J. Cole was the latest guest on the No Bars Off podcast, with the full episode set to drop tomorrow (Monday, September 7). In a preview clip, Cole discussed playing early records like “Wet Dreamz” for Jay-Z five years before its release and revealed that he’s grateful Hov didn’t push him toward a commercial breakthrough too early.
The Dreamville MC said he wanted a record deal back then and believed he was ready. Looking back, however, he feels thankful that his rise came later. He said a moment during his The Fall-Off tour made him reflect on his first meeting with Jay.
“I played ‘Wet Dreamz’ for Jay-Z [at] my first meeting for him,” the North Carolina rapper remarked, as caught by Caleb on Twitter. “In my mind, I’m like, ‘He had to have known what this was, right?’ I didn’t put it out until five years later… Thank God he didn’t go, ‘Oh my God, let’s take that to radio right now… He’s ready now.’ Whether he thought that song was ready or not, he probably knew, ‘He needs some more development.’ Thank God he thought that.
“Even when I signed to him at 24, if I’d have blew at 24, even with the material I had, I couldn’t have came back from that,” he continued. “I could’ve dropped a real classic at 24, 25, with the stockpile of songs I had… I had a pure classic on my hands at 24, 25. If I would’ve blew off of that, and dropped that, I genuinely feel like I would’ve had nothing to rap about. I would’ve went and lived a whole crazy life. I wouldn’t be married, wouldn’t have kids. And then, I would’ve just been one of them n***as where they like, ‘What happened to him?'”
J. Cole and Jay-Z’s relationship has faced scrutiny from fans over the years. Still, it’s clear that the two share plenty of mutual respect and appreciation for their history.
Elsewhere, J. Cole recently faced tragedy when a driver for his tour died in a car crash. It was a heartbreaking moment in what has otherwise been a heartening trek.
