J. Cole is aiming for greatness with his forthcoming sophomore album, Born Sinner. With his 2011 debut effort, Cole World: The Sideline Story, debuting at no. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 218,000 in its first week and landing him a Grammy nomination for "Best New Artist," the Roc Nation signed emcee is shooting for Album of the Year this time around, and the recognition that comes with it.
“Drake won rap album of the year and they didn’t even televise it,” Cole told radio.com. “Rappers never win Album of the Year. Even Kanye West, if any rapper deserved it in the past ten years it was Kanye west for Graduation.”
Not to disagree with J. Cole, but there has been a few rappers who won Album of the Year, but these acts are all mainstream, pop categorized entertainers. Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below took home the Grammy in 2004 and Lauryn Hill won in 1999 for her rap/sing debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Cole hopes his upcoming effort will break the glass ceiling. “I’m going for Album of the Year; I’m trying to compete with the white people,” said Cole.
Born Sinner is slated for release on June 25.
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