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| rev6Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|author=By Julia LeConte |url=http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=193042 |title=J. Cole - Born Sinner | NOW Magazine |publisher=Nowtoronto.com |date=2013-06-13 |accessdate=2013-06-18}}</ref>
| rev7 = [[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]
| rev7Score = (6/10)<ref name="spin">{{cite web|last=Mlynar |first=Phillip |url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/j-cole-born-sinner-roc-nation-jay-z-nas/ |title=J. Cole, 'Born Sinner' (Roc Nation) | SPIN | Albums | Critical Mass |publisher=SPIN |date= |accessdate=2013-06-20}}</ref>
| rev8 = [[Rolling Stone]]
| rev8Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="rollingstone1">{{cite web|author=By Jon Dolan |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/born-sinner-20130618 |title=J. Cole, 'Born Sinner' | Album Reviews |publisher=Rolling Stone |date= |accessdate=2013-06-20}}</ref>
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Jon Dolan of [[Rolling Stone]] gave the album three and half stars out of five, saying "Sometimes I brag like Hov/ Sometimes I'm real like Pac," J. Cole raps on his second LP. Sometimes he's both – a verbal powerhouse and a self-emptying truth-sayer. The flagship signee to Jay-Z's record label spins dervish rhymes over dazzling self-produced tracks (see the Outkast-sampling "Land of the Snakes"). His riffs on racism, homophobia and misogyny have more lyrical cunning than insight. But when it comes to twisting himself into Kanye-size pretzels of career-oriented real talk, he's a champ; on "Villuminati," he raps, "Beyoncé told me that she want to cop the blue Bugatti/That shit is more than what I'm worth/I think she knew it probably." Have fun at the next company picnic, homey."<ref name="rollingstone1"/> Ben Simms of [[XXL (magazine)|XXL]] gave the album an L, saying "Born Sinner’s best moments are when he embraces the persona that initially garnered him praise. “Power Trip”, “Crooked Smile” and “Let Nas Down” are the album’s strongest tracks, and they feel like the rapper who created The Warm Up, which only becomes problematic at times because of Cole’s insistence to produce almost all of his work. But while BS may not exhibit the growth sonically or conceptually that fans may have anticipated after hearing Cole’s early work, he remains too gifted lyrically, too keen of a storyteller, and too emotionally open for his sophomore LP to be anything less than impressive, but not overly so."<ref name=XXL/>
Ted Scheinman of [[Slant Magazine]] gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Here's the only real problem with Born Sinner: Cole's production work is elegant, but he's first and foremost a words guy, and when you're competing with the lushness of Kendrick Lamar (who makes a spooky appearance on "Forbidden Fruit") or the preening, infectious weirdness of Kanye, playing it straight is probably not sexy enough. Born Sinner doesn't match the cohesive satisfactions of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, though it boasts better writing. "Chaining Day" bears close study, especially given this year's apparent vogue for rapping about slavery. Avoiding pat notions of servitude, Cole emphasizes how platinum chains can be just as restrictive as ones made of iron."<ref name=slant/> Phillip Mlynar of [[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] gave the album a six out of ten, saying "There's a more appealing, mild-mannered side to Cole that shines when he writes songs about relationships: The Miguel-abetted "Power Trip," especially, teeters on the edge of blooming into a melancholic OutKast single. But other than the feisty "Villuminati," Born Sinner is a lethargic listen. There's nothing wrong with being influenced by Nas, but pandering for an idol's approval rarely results in great music. Why should he care what Nas thinks? After all, that guy hasn't had a relationship with a truly classic album since 1994. Cole should be fired up to make his own Illmatic, his own Reasonable Doubt, or his own College Dropout. But here he seems stuck somewhere between starstruck and envious, fawning over his idols instead of trying to take their crowns. A watched throne never beckons."<ref name="spin"/>
==Track listing==
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