Whether you want to believe it or not, hip-hop is in a great place right now. One can argue that there is a lot of strictly turn-up music being sensationalized, but understand that we are in a time of needed escape. While the innovative rappers are essential to the culture in this critical period, we need the music that helps us live, as much as we also need the music that teaches us to survive. For every artist that’s bringing up harsh realities, there’s another that’s giving us the air to breathe when we unwrap from those ugly truths.

When thinking of J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar and Drake, I see that they hold the keys to all essentials in hip-hop’s sound as of right now. I recently had a conversation with a friend just after news broke that Cole’s album had went Gold, where we discussed music that is “needed” for today’s world. 2014 Forest Hills Drive is a perfect example of how to use a craft in order to help society, and broaden the minds of our youth, with songs such as “Love Yourz” shedding light on what’s important.

Cole does a brilliant job at touching base on racial truths in the shade he throws on “Fire Squad,” and the list goes on from there. While my friend agreed that J. Cole’s album is needed, he also argued that Drake has his own spot in that “needed” music category. At first, I was skeptical, but in reality, he had a point. Drizzy might not speak truth on racial issues in America, or raise awareness on social injustices, but he does provide a different sense of escape through his sound, even if it’s just speaking on the lavish material things in life on a track.