The pride and joy of Roc Nation, Jay-Z young protégé J. Cole is quickly establishing himself as one of the most talented rappers in the business. Cole has been on the scene for quite a few years now having released three critically acclaimed mixtapes.What sets J. Cole apart from the masses of bubblegum and pop radio rappers is his ability to create pure artistic music. Cole pours his heart and soul into every song he releases, painting pictures of the tribulations of living in the ghetto and his climb to the top. Despite the fact that he is now signed to one of the biggest record labels in the industry, Cole refuses to forget his roots and has pledged hours of community service work and countless monetary donations to help the souls less fortunate than him still in the ghetto.

Following the trend set by Kanye West and his G.O.O.D Friday series, Cole has decided to drop a new EP every Sunday until his debut album, Cole World: A Sideline Story, hits stores on Sept. 27. The latest release, Any Given Sunday Part 2, is nothing less than pure hip-hop artistry.

Consisting of only three songs, Any Given Sunday will satisfy even the most critical of music lovers. Each songs covers a different topic, these mainly being gold-digging women,  the loss of friends and loved ones to a life of poverty, crime, and drugs. Not everything on the EP is so dull and hopeless though, as Cole recounts his own life in the song “Roll Call,” pleading with his people to not turn a blind eye to getting an education, preaching that “rappers and athletes are not the only ones who get to leave the ‘hood.”

Cole’s lyrical prowess is matched only by greats such as Jay-Z or Nas. J. Cole could be likened to a young Kanye West in the sense that Cole takes over the entire production of every song he releases. Cole’s beats are soulful and catchy, but not generic in any sense, using melodies and choruses to draw the listener in deeper to his story-telling rhymes. J. Cole is an artist to watch and Any Given Sunday #2 (which is free to download) is a beautiful and inspiring collection of songs that will only leave the listener wanting more.