Friday Nights Lights review.

You would think that after dropping a classic mix-tape in 2009 and following that up with an appearance on The Blueprint 3, there would be a huge buzz surrounding Roc Nation artist, J. Cole. However, even after releasing a single this summer to promote his still unnamed debut album, Cole didn't get the buzz he thought he would and pushed the release date back till next year.

However, after releasing the track Villematic, which is over Kanye West's Devil in a New Dress beat, Cole decided to do a mix-tape. He said the tape would be for all his fans that have stuck with him throughout his young career, but in addition to that, it was released to re-gain that buzz. With the plan laid out - release the mix-tape, a single around Thanksgiving, then another before the album is ready around January or February 2011 - he created just the hype he wanted with Friday Night Lights, as it both crashed his blog and the first two download links, but it was also the second most searched topic on Google at the time.

The tape starts with a piano loop, as Cole is trying to motivate himself before a game. (If you didn't know by now, every mixtape is related to his basketball background.) Once he leaves with his last quote, the beat switches up to something relaxing for Too Deep for the Intro. The title fits perfectly, as it really is too deep for the intro. The subject matter shifts from social class to an abusive marriage, to his first sexual experience, to finally how he never told anyone about his early rap career due to the fear of criticism.

Before I'm Gone begins with a choir singing/humming a melody, then Cole unleashes a weed-laden verse to begin the song, discussing how he's speeding away from the cops so he doesn't get caught for smoking and thrown in jail beside his brother. The third verse is probably one of my favorites on the entire tape, as he addresses what he stands for with his rhymes and recalls his rags to riches story.

Following that is Back to the Topic, which is just a freestyle with many punchlines sprinkled through there. You Got It is a fun track that features a Janelle Monae sample and a song-stealing guest verse from Wale at the end. And Villematic was the song that basically started the tape, but the next track is another one of many highlights from the tape.

Combining a hook from one of Tupac's most recognized songs, Hail Mary, and the best guest verse on the entire tape from Omen, Enchanted is definitely one of the best songs on Friday Night Lights. His verse, located as the second one the track, starts with a grand opening - "Let's see God/I know you only do what's best for me/But is it cool if we negotiate my destiny?" - before he lets loose on 20 bars that deal with his destructive hometown.

Blow Up was the another track that I heard before the tape dropped and it was an instant favorite of mine from day one. Directing it towards his haters, Cole goes off with three verses that are filled with punchline after punchline. The self-produced beat, as most on the tape are, is one of my favorites from the entire project.

Then two potential radio singles come up back to back with Higher leading them off. The hook is catchy and the beat is a fun one, as Cole raps about hooking up with this girl he knew from before. In the Morning features Drake and is another one of my favorites on the tape, even though this is a very familiar song to most J. Cole fans. Cole uses the same first verse as an earlier version of this track then Drizzy comes in after the hook and spits a very impressive verse. After his rendition of the hook, Cole takes center stage and barely one-ups him, leaving fans of both parties satisfied. (There's an unofficial rivalry between the two young talents, even though both say they are friends with one another and are even going on tour together in the near future.)

2Face is another incredible track that provoked a lot of emotion from the talented rapper, whereas The Autograph continues the success with the first verse featuring Cole's XXL freestyle. Best Friend samples an Aaliyah song on the hook and Cost Me a Lot tries to follow up on the epicness the last four songs showed.

Premeditated Murder is another song that was leaked earlier this year, as Cole again remembers his shady past and how he's about to take over the rap game. Home For the Holidays' beat features a lot of brass and is a change-up from the rest, but it's a very good change as it makes the song another one of my favorites on the tape. Pretty much he's reminiscing on his high school days and says he can only return to his hometown for the holidays otherwise he'll end up like most of the recognizable kids from high school. Meanwhile, Love Me Not is a short song that deals with a relationship and how feelings change.

However, out of all the songs, I think the tape's best lies in See World. With the song's inspiration based off a very sad and disturbing story, Cole angrily lashes out at the person that committed such a crime to little Shaniya Davis in the first verse. In the second verse, he shifts to a lighter subject, saying how tough it is to make it in the rap game, especially when you're competing with artists you looked up to growing up. Audio clippings of the Davis story are featured in the song as well, only adding to an already epic track.

Farewell is a great closing track, as Cole wonders how he will be remembered once he's gone and lets everyone know that he won't forget the ones that pass away. The bonus track, Looking For Trouble, is from an earlier G.O.O.D. Friday. Featuring a star-studded cast that includes Kanye West and Pusha T, Cole steals the show with the final verse that has him spitting acapella for the last few bars ("What you been prayin' for? What you been screamin' 'bout?/Ironic, you been sleepin' on the one that you been dreamin' 'bout").

Friday Night Lights is an overwhelming success. Although it's not as good as the classic The Warm Up, it's still exactly what Cole needed to put his name out there to even the strictly mainstream folks. This tape isn't only a showcase of his rhymes, but also his underrated production ability and let's the listener get maybe a peek of what's to come on his still untitled debut album, since himself and No I.D. will be handling the production for it.

One of the most notable lines on Villematic is: "It's the feeling in the air you 'bout to drop a real classic/He said Cole, 'A lil' birdy told me on the low you got an Illmatic'". Cole might not have an Illmatic, but after all the material he's given us through the last two years, there's no reason to believe that his debut album won't be a classic.

1.) Friday Night Lights (Intro) - 4.5
2.) Too Deep for the Intro - 5
3.) Before I'm Gone - 4.5
4.) Back to the Topic (Freestyle) - 3.5
5.) You Got It ft. Wale - 4.5
6.) Villematic - 4.5
7.) Enchanted ft. Omen - 5
8.) Blow Up - 5
9.) Higher - 2
10.) In the Morning ft. Drake - 5
11.) 2Face - 5
12.) The Autograph - 4.5
13.) Best Friend - 4.5
14.) Cost Me a Lot - 3
15.) Premeditated Murder - 5
16.) Home For the Holidays - 5
17.) Love Me Not - 3.5
18.) See World - 5
19.) Farewell - 4.5
20.) Looking For Trouble ft. Kanye West, Pusha T, Cyhi da Prynce & Big Sean - 5

Overall: 4.43/5