Revenge of the Dreamers II

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Revenge of the Dreamers II
Compilation album by
ReleasedDecember 8, 2015
Recorded2015
Genre
Length30:20
Label
Producer
Dreamville Records chronology
Revenge of the Dreamers
(2014)
Revenge of the Dreamers II
(2015)
Revenge of the Dreamers III
(2019)

Revenge of the Dreamers II is the second compilation album by American record label Dreamville Records and was released on December 8, 2015. The album includes contributions by Dreamville artists, J. Cole, Bas, Cozz, Omen, Lute, and Ari Lennox.[1][2] Producers on this album include, J. Cole, Cedric Brown, K-Quick, Soundwave, Meez, Elite, Ron Gilmore Jr., DJ Grumble, and J Dilla.

Background[edit]

On December 12, 2015, posters promoting a surprise Dreamville concert were seen in subway stations and local stores in New York, NY. The concert crawl kicked off at Drom, followed by a Cake Shop appearance, and concluded with an encore at SOB's. The idea of the series, Cole said, was "to get back to the sense of underground and raw musical talent, and celebrating artists with a true, uncensored craft."[3]

The tracks "Grow" and "Tabs" are found on Cozz's mixtape, Nothin' Personal (2016). "Housewives" and "Night Job" are featured on Bas' album Too High to Riot (2016). "Backseat" is featured on Ari Lennox's EP Pho (2016). "Still Slummin'" was featured on Lute's debut studio album West1996 pt. 2 (2017).

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Pitchfork6.2/10[4]

Pitchfork gave the compilation a 6.2 out of 10 saying "Fumbled legacy-building though it is, Dreamers is not without its bright spots. The tape introduces the label's two newest signees: the Washington, D.C.-bred singer Ari Lennox and lute, a rapper from Charlotte who joins Cole in representing North Carolina. Each artist contributes one song here, both of which are among the best on the tape; lute's Dilla-cribbing "Still Slummin" in particular is superb, throwing you immediately into his world and dispensing plaintive, delightfully un-cinematic notes."[4] Yoh Phillips from DJBooth said "J. Cole has surrounded himself with artists that are passionate. You can hear it, they want this, a quality they all share. It’s weird, I remember watching J. Cole come up, no pun intended. Part of his success is the story of his struggle, going from North Carolina to the big city with a dream to make it as a rapper. It’s a story that anyone can relate to.'[5]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Folgers Crystals" (J. Cole)
2:23
2."Night Job" (Bas featuring J. Cole)
  • Cedric Brown
  • K-Quick
  • Ron Gilmore[a]
3:13
3."Backseat" (Ari Lennox featuring Cozz)DJ Grumble3:38
4."Caged Bird" (J. Cole featuring Omen)Meez3:59
5."48 Laws" (Omen featuring Donnie Trumpet)Elite2:19
6."Housewives" (Bas)
  • Hamad
  • Gilmore
  • Soundwave
  • Gilmore[a]
3:16
7."Tabs" (Cozz featuring Bas)
  • Osagie
  • Hamad
Meez3:46
8."Still Slummin'" (Lute)J Dilla3:28
9."Grow" (Cozz featuring Correy C)OsagieMeez4:17
Total length:30:20

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer
  • Caged Bird samples We Do It by Disco Orchestral
  • Folgers Crystals samples Babe I'm Yours by Whilk & Misky
  • Night Job samples No More by Jeremy and Shlohmoh

Charts[edit]

Chart (2015) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[6] 24
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[7] 4
US Rap Albums (Billboard)[8] 3

References[edit]

  1. ^ Victoria Hernandez (December 10, 2015). "J. Cole x Dreamville "Revenge Of The Dreamers II" Cover Art, Tracklist & Album Stream". HipHopDX. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  2. ^ Kevin Goddard (December 7, 2015). "J.Cole & Dreamville Surprise Fans With Release Of "Revenge Of The Dreamers 2"". hotnewhiphop. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  3. ^ McKinney, Jessica. "J.Cole And Dreamville Return To Underground Vibes For "Revenge Of The Dreamers NYC Crawl"". Vibe.
  4. ^ a b Thompson, Paul A. (January 6, 2016). "Dreamville II: Revenge of the Dreamers". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  5. ^ Phillips, Yoh. "Revenge of J. Cole's Dreamers: The Blessing & Curse of Being a Dreamville Artist". DJBooth.
  6. ^ "Billboard 200 - Year End Chart". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  7. ^ "Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Year End Chart". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  8. ^ "Billboard Rap Albums Year End Chart". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2016.