J. Cole’s sixth album, “The Off-Season,” is filled with songs that convey triumph and relief, reanalyzing close calls. Big-money rapper talk is subverted by introspective tracks that rehash the deadly daily gamble of the life he avoided. To capture the extreme adversity of his upbringing, Cole returns to his favorite metaphor, the aspiring athlete—a decision that suits the album’s fanfare. Despite the bluster, the violent scenes of Cole’s youth are more evocative than any of the victory celebrations, and the comfort that money affords him is usually revealed to be a remedy for trauma. By taking an inquisitive position and reliving every dodged bullet that could’ve put his dream on ice, Cole not only restores gravity to his raps but grants himself command of his narrative. - Sheldon Pearce. Some of the features don't pull me in, but the Pharoahe flip and other tracks surely do. Cole is a gifted lyricist and he makes solid music for the mainstream audience. Dig into it...