Rap is in the middle of a transition era. Well, scratch that; rap is perpetually locked in a transitional period. The old guard in rap typically ages out of the game within a handful of years. Very few artists in the field of hip-hop can remain in the limelight longer than five years tops. Even fewer still can remain active in ten.
Of the under 40 years old crowd, Three MCs act like the old guard and stand watch over hip-hop today. In no particular order, those artists are Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and J.Cole. All three are lyrical heavyweights in their own way, but J.Cole is arguably the most well-rounded of the trio. While Kendrick and Drake reside firmly on conscious rap and pop rap, respectively, J.Cole is the daywalker that can seamlessly move between both. Don't believe me?
In the video above, Genius' YouTube page breaks down J.Cole's verse on the 21 Savage track A Lot. Cole's smooth, buttery flow and paradoxically swift bars provide the song with a pleasurable juxtaposition that proves why Cole could easily be the king of his era. That's right, Jermaine. Cole.