A talent on the mic and behind the boards, J. Cole crafts smart and emotive hip-hop. Guest verses on Cole's second studio album come from 50 Cent ("New York Times") and Kendrick Lamar ("Forbidden Fruit"), but it's the R&B touches that imbue the project with its defining soul. TLC's T-Boz and Chilli bring a summer sheen to "Crooked Smile," Miguel helps turn "Power Trip" into a melancholic lament on love, and the Dirty Projectors' Amber Coffman graces the dramatic "She Knows."