J. Cole – Born Sinner [2× Vinyl LP] [10th Anniversary Edition]

J. Cole – Born Sinner [2× Vinyl LP] [10th Anniversary Edition]

Details

• Format: 2× Vinyl LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo, Explicit
• Catalogue Number: 5540662
• Barcode: 602455406620
• Genre: Hip-Hop / Rap / East Coast Hip-Hop
• Label: Dreamville / Interscope Records
• Originally Released: 18 June 2013
• Reissue Released: 16th June 2023
• Condition: New & Sealed

Description

Born Sinner is J. Cole's second studio album and the record that confirmed him as one of the most gifted and intellectually serious rappers of his generation. Originally released on 18 June 2013 via Dreamville and Def Jam Recordings, it debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 — selling over 297,000 copies in its first week — and has since been certified Double Platinum by the RIAA. This 2023 reissue marks the album's 10th anniversary and presents it on double vinyl for the first time.

Recorded over an extended period that saw Cole travelling between New York and his native Fayetteville, North Carolina, Born Sinner arrived in the wake of his critically acclaimed debut Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011) and represented a significant artistic leap. Where the debut had introduced Cole's storytelling voice, this album deepened and darkened it — wrestling with themes of faith, temptation, ambition, identity and the moral compromises demanded by fame. The title itself frames the album as a kind of confession: Cole is not a villain, but nor is he a saint, and the record sits honestly in that grey area throughout.

The album boasts an exceptional roster of collaborators. "Power Trip" — featuring Miguel — became one of the most successful singles of 2013, reaching number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. "Crooked Smile" features TLC in one of the group's most celebrated post-2000 appearances. "Forbidden Fruit" showcases Jhené Aiko at her most ethereal, while "Let Nas Down" — a remarkably candid track about Cole's conflicted feelings after Nas criticised one of his singles — stands as one of the most honest pieces of self-reflection in modern rap.

Throughout, Cole's production is as impressive as his lyricism — spare, atmospheric and deeply soulful, drawing on gospel, blues and classic East Coast hip-hop without ever feeling derivative. Born Sinner is a record that rewards close listening and has only grown in stature in the decade since its release.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Villuminati
2. Kerney Sermon (Skit)
3. Land of the Snakes
4. Power Trip (ft. Miguel)

Side B

1. Mo Money (Interlude)
2. Trouble
3. Runaway
4. She Knows (ft. Amber Coffman & Cults)

Side C

1. Rich N****z (ft. 2 Chainz)
2. Where's Jermaine? (Skit)
3. Forbidden Fruit (ft. Jhené Aiko)
4. Chaining Day

Side D

1. Ain't That Some S*** (Interlude)
2. Crooked Smile (ft. TLC)
3. Let Nas Down
4. Born Sinner (ft. James Fauntleroy)

Credits

• J. Cole – Vocals, Producer, Executive Producer
• Jake One – Producer
• Syience – Producer
• Elite – Producer
• No I.D. – Producer
• Miguel, TLC, Jhené Aiko, 2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar, Amber Coffman – Featured Artists
• Label – Dreamville / Interscope Records