Genius Meanings
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Offset (Ft. J. Cole) – How Did I Get Here
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On “How Did I Get Here,” Offset questions how he has been able to achieve his stature and success given the life of crime that he pursued as an adolescent. He’s grateful to have
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J. Cole – 1985
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“1985” is representative of the year J. Cole was born. When combined with 2014 Forest Hills Drive’s “January 28th,” Cole’s entire birthday is in his discography.
The song is a
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J. Cole – High for Hours
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This song was released on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2017. J. Cole touches on his experience meeting President Barack Obama in the second verse and has thoughts of revolution in
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J. Cole (Ft. Miguel) – Power Trip
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In 2013, Cole dropped Born Sinner’s lead single just in time for Valentine’s Day. His Facebook page stated this was a continuation of “Dreams,” a track off of his second mixtape
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NF & Cordae – CAREFUL
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[Chorus: NF & Cordae] / Stuntin' on me, you get exposed (Woo) / I don't wanna pick, then I buy both (Buy both) / Doesn't go plat', it'll go gold (Go gold) / Keep it upfront, I don'
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Miguel (Ft. J. Cole & Salaam Remi) – Come Through and Chill
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Released via SoundCloud on June 24, 2016, “Come Through and Chill” is a song about staying indoors, ordering up some weed, and knocking boots all night long. It’s not a bad way to
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J. Cole – Work Out
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After “Who Dat” failed to become a chart topper, J. Cole released “Work Out” as the second single off his debut album three months prior to its release, on June 5th, 2011, the
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J. Cole – G.O.M.D.
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Cole is starting to lose himself in Hollywood; becoming arrogant and making typical commercial music.
His first doubts about his new lifestyle come in the second verse—he starts
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J. Cole – Kevin's Heart
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In “Kevin’s Heart,” Cole is singing from the stance of a person in love with drugs. Throughout the track, he references taking Xannies and smoking blunts, and relates the use of
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J. Cole – Photograph
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“Photograph” describes Cole finding a girl’s picture on social media and trying to finesse and get her.
Thematically the track sees Cole examining the state of romance and
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Dreamville, J. Cole & Lute (Ft. DaBaby) – Under the Sun
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“Under the Sun” serves as the opening track to Revenge of the Dreamers III and first official collaboration between North Carolina artists J. Cole, Lute, and DaBaby. The rappers
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J. Cole – p u n c h i n ’ . t h e . c l o c k
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On the album’s briefest track, J. Cole raps about the hours he’s spent working—or “punching the clock.”
The intro samples NBA star Damian Lillard’s August 11, 2020, post-game
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J. Cole – Wet Dreamz
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On the third single from Forest Hills Drive, Cole reminisces about his first time with a girl. He puts on the typical play-it-cool attitude when in reality all he knows about are
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J. Cole – Fire Squad
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J. Cole attempts to restore the balance in hip hop as he criticizes white privilege and white appropriation of the culture—namely, Macklemore’s The Heist winning the 2013 Grammy
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J. Cole, 21 Savage & Morray – m y . l i f e
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On “m y . l i f e,” Cole recruits 21 Savage and Morray for a track on which they discuss the struggles of their respective come-ups and the benefits of their perseverance. They
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J. Cole – Note to Self
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The final song on 2014 Forest Hills Drive completes Cole’s main outlook on life: Love one another and life will fall into place.
In true ROC fashion (“Blueprint,” “My 1st Song
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J. Cole – Higher
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On this track J. Cole talks about girls… whom he has known since 12th grade that are just hooking up with him (coincidence?) and others now that he is a celebrity. He has a lust
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Dreamville, JID & J. Cole (Ft. Kenny Mason & Sheck Wes) – Stick
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On “Stick,” all four performing rappers discuss their habit of keeping a gun on them at all times, with either, or sometimes both, protective or aggressive motivations.
JID
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Here’s The Deeper Meaning Behind J. Cole’s New Album ‘4 Your Eyez Only’
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It all revolves around the murder of a friend named James McMillan Jr.
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J. Cole – Is She Gon Pop
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A track from the well-worth-the-wait Born Sinner deluxe edition. This is also the third song from the Truly Yours 3. Cole has amazed numerous fans and critics with the Truly Yours
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J. Cole – Deja Vu
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On “Deja Vu,” Cole raps from the perspective of his deceased friend James McMillan Jr., who imagines a conversation with a woman about the kind of men she gravitates towards. He
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J. Cole – Snow On Tha Bluff
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“Snow On Tha Bluff” is J. Cole’s first release of 2020. On the song, which is titled after a January 2011 film about a robbery in Atlanta, Cole delivers a single continuous verse
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J. Cole – The Cure
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[Intro] / Cole World, the new Nat King / If I ain't the illest nigga, I'm his new vaccine / Really more like poison when his New Jack Swing / And my bed is like a deck of cards
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Nitin Randhawa – Perfect (Nitin Randhawa Remix)
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[Intro] / Nitin Randhawa / You are watching a master at work / Nitin Randhawa / [Verse 1 : Logic & Juicy J] / Bitch, I did it, I made it, I'm loved and I'm hated / I started from
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J. Cole & Bas – h u n g e r . o n . h i l l s i d e
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Throughout “h u n g e r . o n . h i l l s i d e,” J. Cole discusses how he will remain the same person despite his success. Bas returns to provide vocals on the latter part of the
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J. Cole – Lost Ones
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“Lost Ones” is a dialogue between a young couple who’ve just discovered the girl is pregnant. Exploring the whirlwind of thoughts and emotion that follow this revelation, Cole adds
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J. Cole (Ft. Omen) – Enchanted
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In “Enchanted,” Cole links up with Omen to touch on various topics including growing up fatherless with a single mother, the loss of young people to violence, and much more.
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Miguel (Ft. J. Cole) – All I Want Is You
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“All I Want Is You” is the single for Miguel’s debut album. The song is produced by Salaam Remi. Miguel and J. Cole tell separate tales about girls they just can’t seem to move on
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J. Cole & Bas – Tribe
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“Tribe” is the ninth official collaboration between J. Cole and his Dreamville Records signee Bas. It was released as the second official single from Milky Way two days before the
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Dreamville, EARTHGANG & J. Cole (Ft. Saba & Smino) – Sacrifices
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“Sacrifices” features Midwest rappers Smino and Saba in their first collaboration with Dreamville’s J. Cole and EARTHGANG. On the track, which closes out ROTD3, each artist
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J. Cole – Rise and Shine
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[Intro: Jay-Z] / There's a nigga right now somewhere / He at the table with a bowl of Apple Jacks / And he's reading the back of the cereal / And in between eating the Apple Jacks
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J. Cole – Rich Niggaz
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[Intro] / Ayo / Ayo / Ayo, ah / Ayo, ah / Ayo / Ayo / Ayo, ah / Yeah / [Verse 1] / I hate rich niggas, god damn it / 'Cause I ain't never had a lot, damn it / Who you had to kill
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J. Cole (Ft. Jeezy) – Kenny Lofton
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Kenny Lofton is one of the better stories to have emerged from Major League Baseball. He was definitely known for his speed, which J. Cole attests to in the hook of this song. But
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J. Cole – She's Mine, Pt. 2
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J. Cole’s two-part suite “She’s Mine,” featured on his fourth studio album 4 Your Eyez Only, are two of the most personal songs he has written thus far.
The first part is
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J. Cole – Sideline Story
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“Sideline Story” is the 6th track on CW: TSS. In this song, Jermaine lays three verses about how he managed to “get up off the sideline.” From pouring his heart out to signing to
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Genius Users – J. Cole [Discography List]
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Projects: / 2007: / • J. Cole - The Come Up Vol. 1: May 4th / 2009: / • J. Cole - The Warm Up: June 15th / 2010: / • J. Cole - Friday Night Lights: November 12th / 2011: / • J
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21 Savage (Ft. J. Cole) – a lot
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On the introspective introduction to his sophomore studio album, 21 Savage raps about having “a lot” of blessings and curses in his life. Savage also reflects on his tumultuous
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J. Cole – Change
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On “Change,” Cole reflects on the maturation of his understanding of the cycle of violence and crime in struggling black communities and details the murder of his friend James
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Wale (Ft. J. Cole) – My Boy (Freestyle)
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Wale collaborates with J. Cole once again on a fun braggadocious track.
Wale’s last collaboration with Jermaine was in 2015 on the track “The Pessimist” from his fourth studio
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J. Cole (Ft. Trey Songz) – Can't Get Enough
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The second radio single from Cole World: The Sideline Story demonstrates why J Cole is widely considered to be the Simba of Hip-hop... He mixes his lyrical skill over this summer
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Young Thug (Ft. J. Cole & Travis Scott) – The London
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On “The London,” Young Thug, J. Cole, and Travis Scott rap about what they would do with their significant others at “The London,” which could refer to a luxury hotel in either
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J. Cole (Ft. TLC) – Crooked Smile
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Using his own imperfect set of teeth as an example, Cole reaffirms his belief that nobody’s perfect, as everyone has their own “crooked smile”, and that nobody has to be perfect
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J. Cole (Ft. Kendrick Lamar) – Forbidden Fruit
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In the bible, Book Genesis, Adam and Eve are led into temptation by the serpent (the devil) and taste from the fruit that God had forbidden them to eat. This act, the fall of man
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J. Cole – 2Face
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This song delves into a recurring theme in Cole’s early work, his conflicting emotions and the two polarizing sides to his personality. As a young up-and-comer in the game, he
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J. Cole (Ft. Drake) – In the Morning
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From J Cole’s mixtape Friday Night Lights, produced by L&X Music, the piano-laced tune boasts hollow taps on a wood pipe and searing synths, with the Roc Nation rapper spitting
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J. Cole – LAnd of the Snakes
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“LAnd of the Snakes” depicts Cole’s promiscuous affairs with women, something he enjoys in the choruses but regrets in the third verse, when he runs into a woman he once had a one
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