J. Cole named his third studio album after the address where he spent his childhood: 2014 Forest Hills Drive, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. At this address he became interested in hip hop and started rapping there. With a musical career in mind (and for college), he moved from Fayetteville to New York, where he eventually signed a contract with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2010. The fact that J. Cole
… now 'returns' to his youth with 2014 Forst Hills Drive is more than just a gimmick. 2014 Forest Hills Drive is all about J. Cole, both lyrically and in performance. The former is not uncommon in hip-hop, because rappers usually (or always) like to talk about themselves, but J. Cole sometimes opts for a more introspective side, where he does not shy away from personal outpourings. In addition, no guest is participating on 2014 Forest Hills Drive, which is unusual. He also produced many of the songs himself. Ambitious perhaps, but he certainly has the qualities for it. (IV)more