Bonnaroo 2022: J. Cole flexes lyrical finesse, battles sound issues

He was signed a decade-plus ago by Jay-Z, but J Cole has cut a figure in modern hip-hop closer to Nas: widely revered, consistently tops the album charts, but seems largely unconcerned with scoring a broad mainstream hit. 

He's had his share, of course. But at Bonnaroo late Friday night — with the most fervent fans pressed against the barricade, shouting every lyric at the top of their lungs — Cole appeared to be pulling out smash after smash. 

Opening with "95 South" and "Amari" (which also lead off his latest album) the conscious M.C. immediately put this crowd through the "hands up" paces.

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It's a commonplace approach in live rap, but it was still striking to watch Cole tear through his catalog at blistering pace. Many songs — no matter how popular — would lurch into silence after a minute or so. 

Occasionally the show found space to breathe. Cole took a seat to revisit the contemplative "Beauty In The Struggle," and asked who appreciated hip-hop's lyrical craft (“It’s like an excercise”) before indulging in 2020's "The Climb Back."

"Well, you know what Cole do," he proclaimed. "Make a diamond/ they just rhymin'/ me, I'm quotin' gold."

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His sound mix on stage wasn't apparently up to that standard. Cole would ask for more volume, less volume, less low end, etc. mid-song. That seemed to be the most likely culprit for the set being cut short after just over an hour.

The Hulu stream was even shorter: fans watching from home were miffed when the broadcast suddenly switched to a pre-taped segment featuring the "Therapy Gecko."