21 Savage, Morray – My Life" (in German).
Matthew Strauss at Pitchfork thought that neither Cole or 21 Savage had to adapt each other's style in order to fit on the song, instead the collaboration shows "that Cole wants to be seen as a connective tissue instead of some sort of anti-hype iconoclast". Varun Krishan of The Indian Express praised the song, noting the "great lyrics, impeccable flow and excellent delivery" combined with a "smooth and soothing" hook, as well as a beat with a "vocal melody infused to it which enhances the sound to match the vibe the creators are trying to produce". Critical reception Ĭarl Lammare of Billboard highlighted the contrast between Cole's and Savage's "styles and personalities", though both "prove how formidable they can be as a unit and that together, they can wreak havoc on any given track". Cole name-drops American basketball player Ja Morant on the song. In the context of the album, the song, along with "Applying Pressure", were seen as "playful statements of Cole's separation from other rappers". Furthermore, Cole reflects his way of attaining financial success and wealth. The lyrics see Cole and Savage exploring "how tragedy and hardship led them to develop strong characters", while "Morray's hook ties together the track with an homage to Styles P and Pharaohe Monch". "My Life" features a notable switch-up in Cole's delivery, which starts "with a chilled out, melancholy feel" and changes to a "harder, razor-sharp tone". Cole and Morray were first linked in 2020, when Cole praised Morray's song " Quicksand", which led to speculations about a possible remix of the song. Savage also appears in Cole's documentary Applying Pressure: The Off-Season. The song marks the second time Cole and Savage collaborated on a song, first time being " A Lot" (2019). The song received two nominations at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance respectively. It is also Morray’s highest-charting song, surpassing his single " Quicksand" which peaked at number 65 and 21 Savage's highest-charting song as a lead artist, overall behind his feature on Post Malone's number-one hit " Rockstar". The single debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Cole's highest charting single in the country, surpassing the number four peak of " Middle Child". The song was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio in the United States on May 25, 2021, as the album's second single. The song features the hook of "The Life" (2002) by American rapper Styles P, as interpolated by Morray. It is the third track from Cole's sixth studio album, The Off-Season, released on May 14, 2021. Though this song derives from a back story of crime, it may also relate to the fatherless youth without male role models in their lives.2021 single by J. The song is an ode to his late friend for his struggles and going through them for the sake of his daughter. “4 Your Eyez Only,” 4 Your Eyez Only (2016)įor almost nine minutes, Cole perfectly ends his fourth album by seamlessly switching from James’ point of view in the first few verses, to his own by the end, as he explains the death of his friend to his daughter. Racial profiling is no stranger to the black or Muslim community and Cole paints one of the many horrific pictures people of color go through today.
His relocation to a nice neighborhood posed a threat to residents, who assumed he was a dealer. Recalling moving into a new neighborhood, Cole’s anecdote recalls a SWAT team busting down his recording studio doors in search for drugs. “Change” references black crimes in the community and asks for a “call of action” to change for the better amongst the inner cities. Don’t let the upbeat tempo of this song fool you Cole ends “Change” striking the listener by addressing the shooting of a 22-year-old boy named James.