J. Cole talks about Kendrick Lamar surpassing him with ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’

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As a devoted fan who has followed J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar’s careers since their early days, I can’t help but feel a mix of emotions when reflecting upon their shared journey. It’s been a rollercoaster ride filled with anticipation, disappointment, and now, a glimmer of hope.

Since J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar gained recognition in the hip hop world, fans have been eagerly asking for a collaboration between them. This is likely due to both artists being renowned for their masterful lyrics and producing music that frequently touches on conscious themes.

Initially, discussions centered around a collaborative effort they planned to unveil, but alas, it remained undelivered. However, fortunately for enthusiasts, a Dreamville artist has lately made public two of those songs on his audio series Inevitable, also providing insights into the recording process.

Back in 2012, I was fortunate enough to have Kendrick Lamar grace my hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina as one of the opening acts on Drake’s Club Paradise Tour. It was an experience that left a lasting impact on me. However, after those sessions, something shifted within me – it had to do with the release of Kendrick’s groundbreaking debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city. I couldn’t help but feel like he surpassed my own artistic trajectory.

According to Billboard, Cole reminisced about spending between two to three days working on the studio bus. Prior to this, he had only shared joints with him, but this was their first opportunity to collaborate intensely. That experience was incredibly enjoyable for him, he said, much like when your cousin visits your home.

When Kendrick’s album was released, the path became more challenging, the climb more steep. Just like when [So Far Gone] came out and I thought, ‘Wow, there’s another person with aspirations similar to mine,’ it felt the same way with Kendrick… It was a feeling of being overwhelmed or exceeded by his talent and ambition.

Cole mentioned that he felt this way since his album, “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” outperformed sales-wise compared to his own project. Moreover, he had the opportunity to open for Kendrick during their shared performance.

Indeed, tensions arose between the rappers earlier this year following an apparent diss from Kendrick Lamar on Future and Metro Boomin’s track titled “Like That.” The rapper from North Carolina responded with his song “7 Minute Drill,” but later extended an apology to Kendrick for releasing it prematurely.

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2024-12-04 21:23