The Arts in New York City

Author: d.mashkevich

Music Video Assignment: 03′ Adolescence

“03’ Adolescence” is the fourth track on J Cole’s third studio album, Forest Hills Drive. The album itself was named after a street that the rapper lived on in Fayetteville, North Carolina when he was a teenager, and ironically, contains the name of a neighborhood in Queens near St. John’s University, where J Cole attended college. The album tells the story of Cole’s departure from North Carolina to go to school in New York City, and this particular song portrays some of the struggles and insecurities he faced while making the transition. These events took place in 2003, when Cole was just 18, hence the name “03’ Adolescence.” Throughout the song, J Cole tells his personal story through a relaxed rhythm and vivid lyrics that convey his struggles.

There is one particular line from the hook that captures the meaning of the song:

“Things change, rearrange and so do I

It ain’t always for the better, dawg, I can’t lie”

Here, Cole is saying that change is inevitable, and that change doesn’t always improve a person’s situation, contrary to public perception. It may seem that his move to New York will result in great success, but living in the moment, all Cole could focus on was leaving his family and home in North Carolina. Because of this switch, he was forced to adjust, to “rearrange.”

Another interesting lyric also addresses the meaning of the song as it relates to New York City:

“I might bend a little bit but I don’t fold”

This lyric speaks for itself; although J Cole goes through the tough times he describes in the song, he never gives up. Part of his motivation to attend St. John’s was his desire to pursue music as a career, and he believed that making the move to the city would benefit him on the pursuit of his dream. This mentality is representative of New York City as a whole. Every New Yorker experiences problems on a daily basis, but by no means does a true New Yorker quit or back down from challenges.

Personally, this song has helped me refocus during stressful times in high school, and during my first semester of college. Listening to it reminds me that I am not the only one going through problems in life, that there are 8 million others around me with the same struggles. Thus, the song gives me the strength and clarity of mind to continue working on the road to success.