Today rapper J. Cole released the first installment of five in his mini-docuseries that chronicles his last year on tour. In 2014 the North Carolina native released his 3rd studio album titled, "2014 Forest Hills Drive" and it took over the rap game. In the first week alone the album sold more than 360-thousand copies, which is unheard of in this era of illegal downloads and Internet pirating. To say Cole is in his element is an understatement. Not only does he credit his success to his childhood in North Carolina, Cole also credits his time in the best city in the world, New York City. J. Cole attended and graduated summa cum laude from St. Johns University in Queens, New York in 2007. Ironically enough it wasn't until earlier this year that he received his physical diploma because he never returned a library book. But J. Cole is arguably one of the best rappers in the world right now. His discography from his latest work shows he is making music from the soul. He is speaking truth about his life. He is releasing really dope visuals about his current journey. In the video he even said he no longer worries about his legacy as he can admit he did years back. At this point he has confident in what he can do and is doing.
All the excitement about J. Cole got me thinking about his success and what he credits to his success. He constantly shouts out St. Johns and New York City and it makes me believe only the strong survive in the concrete jungle. In what can be an overwhelming city at times, New York also boasts opportunity. The real key is more about how dedicated are you to attaining that success going after what you want. I have nothing but the most respect and admiration for anyone out here doing what makes them happy and getting after it with everything that they have. That is what J. Cole has done and to think he's just starting to come into his own is a scary thing. In his own words, "G.O.M.D.!!"
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If you don't know the name of the song, chances are you know the dance. Bobby Shmurda's first hit single, "Hot N***a" has been the hottest song of the entire 2014 garnering over 25 million hits on YouTube to date; and as summer has come and gone, the song continues to gain in popularity. What started as somewhat of a hood anthem from deep in Brooklyn, New York about selling drugs and gun violence has transformed into a song that brings people together with the catchy "shmoney dance" as its called. First captured online in a Vine, the dance has since taken off. It started with the hat flip and now it's being played on almost every continent and in every country as feel good music. For some time it's been known that music can be the great equalizer, bringing people together of all walks of life. In many ways music can bring people together better than politics can, but the shmoney dance has taken things to a new level. All types of people, all ages and backgrounds know the dance, the words and when the beat drops nothing else matters. Much can be made of the success of the song, but what about the idea that as humans we're all not that different. If music can bring us together so too can every day life of sports and food and common interests. The hate in the world is so ugly and unnecessary. Centuries of oppression needs to be left in the past. We need to use one another to uplift. Let's all enjoy life -- and at the very least let's shmoney dance!
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Marquise Francislives by one word: achievement. in anything and everything, achieve. Archives
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