ROC4LIFE

*Sniff, sniff* Smell that? That, my friend, is the smell of excitement in the air as J. Cole’s new album draws nigh.

The Roc Nation rapper has been teasing us with previews. First, he revealed the album title via Ustream. Then, he took to his Dream Villain blog to unveil a 16-second preview of the first single, “Miss America.”

Cole isn’t giving much away, though. The clip shows Lady Liberty raising the justice beam and not much else. You can check back on Tuesday, November 13 for the full song.

These early clips hint at a dark, thoughtful album. More importantly, they also retain elements of Cole’s dichotomous take on social issues. “Aren’t we all sinners? Aren’t we all saints?,” asked a Cole lookalike before revealing the title of his album: Born Sinner. J. Cole has espoused this split-personality approach throughout his career. His logo is horns and halo, after all.

J. Cole will release Born Sinner on his 28th birthday, January 28, 2013.

— Rizoh