Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA) [19] | Gold | 500,000 |
| ||
| "95 South" | |
|---|---|
| Song by J. Cole | |
| from the album The Off-Season | |
| Length | 3:16 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) | Jermaine Cole |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Audio video | |
| "95 South" on YouTube | |
"95 South" (stylized as "9 5 . s o u t h") is a song by American rapper J. Cole. It is the opening track on Cole's sixth studio album, The Off-Season , released on May 14, 2021. [1] The song features vocals by American rappers Cam'ron and Lil Jon, the former of which provides narration throughout the song. [2] It was produced by Coleman and Boi-1da.
"95 South" The title is a nod to Interstate 95, which ranges from New York City to Cole's home town Fayetteville. The lyrical content sees the rapper boasting his success, saying how he achieved multiplatinum records since the beginning of his career. He furthermore alluded to other rappers barely doing numbers despite releasing "thirty-song albums". Popular references include the Super Mario Bros. and the doughnut company Krispy Kreme, among others. [3]
Variety 's Brandon Yu complimented the track for having "a glorious kind of pitbull grandiosity to both its production and to Cole's scoffing cockiness". Yu also noted the contrast between the impression that the albums gives off "that strain of a wiser star" and the opening track denying the listener "any notion of fatherly compassion". [4] J. Bachelor from 92Q praised both Cole's and Cam'ron's presence on the song, saying that while Cam'ron "talks that talk the way only a Harlemite can", "Cole doesn't just fire a warning shot here, he empties the clip". [5] Matthew Strauss at Pitchfork noted the "triumphant beat that echoes the JAY-Z classic "U Don't Know"", as well as "a boisterous Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz sample" at the end of the song. [6] According to Carl Lammare of Billboard , "Cam's unexpected guest slot is a perfect way to kick off the 12-track collection". He further praised his guest appearance, saying how his "pseudo hype-man certainly gives the project a nice jolt, as he entertains fans with his trash-talking ways". Lamarre further suggested Cam to appear in more interludes. [7] Jacob DeLawrence at Consequence opined that the song felt like a clearer start to the album than any of his previous openers, saying that "it's clear that we're getting a different J. Cole". [8] Clash said the song "is a wake-up call for those that may need a reminder that Jermaine's pen and paper is lethal and have been for a long time. Drawing comparison to artists that release bloated albums for streams, Cole reiterates that he outsells with much less content proving once more that quality > quantity." [9]
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) [10] | 22 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [11] | 13 |
| Global 200 ( Billboard ) [12] | 11 |
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [13] | 5 |
| Portugal (AFP) [14] | 33 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [15] | 94 |
| UK R&B (OCC) [16] | 10 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 [17] | 8 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [18] | 6 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA) [19] | Gold | 500,000 |
| ||
Jermaine Lamarr Cole is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Cole is regarded as one of the most influential rappers of his generation. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in early 2007. Intent on further pursuing a musical career, he went on to release two additional mixtapes, The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010) both to critical acclaim, after signing to Jay-Z's Roc Nation imprint in 2009.
American rapper J. Cole has released six studio albums, one live album, three compilation albums, two extended plays, three mixtapes, 56 singles, two promotional singles and twenty one music videos. J. Cole first took up rapping in his teens, collaborating with the local Fayetteville hip hop duo Bomm Sheltuh. The Come Up, his debut mixtape, was released on May 4, 2007, to positive reception. Following the release of The Come Up, J. Cole was contacted by American rapper Jay Z and subsequently signed to his record label Roc Nation. Cole released his second mixtape The Warm Up on June 15, 2009. "Lights Please", the first single from The Warm Up, peaked at number nine on the United States Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart and became Cole's first entry on a national record chart. He was later featured on "All I Want Is You", a 2010 single by American R&B singer Miguel – it peaked at number 58 on the US Billboard Hot 100. J. Cole's third mixtape Friday Night Lights was released on November 12, 2010.
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An album that touches astronomical heights...