J. Cole - "1 Listen Reviews Are F***ing up Hip-Hop"
 

J. Cole Knows, Those "1 Listen Reviews Are F*cking Up Hip Hop"

According to J. Cole, may reviewers/fans only give albums a cursory listen or two before they judge it unfairly. I pretty much agree with him. These albums take MONTHS and sometimes even YEARS to make. The least you can do is let it soak in a bit. I get these guys have a deadline to meet, but there should be a minimum amount of listens they are required to give it before they review it.

This is art after all. Hip-hop is based on lyricism and as such, it deserves to be analyzed as an intelligent and word-based art form. What do you guys think? Is he right? Shouldn't fans and reviewers let albums sink in a little bit instead of rushing for that "First Impression" crap?

Is J.Cole still trying to convince everyone that he made a 'classic album' with Born Sinner. I like the guy but he's starting to annoy me.

I disagree. Not everyone is a hardcore music fan like we are here at musicbanter.

They just want to know if an album has hits, singles that are catchy and if it's worthy of being re-playable.

They don't want some in depth analysis of an album. Reviewers do tend to give a deeper look than the typical music listener but I don't feel like they need to have it soak in for months to get to the bottom line of what the album has to offer.

Most hip hop released these days would fall very loosely (if at all) under art...

I think it depends. In one listen I can definitely decide which songs I will like most and things like that. In later listens, I may learn to like different songs.
I think if a review is based on this, it's definitely fine for one listen.

But I don't think you can review an album as a whole with just one listen. Think about how many times you look at reviews or reactions here from members who listen to the album once, only to listen to it again when people disagree with them, then they end up liking the album!

It happened to a couple of people in the Yeezus thread. I specifically remember members like Vanilla not loving the album as a whole but listening to it a second time through and changing their minds! It's interesting and I think that reviews would be better if the album was listened to at least three times in different settings!

Reviews should NOT come out the day of a release, how can you listen to an album and judge it so quickly after all the hype?

Professional reviewers get pre-releases so they can run their review the day of release.

Anyways albums have grown on me in time but it only took one agonizing listen for me to see that good kid, maad city wasn't for me and you'll never talk me into giving it a second go. It's a case-by-case thing.

^Could I pay you to give it a second go?

No.

But only hip hop...


I think keith richards had a similar complaint about exile on main street.

Jay talks about this as well.
Jay-Z Says The Internet Killed The Album Review