The best selling hip-hop album of 2014 was J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive, which as of February 2015 is just shy of Platinum. Beating out Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Iggy Azalea, and a ton more, Jermaine Cole’s surprise year-end album had no major single to propel it and was his last contractual album for Columbia. But perhaps they’re considering renewing that contract now.

What’s most impressive about this feat is that J. Cole is one of the closest things we’re going to get in regards to a Platinum selling, conscious – or at the very least, “aware” – rapper on major label, and 2014 Forest Hills Drive is an album very much made in the spirit of classic hip-hop. Cole isn’t overly righteous or infallible, as he still falls to the allure of virgin sex on the innocent “Wet Dreamz,” and crime on “A Tale Of 2 Citiez” or “’03 Adolescence.” But it’s all done with depth, in such a way that he’s remorseful for his past transgressions. Think Nas, not Young Thug.

Much of the success of 2014 Forest Hills Drive is also owed to the production. Cole did not attempt to go for 70 BPM trap-rap beats or danceable, club-style production. In fact, there’s nothing here that’s marketable for the mainstream sound, yet he outsold everyone. Instead, the sound is heavy on samples, such as on the luscious “January 28th,” which sounds like a distant cousin of some Love Movement era Tribe, or “St. Tropez,” which beautifully refuels the Esther Phillips sample used on Mobb Deep’s “Give Up The Goods (Just Step).”

Cole isn’t afraid to open up and pour his heart out, which is likely what makes him so relatable to fans. “Intro” finds him crooning over some wintery jazz, unafraid to let his voice crack, while “G.O.M.D.” even comes with a disclaimer “this is the part that the thugs skip!” before he reveals his true feelings to his girl. Later on “A Fire Squad,” he doesn’t hold his tongue when speaking on the double-standards of race in the rap industry, suggesting “Watching Iggy win the Grammy as I try to crack a smile.” This line caught fire in the music industry news circuit, so much that it’s likely it swayed Grammy voter’s opinions, as Ms. Azalea walked away with nothing.

Cole is singing a lot more on 2014 Forest Hills Drive, but he’s vastly improved since earlier projects, finding his voice and sliding comfortably into his groove. The end result is a beautifully produced, smartly rapped and well put together LP that took the industry by surprise. Speaking of Grammys, Cole might be the one gracing the stage next year.

Okay okay. The Best & Worst lists are coming, slowly but surely. We’ll try to deliver one of these per weekday over the next few weeks. In between juggling my duties for Medium.Com/Cuepoint, regular HipHopSite.Com updates, and DJing, it’s been hard to find the time to do these. So let’s begin with 2014′s best major label album releases. Indie label releases up next…

10. YG – My Krazy Life – Def Jam – Initially we didn’t love YG’s Interscope debut, but as time went on it slowly grew on us. Fully produced by DJ Mustard, the album captured and subsequently resurrected the sound of the west coast, harking back to early classics from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and the Death Row era. We’ve heard the word “classic” thrown around when discussing this album, and while we have come around from our initial opinions on it, we still believe that it more borrows from the classics rather than lives as one. Still a solid out the gate debut from the young Blood.

9. Common – Nobody’s Smiling – ARTrium / Def Jam – Truth be told, Com’s Chicago-centric Nobody’s Smiling LP was better in theory than in execution. Despite No I.D.’s sometimes too experimental production, in terms of poignancy, what he was saying about the city’s gang violence epidemic far outweighs the topics of pretty much anyone else on this list. For that alone, it deserves inclusion. Lyrically on point.

8. Rick Ross – Mastermind – MMG / Def Jam – Due to his bloated, excessive persona, Rick Ross is the rapper we love to hate, however damn if he doesn’t pick good beats. At least he did on Mastermind, while Hood Billionaire was made up of more dumbed down, baller anthems. Mastermind found the then still heavy-set Ross channeling his inner Barry White with soulful samples and lush grooves, as he describes his over-the-top lavish lifestyle. We ain’t mad at it.

7. DJ Mustard – 10 Summers – Google Play – We’re going to go out on a limb and put Google in the “major label” category, considering they probably have more money than Def Jam. Mustard’s 10 Summers was the hottest producer of the year’s answer to Dr. Dre’s 2001, even paying homage to it in the opening sketch. He accomplished what YG’s My Krazy Life couldn’t – variation – by simply extending the guest list. The all-star cast of all the biggest names in hood hits rounded out 10 Summers nicely, creating an album of anthems suited for radio and the club.

6. Childish Gambino – STN MTN / Kauai – Glassnote / Universal – While Gambino’s Because The Internet topped a lot of the industry’s 2014 year end lists, it actually was included on our 2013 year end list. We had since moved on to his brilliantly crafted STN MTN / Kauai project, which is marketed as a mixtape and an EP, but really was an album in two parts. Gambino trolling in true fashion once again.

5. Eminem – Shady XV – Shady Records / Interscope – Face it, Eminem’s scraps and leftovers are better than most people’s albums. Who knows how much of Shady XV was meant for The Marshall Mathers LP 2, but this indirect sequel featured even more mind-blowing rhymes from the original rap genius, while showing off the talents of his Shady 2.0 roster. Lyrical miracles are back, bitches.

4. The Roots – …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin – Def Jam – …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin is a highly pretentious concept album. However, it’s also good. And it is very digestible, clocking in at just over 30 minutes, marking The Roots shortest LP to date. So it doesn’t require large amounts of patience. Like any solid album, it gets better with each consecutive listen, and its theme becomes apparent the more times you hear it. Bravo.

3. Schoolboy Q – Oxymoron – TDE/Interscope – Following Kendrick’s good kid, m.a.a.d. city, Oxymoron is largely an album that seems untampered with by pesky A&R’s. Amidst Q’s cinematic tales of gangbanging and drug problems, he also impresses with his delivery, lyrical styles, and dark, subterranian production. Oxymoron is a triumph of a rap album, because it signifies a return of “underground” rap to the major label scene.

2. J. Cole – 2014 Forest Hills Drive – Dreamville / Columbia – The best-selling rap album of the year (650,000+) is from a semi-conscious rapper who rhymes over his own self-produced beats built around funk and soul samples and drum loops. Sorry Iggy, sorry Nicki. A change gon’ come.

1. Big K.R.I.T. – Cadillactica - K.R.I.T.’s second LP for Def Jam may be one of the lowest selling albums on this list, but it’s also quite easily the strongest. It’s probably hard to market a Southern artist that raps about important topics, produces his own beats, and makes albums that sound like they belong in the Outkast catalog. Maybe that will change next year.

From Jeremih’s upcoming Late Nights LP.

J. Cole sings a tune from 2014 Forest Hills Drive, available now.

J. Cole’s new album 2014 Forest Hills Drive is available now, stream the whole thing below via Spotify, and check out the new video for “Apparently.”

First song from J. Cole’s surprise new album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, due December 9th.

Cole’s surprise LP hits December 9th, alongside Preem and Royce.

J. Cole opens up about stereotypes and his connection to fans in the latest edition of Fader’s ‘Earlier That Day.’

Too much new music dropping before the end of the year. Watch out for Cole’s surprise album release, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, due December 9th.

J. Cole helps out this UK vocalist on the remix of “Kind Of…Sometimes…Maybe.”

Signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records, Cozz delivers his debut album, Cozz N Effect available now. Cole helps out on the “Knock Tha Hustle (Remix).”

J. Cole speaks to Complex about the situation in Ferguson and the killing of Michael Brown by police. He admits that he was not there to do interviews and didn’t really want to talk to the press. “Damn, again? This is fucked up..,” says Cole.

Rest in Peace to Michael Brown and to every young black man murdered in America, whether by the hands of white or black. I pray that one day the world will be filled with peace and rid of injustice. Only then will we all Be Free – Cole

Footage from J. Cole’s Dollar & A Dream show in NYC, where lucky New Yorkers could enter the show for a buck. He performs “Just To Get By” , “Dead Presidents II” and “Dreams” in the two clips.

In celebration of hitting the 5-year anniversary of the release of The Warm Up EP, J. Cole delivers a video for “Lights Please” from the 2009 set, and pens a letter to his fans about reaching the landmark date.

Cole writes:

5 years ago, we started a journey together. On June 15th, 2009 I released The Warm Up to a few who were waiting patiently for it. Full of my dreams, fears and predictions, it resonated with you right away. Over the next year I watched it grow legs and spread at an unbelievable pace all because you felt it so much. Five years later, I couldn’t be more proud of it’s impact. Thank you.

In 5 years I have come so far. I am grateful to be here today, alive and full of potential. But I am not satisfied. I still want more. I still have dreams, even bigger now than before. I will not settle or conform. I rededicate myself to greatness. I give my time and my passion to my craft, because I realize that the work I put in today affects the life that I live tomorrow. I believe in myself. And to all those that doubt me I say, “Fuck that. I will be Greater. Watch me.” – Cole

yall still crashing my shit. here it go pic.twitter.com/HWrdEhHkEP

— J. Cole (@JColeNC) June 15, 2014