Videos by According2HipHop
J. Cole is peeling back the curtain on the creative grind behind his new single, “Disc 2, Track 2.”
On Tuesday (Jan. 20), music journalist Timmhotep Aku shared a clip from a recent interview with the Dreamville founder, where Cole detailed the intense and deeply personal recording process behind the unconventional track. The song finds Cole narrating his life story in reverse—a concept that demanded patience, precision, and a willingness to push past fear.
Cole described spending long hours alone in his home studio while his kids were at school, carefully piecing the song together like a puzzle. Rather than viewing it as labor, he framed the process as an enjoyable mental challenge, one that required focus and discipline as the idea slowly came into form.
As the concept began to click, excitement and doubt hit him at the same time. Cole explained that while he was energized by the idea of telling his life story backward—while holding himself to strict technical rules like maintaining a minimum of four syllables per bar—there was also an internal voice urging him not to attempt something so ambitious. Despite the fear, he ultimately committed to the challenge.
The result is a track Cole compares to Rewind by Nas, a classic known for its reverse storytelling structure.
On Jan. 14, Cole officially announced the release date for his long-awaited album The Fall-Off, set to drop on Feb. 6, and heightened anticipation by releasing “Disc 2, Track 2”—which is not the song’s official title. Adding to the buzz, reports suggest Cole may also be planning to release a mixtape titled It’s a Boy ahead of the album, making the road to The Fall-Off even more intriguing for fans.
Snippet of upcoming J. Cole interview with Timmhotep Aku
— Team DREAMVILLE (@TeamDreamville) January 20, 2026
He breaks down the creation of “DISC 2, TRACK 2” and how it relates to the album 🫡 pic.twitter.com/iyXyGyobgj
