J. Cole has explained the root of the issue between him and Kanye, and revealed that his verses on the G.O.O.D. Fridays track contained direct jabs at Ye.
- November 29, 2024
AceShowbiz - J. Cole has a complicated relationship with Kanye West, and a recent episode of his "Inevitable" audio series shed light on the origins of that tension. During a UStream before the release of "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" in 2010, Ye addressed a fan's question about collaborating with Cole.
Cole felt that Ye's response was dismissive, saying, "He said, 'I mean, we might put him on one of the G.O.O.D. Fridays or something.' It was like a 'Yes, but...' He's not a n***a that I would [feature on my album]." Cole's initial excitement turned to disappointment.
Despite this, Ye eventually called Cole to record a verse for the G.O.O.D. Fridays series. Cole initially declined due to time constraints, but Ye's polite flex of his ability to make things happen convinced him. Cole drove two hours to a Detroit studio to write and record his verse, despite not having heard the full song.
Cole's verse on "Looking for Trouble" contained subtle shots at Kanye. "Cole World, make way for the chosen one," he rapped, adding, "Downplayed me to downgrade me like they don't notice son/ Your shoes too big to fill? I can barely squeeze my toes in 'em."
Cole confirmed that these lyrics were aimed at Kanye's comments on the UStream. "Those were direct shots [at Kanye]," he said. "And those are shots I know only [Kanye] would feel."
Cole's verse was well-received, but he later expressed dissatisfaction with the final mix, claiming his vocals were "nudged" offbeat, making his flow sound stiff. He speculated that this could have been a deliberate move by producers or engineers.
Cole and Kanye's relationship has remained complicated since "Looking for Trouble." Cole has dissed Ye on "False Prophets" and "Middle Child" while Ye has disparaged him on "Like That."
