J. Cole has once again taken the music world by surprise with his latest album, 'Might Delete Later.' Since the release of his previous album, 'The Off Season,' in 2021, the Fayetteville-native rapper has maintained a relatively low profile, making sporadic appearances on tracks such as "90 Proof" by Smino, "All My Life" by Lil Durk, and "Johnny P’s Caddy" by Benny The Butcher. However, the timing of 'Might Delete Later' is particularly noteworthy, dropping just two weeks after Kendrick Lamar aimed at Cole and Drake in his track "Like That," from 'WE DON’T TRUST YOU.' With 12 tracks and a runtime of 43 minutes, how does 'Might Delete Later' fare in Cole's discography?

The album kicks off with "Pricey," a collaborative effort featuring Ari Lennox, Young Dro, and Gucci Mane. The track's instrumental evokes echoes of '2014 Hills Drive,' notably reminiscent of "January 28th," while the lyrics delve into themes of overcoming life's obstacles. Despite its somewhat pop-infused opening, it plays it safe in terms of Cole's signature sound.

Moving on to "Crocodile Tearz,'"the second track channels vibes from 2017-2018 with its 'Tay Keith type beat' (actually produced by T-Minus). Cole's delivery here feels akin to his "First Person Shooter" collaborator, Drake. While Cole proves his versatility on trap beats, the lyrics convey a colder tone, as seen in lines like “Yes, sir, it's me, not two, not three / The uno, G-O-A-T, I need my fee, fuck kudos.”

"Ready ‘24’" blends soulful samples with trap hi-hats, showcasing Cole and Cam’ron reflecting on their artistic journeys. "Hunting Wabbitz" introduces a new soundscape for Cole, rapping over a psychedelic beat reminiscent of Travis Scott's style. Meanwhile, "Fever" adopts a Drake-esque approach, with a woman's phone call opening the track, accompanied by a laidback atmosphere crafted by ATL Jacob and Kujibeats.

"Stealth Mode" sees Cole and Bas tackling a melodic drill beat, followed by Cole asserting his success on "3001." However, the album's highlight comes with the highly-discussed "7 Minute Drill" — the Kendrick diss track. Over a fast-paced trap beat, Cole shares his opinions on Kendrick's albums and verses, “Your first shit was classic, your last shit was tragic”, although the disses lack the sharpness of Kendrick's "Like That."

In summary, 'Might Delete Later' is a solid effort from Cole, though it may not reach the heights of 'The Off-Season.' Nevertheless, it effectively sets the stage for 'The Fall Off,' as Cole himself hinted, "The Fall Off on the way."