Dissect Returns with Full Flavor: Breaking Down J Cole’s “The Climb Back”

April 4th marked the return of Spotify’s feature hip-hop podcast Dissect. The premiere episode offered 51 minutes of intellectually engaging lyrical breakdown, a masterful introduction to its newest season.

What is Dissect?

Image Source: Spotify

Dissect is a podcast that takes its listeners into a deep dive into some of Hip-hop’s premium lyrical content, with every episode featuring a different track. The host, Cole Cuchna, methodically breaks down a selected track’s lyrics. Initially, the podcast centered on the collective work on an album. This meant that a different hip-hop album was explored each season.

For those current fans, this season will veer from its original format. Although slightly variant in focus, the underpinning remains the same. Listeners might find this season even more tantalizing than the previous one. However, in this season’s offering entitled Dissect Mixtape Vol. 1: Lyrical Masters, each episode is based on a select song by a different artist weekly. And this will be the focus for nine weeks of exploratory content. This is fantastic news for those hip-hop enthusiasts who love variety and have a taste for a broader contextual understanding of a diverse body of works.

Dissect Episode 1: J. Cole

Dissect’s first episode of the season bought fans J Cole’s “The Climb Back.” Cole released “The Climb Back” in the summer of 2020. It was both written and produced by Cole.

And according to Billboard, “The Climb Back” earned Cole his second entry into the Hot 100.

Episode one of Dissect takes an intellectual approach to analysis, including exploring Cole’s background. This includes a delve into his life from childhood to his rise to fame. But ultimately, it will all culminate in a deeper understanding of the sub-textual meaning behind the lyrics. Listeners will leave fully informed of all the complexities that went into the pouring out of one of Cole’s signature works.

About J. Cole

Those who know, they know. Cole began making his mark in the industry over a decade ago. His first foothold was with the release of his debut work in 2007, “The Come Up.” However, it was the release of his 2011 project, “Cole World: The Sideline Story,” that took the artist to certified platinum status. As time passed, it was clear; Cole was building momentum, his talent chiseling his path. Biography notes his 4th album, “4 Your Eyes Only,” went number one. And J. Cole continued to hit his mark. His fifth album was even greater proof of his genius.“Upon release of his fifth studio album, KOD, Biography reports that Spotify’s opening-day streaming record was shattered in the runup to Billboard’s top spot.”

In those eleven years, Cole had more than solidified his talent as a master lyricist, a creative giant with the skill of the pen worthy of in-depth exploration.

Future Episodes of Dissect

Hip-hop connoisseurs can catch a new episode of Dissect every Tuesday on Spotify. However, fans will have to stay on their toes. Per Spotify,

“The show will keep the line-up of songs and artists a mystery, but fans will be given clues on social media leading up to each new episode.”

In Closing

So, if you’re a Cole fan or want to comprehensively understand an artist’s output, tune in to Dissect this season. But remember, this is only the beginning. Listeners can expect eight more weeks of this engaging content. And here at FM Hip Hop, we will keep you posted.

Written by: Renae Richardson