J. Cole releases eight songs cut from '2014 Forest Hills Drive,' announces 10th anniversary livestream

Even after releasing a podcast series, dropping fan favorite mixtapes on streaming services, and announcing a special one-night-only show at Madison Square Garden, J. Cole continues to dominate the end of the year by dropping a pack of unreleased tracks from his third studio album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive.

Initially exclusive to two versions of all-new physical releases of the iconic album, the package of new songs were dropped digitally via his Inevitable podcast platform as a pay-what-you-want digital album. Sporting a new cover art, along with the original album tracklist, the eight new songs contain what we expect from the North Carolina rapper: soulful beats, expert bars, and unparalleled storytelling from one of rap's original Big 3.

Tracks like "Home Soon," "Judgement Day," and "Die Together" are sobering tracks that revolve around Cole rapping from perspectives of those he grew up around. Much like most of the original record, the songs contain jazzy melodies with gritty drums, signature to J. Cole's sound around the time of release.

Other cuts — particularly "Keep Heaven Dancing" — showcase J. Cole's unique pen for melody and hitmaking. While these aren't as radio-forward or catchy as what other rap stars may be able to produce, J. Cole's distinct tonality and flow, along with his crafty punchlines and bars, create earworms that sound like they could've been produced today.

The track "Miles" breaks the mold of the original (and famously feature-less) 2014 Forest Hills Drive by containing verses from Ohio rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. In the six minute track, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony add a vintage flavor with their eclectic flows and tone; a perfect contrast to J. Cole's raspy southern twang.

The closing track of the pack, "Obviously," is reminiscent of J. Cole's melancholic and quite romantic record 4 Your Eyez Only. With a more reserved and melodic performance, J. Cole paints a picture of a dedicated partner, a topic touched on in the aforementioned album. Ending with an expressive horn solo, J. Cole puts a pin in one of his most lauded eras in a beautiful way.

While this would do more than enough for most fanbases, J. Cole and the Dreamville team also announced that his special one-night-only Madison Square Garden show would be livestreamed to fans who purchased either the Inevitable podcast, or any form of the 10th anniversary edition of 2014 Forest Hills Drive.

The New York City show, which will be held on December 16, recently made headlines for garnering a Ticketmaster presale queue of nearly 150,000. Resale tickets now sell for a minimum of $409, showcasing the still-high demand for the rapper who many believed was not deserving of a spot in rap's "Big 3" after he conceded early on during the Drake, Kendrick Lamar beef.

As J. Cole's nostalgia rollout continues with his New York City show and the final episode of his Inevitable podcast, fans have began to speculate what it all may lead to. J. Cole has teased his upcoming album,The Fall Off, since 2018. Do we hear more about it at the end of this tunnel? If not, fans are still able revel in the large amount of content and celebrate10 years of what is widely considered one of the best rap albums of this generation.