this is mostly associated with the newer generation of artists that have come up since 08' / 09'
let me just list the names of these artists (this isnt a complete list, but covers the majority of popular artists today)
drake
kid cudi
wale
kendrick
a$ap rocky
mac miller
big sean
nicki minaj
wiz khalifa
tyler the creator
b.o.b
let's start with
drake 
obviously he is the most popular new generation artist at this time, every single he drops or is featured on, his fans buy it and it becomes a massive hit. the guy is simply a hit machine, will definitely be memorable for years to come
next we'll go with
kid cudi 
whether the music sxn likes it or not, kid cudi has made his imprint on this generation of music. the man was on the path of drake in 09' & 10' but sadly tried to just continue to be extremely different and reinvent himself for no particular reason during 11' through 13'. regardless though, he has a cult following, sells out everywhere, and still has one of the most iconic songs in the last 5 years with Pursuit of Happiness. and he is embarking on a movie career that will likely keep him relevant for years to come
wale 
this man is an enigma of himself. he will be remembered not for his music but for his antics outside of the music industry. his projects besides his first couple mixtapes were extremely forgetful but his girlish outbursts on twitter as well as in real life create headlines for one reason or another. uttering one bad thing about his repetitive flow and nature of his songs as well as the 1 minute long interludes of him talking to himself really gets wale worked up. however he is also known in the sports world simply because of ESPN 1st take. people will remember him
kendrick 
he is old school hip hop in a nutshell and is already looked upon as a savior for the genre. wth just 1 studio album under his belt, he has completely taken over the game. duckworth is a god among men and will only continue to grow and succeed as an artist for years to come.
a$ap rocky 
whether it be by his rapping, fashion or homosexual tendencies, rocky has already made a dent in the music industry. the harlem rapper just recently released his debut studio album which has already sold quite a bit and is also getting worldwide recognition while touring with the biggest artist in music, rihanna. his music may or may not remain to be memorable over the next 5-10 years, but rocky seems determined to have another career path in the fashion world, joining the likes of kanye.
mac miller 
also known as the black eminem, mac miller took the industry by storm a few years ago in which he dropped several mixtapes that were instantly popular among the caucasian community. mac has started to branch off of that boyish gimmick rapping and is about to release another album that looks to be much more serious and conscious. mac also has a hit show on MTV that is only further increasing his buzz and popularity. once eminem retires, mac appears to be in position to pick up where he left off.
big sean 
boiiiiiiii. ohhhhh gawwwdddd. woahhhh dereeee. swerrrrveeeee. i doooo itt. thats all that needs to be said
nicki minaj 
her giant breasts and ass, complimented by her anteater face will forever be remembered in the annals of pop culture history. her music is extremely forgettable and now is leading towards more "pop" than "rap", but nickis recent antics on American Idol has reminded the world why Eminem destroyed Mariah Careys & Nick Cannons careers.
wiz khalifa 
like cudi, wiz looked very promising in his early career. releasing very solid pieces of work, while establishing a name for himself in the hip hop community. black and yellow is a timeless song that will continue to be brought up, but he is also known for taking up kanyes stripper and falling in love, impregnating, and marrying her. a love story that will surely be made into a movie by tyler perry, wiz, even though his music has completely fallen off, will still be remembered years to come.
tyler the creator 
definitely the edgiest of the new age hip hop artists, tyler has also created a huge cult following from misunderstood white people. even though he jokingly spits lyrics about burning shit and slitting peoples throats, white people have really grown to adore the deeper meaning behind his lyrics. with the wolfgang group and their rebellious nature, they will forever be relevant as long as there are misunderstood middle class white people to mosh out to their music.
b.o.b
arguably the most controversial pick on this list, b.o.b will also be very memorable over the next few years. he really hasnt created a solid piece of work yet but he is establishing himself as the post 08' lil wayne of this generation, putting out songs with very cheap and catchy lyrics over dope beats that people love to listen to when they dont want to think. b.o.b has massively popular songs already and has collabed with some of the most notable artists in the music industry. while nobody will ever respect him, b.o.b will still be listened to and remembered.
finally we get to why j. cole will NOT be mentioned with the above people in the foreseeable future.
cole is one of those artists that everyone wants to root for to succeed but gets extremely disappointed and pissed off when he fails to make anything memorable. his mixtape days were great but nothing to really write home about or listen to in 10-15 years. it's not that cole has nothing to say in his music, because he really does have a lot of things to say, it's just you dont remember what he said by the end of the song. his flow is soft and dull, even when he tries to rap with urgency or emotion, you really dont believe it. while he creates a lot of his beats, and that should be looked upon as a talent, none of them really strike you as entertaining or interesting. over a period of time you may learn to accept the songs and "vibe" out to them, but you know deep down inside it's only because you're trying your hardest just to give him a chance of entertaining you.
it's gotten to the point where the first believer of him, jay-z, doesnt even want to be associated with him. jigga saw so much promise in him but when sideline story came out he knew there was absolutely nothing else he could do. cole is simply stuck, and nobody how hard you shake him he wont get up. while everyone wants to believe in him they know that unless he gets major help from supporting artists (aka miguel in Power Trip) cole will simply free fall into a never ending pit of irrelevance. as of right now, cole will not be remembered in 5-10 years.
