Starting this week, flights between Dreamville and The Neptunes will come courtesy of DJ Critical Hype. April 21, Vancouver DJ Critical Hype released the blend tape In Search Of…Cole, a 30-track mashup of J. Cole vocals matched with production exclusively by The Neptunes.
The album title is a pairing itself, pinning J. Cole’s name behind the title of N.E.R.D.’s 2001 debut album. N.E.R.D. is the funk rock/hip-hop group in which Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo (The Neptunes) are members along with bandmate Shay Hayley.
When it comes to timeless recordings, Critical Hype shows us that “no-one ever really dies.” On In Search Of…Cole, you can hear the “Lights Please” verse over Common and Mary J. Blige’s “Come Close,” J. Cole’s “Back to the Topic Freestyle” over Justine Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body,” and his “Mo Money” over Jay-Z’s “Allure.”
There’s also a gem in “Forbidden Fruit” featuring Kendrick Lamar over Snoop Dogg and Pharrell’s “Let’s Get Blown.”
Critical Hype shared with HipHopDX his main motivations for making the project. There was his belief that J. Cole does not usually rhyme over big drum, high energy beats, wanting to showcase how many hit records The Neptunes have created and the proximity of J. Cole and The Neptunes’ respective hometowns–North Carolina and Virginia.
Thanks to DJ Critical Hype, you can hear more Kendrick Lamar, on Dr. Dre production (The Damn. Chronic), 2Chainz over Wu-Tang Clan instrumentals (Wu-Chainz (36 Trap Houses)) and GoldLink on beats from Missy Elliot’s catalogue (Supa Dupa Link). You can also indulge in Drake backed by 9th Wonder on More 9th.
Below you can stream In Search Of…Cole via Audiomack. Underneath the playlist, Rappurview matched some J. Cole verses with the songs on which The Neptunes instrumental was originally used. See any that you can fill in? Let us know in the comment box.
| 1. "Green Ranger" by Lil' Wayne ft. J. Cole | "U Don't Have to Call" by Usher |
| 2. "1985" | "Pass the Courvoisier" by Busta Rhymes, Pharrell and Diddy |
| 3. "Love Yourz" | "Cot Damn" by Clipse, Ab-liva, Roscoe P. Coldchain and Pharrell |
| 4. "Brackets" | "Popular Demand" by Clipse |
| 5. "Mo' Money" | "Allure" by Jay-Z |
| 6. "Lights Please" | "Come Close" by Common and Mary J. Blige |
| 7. "Wet Dreamz" | "Caught Out There" by Kelis, "Excuse Me Miss" by Jay-Z, and "Girls Dem Sugar" by Beanie Man and Mya |
| 8. "Album Of the Year (Freestyle)" | "Señorita" by Justin Timberlake |
| 9. "Just Begun" | "Superthug" by "N.O.R.E." |
| 10. "K.O.D." | "Brain" by N.E.R.D. |
| 11. "Dead Presidents II" | "Grindin'" by the Clipse |
| 12. "Back to the Topic" | "Rock Your Body" by Justine Timberlake |
| 13. "Come Through and Chill" by Miguel ft. J. Cole | "La-La-La" by Jay-Z |
| 14. "Be (Freestyle)" | "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" by Jay-Z |
| 15. "The Cutoff" | |
| 16. "Lost Ones" | |
| 17. "Once an Addict" | "Provider" by N.E.R.D. |
| 18. "Cold Blood" | |
| 19. "Revenge of the Dreamers" | |
| 20."Louis Vuitton" | |
| 21. "Forbidden Fruit" | |
| 22. "No Role Modelz" | |
| 23. "LA of the Snakes" | |
| 24. "Purple Rain" | "Danger" by Mystikal |
| 25. "Is She Gon Pop" | "Luv U Better" by LL Cool J |
| 26. "Blow Up" | "Virginia" by Clipse |
| 27. "Foldin' Clothes" | |
| 28. "Serenade" | "Southern Hospitality" by Ludacris |
| 29. "The Cure" | |
| 30. "Last Call" | "What Happened to that Boy" by Birdman, Clipse and Pharrell |
