J. Cole admits he doesn’t really feel like he’s the best rapper working today. He only feels that way when he’s in the studio.
In an episode of Brooklyn podcast 7PM that premiered on Friday (March 27), J. Cole admitted to hosts Carmelo Anthony, Monica McNutt, and Kazeem Famuyide that he lied in his song when he boasted that he was the best rapper alive. The North Carolina rhymer says he doesn’t go around thinking he’s the best rapper, especially when there are other elite lyricists who could write a song for him.
“Brother, there is a Ni**a named Black Thought. There is a Ni**a named Lupe Fiasco,” he explained. “On any given day, even with my peers, Drake or Kendrick, that’s true [Lamar] Like, yo, I know on any day I can show up in the studio and give these guys 80, I know on any day they can show up in the studio and give me 80 and I might only have 30. ”
“If I’m in a rap role, like when I’m rapping, that’s the way I like to rap. Guess what? Sometimes I get to the point and I say shit and then I spit out a verse that might actually make you believe that shit,” he continued. “But if you ask me in real life, do I walk like I’m the best rapper in the world? No, nah. Like I’m the best rapper ever? No. But when I put on that muthaf***in’ cape, that’s how I try to attack trash.”
“Are there some things and moments and verses that I’m writing about this shit when I’m like, I know you don’t like this at all. Absolutely. But really, am I walking this earth like there’s no one better than me in real life? Like I can’t go into the studio with Black Thought and he only gives me 90, you know what I mean? 25, you know what I mean?”
J. Cole felt like he was bragging about being the best rapper in his songs and fans believed it to be true but didn’t realize he was just bragging. But outside the studio, he doesn’t walk around in this persona.
