Let all the hip-hop lovers from the past shut their mouths and take the cotton out of their ears and listen to the new generation’s answer to “Hip-Hop is Dead.” J. Cole comes with all types of heat with his debut album “Cole World: The Sideline Story.”

A perfect blend of content and well-produced tracks creates this inevitable classic. J. Cole has been lingering in the shadows for the past few years with tons of mix tapes teasing an official album. In addition, no one can forget about Cole stealing the limelight in “A Star is Born,” from Jay-Z’s “The Blueprint 3.” “Cole World” revives a lot of hope for the upcoming generation of hip-hop.

With the bulk of the album produced by himself along with help from names such as Brian Kidd, No I.D. and The University, “Cole World” has a melting pot of tough emotion and celebration.

Here are some of the highlights of the album:

Lights Please – This song is deceivingly clever. At first listen, it sounds like another song about getting with a girl; once you dissect the lyrics, however, it has a deeper meaning. The song shows a man in a relationship and how he actually wants to take the relationship further. He tries to open his woman’s mind into realizing struggles of life, the unfairness of politics, etc. However, all the woman wants to do is have sex and drink. One line in here explains it all: “And you just wanna tell her everything she might need / But in the meantime it’s lights please.”

Sideline Story – Cole uses the “Sideline” metaphor for him not being on a major label. This track has a ton of storytelling moments. One that is best relatable is the airplane coach reference. Cole explains how he walks past white people in coach as he’s on his way to first class: “Know what he askin’/ how did he manage? / with all the cards against him/ he used it to his advantage!” This whole story just humors the stereotype of urban-looking people succeeding. “Slang we be speakin’ probably soundin’ like Spanish/ then I f— they heads up when a n—- show manners”

Lost Ones – This is the best track on the album by far. The meaning mixed with the wordplay and the way he delivered is a just pure genius. The situation is common; a young couple discovers they’re expecting a child and now they’re going through the tough process that comes along with it. Cole delivers first as himself realizing the responsibility that would arrive soon and how he doesn’t want a child: “Think about it baby/ me and you we still kids our self/ how we gon’ raise a kid by our self?” Following the hook, he becomes the woman in the relationship expressing her side of the argument. “See I knew that this how you act/ so typical/ said you love me oh/ but now you flippin’ like reciprocals.” This song has way too many lines to recite in one review. Definitely one you have to hear for yourself.

The album is definitely worth the buy. Although J. Cole is a new face in the hip-hop industry, he brings an old-school feel lyrically using useful metaphors, powerful beats and meaningful topics.

J. Cole provides a Heimlich maneuver and allows hip-hop to take a deep breath of revival, satisfying ears that have been lacking quality content and being full of “Black and Yellow” and “Yonkers.” “Cole World: The Sideline Story” silences all questions of hip-hop being dead.

Artemio Valenzuela can be reached at [email protected].