J. Cole - Birthday Blizzard ‘26 (Mixtape)
Sometimes the best approach is met with no explanation, just an abrupt popup that allows your presence to do the talking. Or better yet, let the pen breathe your prowess. J. Cole reversed the role and surprised an anticipated fanbase with a gritty 4-track mixtape in honor of his 41st birthday on January 28th.
Although it was rumored and expected for a mixtape to arrive before The Fall Off due to Cole teasing this a few years ago on an IG post. What we got on Birthday Blizzard ’26 is an ever-motivated Cole letting bars rip through with a sense of confidence that will leave no second guessing on whether this man belongs in discussions of top rapper of this generation. Regardless of how things turned out in the Spring of '24, Cole seems to remain set and certain on his decision of excluding himself from the beef. Already having addressed his reasoning, this mixtape doubles back on said decision and does so without directly mentioning it. Aside from the closing lines on Bronx Zoo Freestyle. And that is my favorite takeaway from the tape.
Cole's approach to letting his rapping make his case without consistent mention of the big 3 is not only refreshing but it's also reflecting the composed and confident nature of where he feels he is at currently with his rapping abilities. This is telling given how far along he is in his career and how evident it is that in which his writing has exceptionally developed. There's a true distinctive gap of hunger for an established emcee such as Cole to come out with a sample sized project such as this with nothing left to prove. It speaks volumes of the passion he's always carried for hip-hop and that alone is more than commendable.
Birthday Blizzard '26 is the tightening of the pen before the pen is let loose for The Fall Off. The warmup before the tipoff. A re-alignment to anyone still debating the placement of Jermaine amongst his peers. The discredit can be valid after bowing out of any potential beef, but if the crafty pen continues to prove mightier than a sword in a messy beef, how could one's skill be overlooked when the proof is in the writing? The Fall Off arrives in one week’s time and given the work Cole has provided for the past few years alongside this project, his desire to drop his magnum opus could be imminent.