Videos by According2HipHop
On his new album The Fall-Off, J. Cole delivers one of his most thought-provoking moments with a track titled What If, where he raps from the perspectives of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G..
On the song, Cole imagines an alternate history where the two hip-hop icons put aside their rivalry and addressed their issues directly before violence took over. Rapping as Biggie, Cole reflects on choosing restraint over retaliation, expressing love despite accusations and outside pressure to escalate the conflict. “Instead of escalatin’… I’m tellin’ ’em chill,” he raps, framing Biggie as a voice of calm amid chaos.
Switching to Tupac’s perspective, Cole offers a tone of remorse and accountability. As ’Pac, he acknowledges how ego, vengeance, and money helped fuel the situation, delivering a heartfelt apology and taking responsibility for how things spiraled out of control.
“What If” stands as a sobering meditation on hip-hop’s most tragic rivalry, using empathy and hindsight to explore how communication and humility might have changed the fate of two legends—and the culture forever.
