Hip-hop fans have been anticipating a J. Cole collaboration for years. The North Carolina-born rapper is widely considered one of the “Big Three” of contemporary hip-hop. That said, he stands alongside celebrities like Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Recently, rumors began to circulate about a J. Cole collaboration record after Black Thought revealed that the possibility was once on the table. During a recent episode of the This Week in White Supremacy podcast, The Roots co-founder revealed that J. Cole approached him back in 2018 about collaborating on a full-length album. This leaves the public curious about what might come next.
Fans have been waiting for years for a J. Cole collaboration, but he never fulfilled their hopes. Sure, Cole has collaborated on various single joints — like his collaboration with Kendrick on “Forbidden Fruit” — but what we’re really looking forward to is the full body of work. Speaking of K.Dot, people have been talking about the desire for a J. Cole collaboration album for years, but more on that later. From Black Thought to André 3000, here are seven A-list rappers that J. Cole could choose to make a collaborative record with.
Black Thoughts: A Different Wavelength
When J. Cole contacted Black Thought in 2018, the two didn’t know each other well. Still, Thought was open to the idea of collaborating with J. Cole, and the two traded beats and feedback. At the time, Thought was interested in taking a more radical route in his music. Cole seemed to be on the other end of the spectrum, seeking a calmer soundscape. That’s essentially why the two’s paths didn’t match up to that point. Thought was trying to move away from the familiar sound he’d cultivated with The Roots, but it felt like Cole’s direction was too close to it. This is simply not the right time.
Kendrick Lamar: The J. Cole collaboration that never happened
As we mentioned in the intro, Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole have worked together in the past. Back in 2013, the two wrote the song “Forbidden Fruit” together, which appeared on J. Cole’s sophomore full-length “Born Sinner.” As far as collaborative records go, there has been talk of the endeavor on and off over the years. Cole spoke about what happened on Lil Yachty’s A Safe Place podcast back in November 2023. It seems like he and Lamar started talking about the possibility early in their careers and actually made some real efforts toward it. I demoed a few tracks a long time ago. But the collaboration never materialized, mostly because the duo’s schedules became too busy—plus their solo careers, touring, and families. The duo knew it would take a lot of investment and time to truly make this happen and become the best product they could put together.
ScHoolboy Q: A friend with a unique style
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 29: Hip hop artist Schoolboy Q Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole, Miguel and SchoolBoyQ during the 2013 BET Experience at Staples Center on June 29, 2013 in Los Angeles, California Perform at a concert. (Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images for BET)
J. Cole removed his diss track against Kendrick Lamar “7 Minute Drill” from streaming services in April. According to a writer from The Source, his friend ScHoolboy Q allegedly suggested he do this while the two were attending the Dreamville Festival. Although it’s unclear what was said between the two, Cole followed Q’s advice and backed out of the Kendrick-Drake feud. J. Cole’s long-running collaboration with ScHoolboy Q could be an interesting thing to happen in the hip-hop world, and could very well result in something very unique.
Vince Staples: rap camp member for future collaborations
Dreamville Records canceled the Revenge of the Dreamers III rap camp in July 2019. Staples was selected as one of the few to attend the rap camp, recalling fondly in an interview with Billboard: “It was really stress-free and freeing and fun.” Hear Staples and Cole on The compilation’s tracks swap verses, opening up the possibility of future J. Cole collaborations. This would be interesting to say the least.
The future: ‘Red leather’ could mean more
Just weeks after J. Cole dropped “7 Minute Drill” from streaming services, he dropped “Red Leather,” a collaboration with Future and Metro Boomin. Interestingly, some listeners interpreted his verse in the song as a disdain for Drake, although Cole has yet to confirm this. This may have nothing to do with the Toronto rapper, as Cole has openly admitted that the diss track and beef were “the lamest, stupidest stuff” at Dreamville Festival. After listening to “Red Leather,” fans have more expectations for the Atlanta-born Future and Cole. Future full-length albums could be a truly unprecedented mix of Southern rap energy.
Meek Mill: On and off in the studio with J. Cole
More than a year ago, J. Cole and Meek Mill appeared on the verses of the Drake collaboration “I Can Never.” This isn’t the first time the two have spent time together in the studio, either. The combination of Philadelphia-born Mill’s battle-rap breeding and Cole’s Southeastern hybrid production could be a game-changer. If Mill can team up with J. Cole, the results will be astounding. And the possibility doesn’t seem too far-fetched. Mill previously appeared as a featured artist on Welles’ “Black Grammy” awards alongside Cole. We can keep our fingers crossed for future group records.
André 3000: One of J. Cole’s inspirations
J. Cole sampled André 3000 on Outkast’s “SpottieOttieDopalicious” and “Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 1)” for his songs “Who Dat” and “Land of the Snakes” respectively. Perhaps it’s true that no Southern hip-hop artist can completely escape the influence of Outkast – these are Cole’s clear nods to Outkast. Another interesting pairing is that André 3000 wrote a verse for the album version of Beyonce’s song “Party” and J. Cole replaced his verse with a new one in the video. Fans can’t wait to start comparing the two versions, which shows the excitement a full-length collaboration will bring. Although André 3000 released the famous new era ambient jazz album “New Blue Sun” in November 2023 and seemed to shy away from rap, fans are still looking forward to future collaborations with J. Cole.
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