that Drake was gonna be huge. He and J Cole were the next generation and then Kendrick came shortly thereafter.

Gotta remember TML came in June 2010 and WTT came out August 2011 (before drake dropped TC). The album that Ye and Drake made SPECIFICALLY because of Drake.

Hello is such a genuinely TERRIBLE song, that alone is a major detractor from classic status

Wayne called himself the best rapper alive and literally became the best rapper alive

I don't even think Who Dat was when most people were talking about Cole. Work Out is the point where people started finding out who he is. Cole says pretty much the same thing you're saying about Who Dat not being his first hit on Let Nas Down

Even Below the Heavens has Juice N' Dranks