Courtesy of Reviewstacks.com: "Raw. If a faceted, progressive, and layered project like Chasing Cool can be summed up in one word, then that word would be raw. From start to finish, there is an unprocessed skill, knowledge and passion behind this project. Allow me to introduce, J.Nolan. This young man’s laid back flow will lull you into a calm so that you never expect it when he launches into a poetic spectacle that reminds of a young Q-tip. After listening to just the first few songs of the project, even the casual listener will recognize how well the music acts as the perfect backdrop for the soulful voice and cadence of the oldest-young man in the game.

The mixtape, set to be released on May 5th is a candid look at the life of an hungry young hip-hop hopeful with the perspective of a man who has been in the game for years. Nolan offers an open window into his life and the issues that he encounters daily, packaged in the warm sounds of Jazz and Soul samples. His lyrical style is reminiscent of a young Talib Kweli without the NY swagger and the wordplay of a Food & Liquor-esqe Lupe Fiasco. On top of that, Chasing Cool managed to corral a group of young producers under the idea of the late 90’s and early 2000’s neo-soul sound that seems to be his forte.

The first track eases you into what to expect during your listening session as Jamar freestyles off the top of his head and accepts the unpolished product of such an ambitious idea. The result is that he manages to land on a level of introspection generally reserved for the likes of Joe Budden and Eminem. From there, Nolan who hails from Atlanta, explores a distinctly Chicagoan sound as he raps over bass guitar driven melodies accompannolanied by soft piano and organ sounds. On “96″ which is the 4th track of the mixtape, we hear the lament of the loss of what hip hop sounded like a few years before the turn of the century (when the artist was still in elementary school!). He delivers the lines with such clarity of knowledge and impassioned sense of loss that one might think that he was there! “Nice guys finish last” and “3rd time’s a charm” showcase J’s ability to draw us in to his story and personality. The title track, “Chasing Cool” is an obvious nod to Lupe-inspired concept of coolness and it’s disconnect from reality. “Let it Go”, “Motivation to Live”, and “My Team Supreme” are the songs that feature the best of this artists lyrical abilities and (probably by no accident) some of the best beats as well.

The Good: Chasing Cool features J.Nolan at the top of his game with witty lines, level-headed social commentary, stylistic and thematic consistency, and fantastic production. If you were a fan of hip-hop before the game got A.D.D. and every rapper had to make up a dance, then you will like this project

The Bad: Time will provide more polish to his game, but hopefully not water down his content. The skill is there, but it needs a little something. There is also a distinct lack of voices on Chasing Cool with only a couple of guest features.

Overall: The album is fresh, soulful, and musically solid. On May 5th, head over to J.Nolan’s MySpace profile to pick it up."