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These days, J.Cole is known as hip-hop royalty. Especially after scoring another number one record after the release of his most recent studio album, The Fall Off.
Jay-Z Sounds Off on J.Cole’s Time With Roc Nation
But once upon a time, Cole was known as the kid who was signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. Trying to find his footing in the game. During a recent sit-down interview with GQ, Jay-Z addressed Cole’s time with the record label. Specifically, the narrative that the record label didn’t love him.
Jay said that the issue was not that the label didn’t love him. Rather, they believed enough in his vision to allow him to forge his own path.
“An artist’s expression should be their expression. I really fall back. That’s what I think happened with [J.] Cole,” Jay-Z said to the outlet. “The narrative is that we didn’t love Cole. No, we believed in him enough to let him find his journey. It took him a minute, but he found his way.
Jay-Z noted that part of the process included giving Cole the freedom to make his own decisions. Even if he didn’t necessarily agree with him.
“I was giving him a chance to take his talent and show it to as many people as possible, but in his own way. I didn’t say, “Here’s this record from Stargate and you’re putting it out.” Like I forced Bleek to make “Memphis Bleek Is,” he added.
“Bleek is my little brother; he has to listen to me. But for J. Cole, he has to find his own direction, and I’m going to give him the tools. Stargate made humongous records with Rihanna, Wiz Khalifa, and “Black and Yellow.” The biggest songs in the world. You don’t want to go sit with them? Fine.”
Hov concluded by saying that he’s “super proud” of Cole and what he has accomplished.
