A few days back, J. Cole dropped off his return single “Middle Child,” presumably recorded during the historical Revenge Of The Dreamers 3 sessions. Now, with the track garnering instant acclaim, including praise from Cardi B and famed fictional middle-child Frankie Muniz, Cole has doubled down on a hype-inducing narrative. While a string of excellent 2018 music brought the rapper’s status to new heights, Cole seems hellbent on permeating the entire calendar year with his, and the greater Dreamville movement’s, presence.

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We have reason to believe that Cole is a man of his word. After all, he’s likely got a slew of projects on the docket, including his own sixth studio album, a KiLL Edward project, the Dreamers 3 project, EarthGang’s MirrorLand, and a recently announced J.I.D/No I.D. collaboration album. Plus, Cole seems to be moving with notable confidence of late, settling nicely into his role as a titan-esque presence. He’s long been considered as hip-hop’s benevolent king, though what happens when said king develops self-awareness? By his own admission, we shall see.