The opening track is a well-aimed warning shot. “Born Sinner,” easily the best hip-hop album of 2013 so far, stands on its own merits. The imagery was a nice touch, but in the end not necessary. It represented the album’s journey, from dark to light, from heaven to hell, as Cole himself explained at the listening event. On the screen, a mash-up of religious imagery flashed by - snakes, devils, tortured souls, angels, clouds - transitioning from red and black to bright white as the album played on. Including Cole, who sat to the side of the theater and listened along intently just like everybody else. Still, the complaints couldn’t stifle the real takeaway of the night: “Born Sinner” was stellar, and a big step up from Cole’s previous work. Tech problems be damned, the listening was still a unique experience with hundreds of music lovers around the world bobbing their heads to the same music at the same time. Maybe the old-fashioned listening party isn’t so bad after all. The experience lost more of its impact when the album leaked online hours after. (Switching from Wifi to 4G, a non-intuitive move to be sure, worked for us).
When the stream finally began, some in the crowd weren’t able to get LISNR working at all. I want you listening to every word,” he said. “When the songs are playing I don’t want you talking about them. Cole stepped on stage and explained why he chose to unveil the album this way, comparing the event to the usual listening party. An amped-up kid who kept yelling out “Born Sinner Platinum” looked particularly miffed. Before the listening, when LISNR reps asked if anyone was having any issues, dozens of hands set up. Wifi, on the “Born Sinner” network, of course, was provided for streaming via LISNR, but not everything went smoothly. With so many rappers claiming their music is “motion-picture shit,” it was a nice flourish. At the NYC listening session, a few hundred fans, press and assorted VIPs packed into NYC’s SVA Theater in Chelsea, where Beats by Dre headphones were distributed for the ears and cartons of fancy flavored popcorn for the stomach.
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