J. Cole had fans talking after a line on “The Fall-Off” sparked rumors that he might be taking aim at Jay-Z.
The speculation picked up following the release of his lead single, The Fall-Off Is Inevitable, from The Fall-Off. One lyric, in particular, caught listeners’ attention: “One of the so-called kings of this rap thing that I swear to usurp.” Earlier in the track, Cole also references being “signed to my hero,” nodding to Jay-Z.
Fans zeroed in on the phrase “so-called,” taking it as a possible sign of disrespect toward Hov. The theory gained even more traction with the track’s homage to Nas’ “Rewind,” especially given the long-standing rivalry between Nas and Jay-Z.
Still, while that line raised questions, the bar before it seemed to soften the interpretation.
Clearing the air during an appearance on the 7PM In Brooklyn, J. Cole shut the rumors down, saying it “absolutely wasn’t” intended as a diss toward the New York legend.
He doubled down on being an “unabashed Jay-Z fan,” even admitting he once saw him as a rap god. Still, after hearing how fans interpreted the line online, J. Cole said he understood why people read into it that way.
But as he clarified in the clip, the verse was delivered from the mindset of a young, hungry teenager trying to prove himself.
That lines up, especially since the track tells his story in reverse. At the end of the day, the speculation can finally be laid to rest.
J. Cole also shared that he’s disappointed to be missing out on Jay-Z’s Yankee Stadium shows, as they clash with the opening dates of his The Fall-Off world tour. Still, he mentioned he plans to catch Jay-Z live at the upcoming Roots Picnic.
All signs point to the two still being on good terms, even if they haven’t spoken in a while. During his major interview with GQ and Frazier Tharpe, Jay-Z made it clear there’s no bad blood.
“I don’t have any negative feelings for him. I’m actually super proud of him and what he’s done.”
