J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar’s relationship is fascinating. They are two of the most respected rappers of this generation and two-thirds of the “Big Three”. They expressed their love for each other and then despised each other. It’s all very messy and recent, but J Cole isn’t shying away from the history between him and Dot on his new podcast, The Inevitable. Not only did Cole talk about Lamar on a recent episode, he also previewed two unreleased songs from their joint album circa 2010.
Longtime fans of J Cole and Kendrick Lamar will recognize these songs. We’re going back to the Datpiff days with these guys. J Cole sampled “Temptations” and “Shock the World,” two songs that had been previewed by record store attendees back in 2010. Video clip of rapping to a song. However, as long-time fans can attest, the audio quality is rough. Fans can be heard cheering and exclamating in the background of the recording that does exist. J Cole decided to give the public (at least those who still remember) the version of CDQ they wanted via his podcast.
J Cole and Kendrick Lamar plan to make an LP together
On “Temptation,” J Cole and Kendrick Lamar trade brilliant verses over Cole’s harp-driven rhythms. Meanwhile, “Shock the World” features rapper and former TDE affiliate BJ the Chicago Kid. Fans can hear not only what the songs sound like in their official form, but also the context of how the songs come together. Cole discussed their production process and the musical chemistry he and Lamar had that was immediately visible in the studio.
These songs definitely have a different punch than songs like “Like That” and “7 Minute Drill.” The relationship between J Cole and Kendrick Lamar has become increasingly tense over the last year. Cole recently dropped “Port Antonio,” a book that details what happened between him, Drake and Lamar and why he opted out of the feud. Cole’s reputation can be said to have taken the biggest hit among the “Big Three”. The fact that he’s looking back and seems to be at peace with his relationship with both rappers means we could be getting an interesting look at history through these unreleased collaborations.
About the author
Elias Andrews is the music and entertainment writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH in 2024 as chief night writer, which means he covers new releases every week. In the year since joining, Elias has covered some of the biggest, most tumultuous stories in music. He’s been covering Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s battle on the fly, especially with the release of topics like “Family Matters” and “Meet the Grahams.” He also detailed a list of ongoing allegations and criminal charges against Diddy. Elias’ favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, pre-808s Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. He likes L.A. hip-hop, but not L.A. sports teams. The first album he bought was Will Smith’s “Big Willie Style,” which he thinks still sounds great.
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