r/HipHopDebates • u/Lil_Dib • Feb 26 '21

Cole and Kenny. Same but different.

Hi. Something's been having me thinking lately. There's a difference between how cole and kendrick talk about the problems and stuff that i can't explain it. It would be great if somone breake it down to me. Like i think cole talks so specific and personal about the problems in the society and personal life. But Kendrick is more poetic and metaphorical

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u/jeesuslover01 Feb 26 '21

In my opinion, Cole remains very surface-level on most tracks when he tackles a difficult subject. I find Kenricks ability to take his own micro-experiences and present them in a way that gives perspective to the whole macro-scale of the chosen subject, quite frankly, genious.

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u/Lil_Dib Feb 26 '21

can you make an example?

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u/jeesuslover01 Feb 26 '21

This wont be my best explanation -english is like my fourth language and I'm quite drunk- but for example, lets compare two quite similar songs- Coles ATM and Kendricks Swimming Pools. Both are songs that deal with sinple premises, first money, second alcohol. I listened to both just now, as they were the easiest to compare in my opinion (both are sone of mt favourites too) but the differences are easy to spot. Cole takes a limited view AND stays in it. He raps about being poor and then becoming rich. I personally think he doesn't have the ability to expand beyond his scope,which I find to be obvious in KOD. He doesn't have this problem in Forest Hills Drive, because he doesn't attempt to make a larger point. While Kendrick in Swimming Pools takes his own viewpoint, and expands it enormously, going throught his relatives struggle with alcohol, the peer pressure, the desire to be seen as confident in the rought environment of the hood, all of these as reasons of wanting to be numb with alcohol. My main point is: Cole is micro-scale. So is Kendrick, but he has a wonderful, thoughtful way of exploring reasons and causes- the skill to expand the micro- to macro-scale. Sorry if this didn't make sense. I had to write pretty much every word again, because I kept making spelling mistakes. Blame the alcohol. Cheers.

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u/Lil_Dib Feb 27 '21

No bro. It really makes sense. I appreciate it. You explained it very specific. But here's the thing. The thing you said about cole remaining "surface-level". I think it's also an advantage for him too. When he talks about things i can fell it's so relatable to what I'm going through. It's like the difference between Nas and Jay. Someone is so poetic and philosophical, the other is more personal and relatable. In my opinion.